The story of Sleeping Rappig (open)

[necroshmancer]

WHO: Jade, Peony, Dist (unfortunately).
WHAT: Peony carries an unconscious Jade back to the Inn.
WHERE: Crimson Dragon Inn,
WHEN: Day 20 after the sparring with Dist (yes still backlogging!).

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[peony_the_ninth]

Peony had ignored any strange looks or whispers as he walked through the Inn towards the stairs. The regulars of the Crimson Dragon had seen them enough to have at least a vague idea who they were. Enough to have expected Jade to be carrying Peony if anything, not the other way around.

The Emperor had broken into a light sweat, his tan face dewy and cheeks slightly flushed. At least he hadn't actually dropped Jade yet, just had a few stumbles. Peony's shoulders were burning, and climbing the stairs was no easy feat with the necromancer in his arms. Reaching their room Peony kicked the door open, dropping placing Jade on the bed.

Jade was still out. He hadn't even stirred when Peony had jostled him. It wasn't surprising, but Peony still felt anxiously worried. It didn't help that Dist was lurking around, unnerving Peony with his constant, silent presence. "Get me a jug of cold water Safir." No question in his voice. It was an order.

[dist_the_reaper]

Dist wrinkled his nose upon hearing his real name. "It's Dist the rose...." he began, quickly realizing that his retort could not come at a worse time. Silently, he went headed to the restaurant on the first floor and pestered one of the waitresses, returning within five minutes of his departure with a clay jug of ice water.

The uncomfortable silence filled the room stiffly, and Dist shivered, watching Peony panic quietly. It was quite obvious Peony wanted to be alone, but Dist wouldn't stand for it. Not only was it far too much of a tempting offer to care for HIS Jade after so long, but there was a certain degree of tension during the Colonel and the Emperor which had only grown since they had arrived in Rivelata. Dist was quite thick-headed, but it was so obvious it was actually beginning to irritate him on a daily basis.

He feared they may throttle each other if things progressed- and as much as he fantasized about Jade, running to him, crying, a tear streaming down his face quietly...'I need you, Safir', he would say...'the

[peony_the_ninth]

"The water will help!" Peony snapped back at Dist, a bit more harshly than he had intended. Seeing Jade in such a state was bad enough, having Dist around was even worse. It made Peony irate, especially since Dist knew so much more about fonons than he did. Dist could probably help Jade more than he could, which was the most annoying of all.

Peony dipped a cool cloth into the ice water, wringing out the cloth before laying it across Jade's forehead. Peony knew it probably wouldn't make a difference, but it made HIM feel better. He hated feeling helpless, hated that he hadn't been able to stop Jade before it had came to this point. The blonde chewed on his lower lip, sitting on the edge of the bed to stare down at Jade. Willing him mentally to wake up, to bat an eyelash, to do anything aside from quietly breathe.

[dist_the_reaper]

"WELL," Dist huffed loudly, taken aback by the Emperor's harsh attitude. "SOR-RYYYY for being RIGHT." He crossed his arms and waited for a retort from Peony, but it never came. The atmosphere continued to tense as the minutes passed in silence.

He was getting really sick of whatever game of emotional tag the Emperor and Jade were playing. You're acting like an OVER DRAMATIC woman, he retorted mentally. Not that he was one to talk, but the over dramatic persona was HIS role. He hadn't seen Peony act like this in nearly twenty years, and it was beginning to make him feel emotionally crowded. Dist hated to admit he preferred the light-hearted teasing manner the Emperor usually took on. What had being in Rivelata done to those two?

Dist wasn't sure he wanted to find out, and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet, his breath bated as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[peony_the_ninth]

The words were caught in Peony's throat.
How was it that he could speak to a cabinet, to world rulers without a stumbled word- but Jade strike him speechless without trying. He wasn't even sure if Jade was aware of what he was saying, but the words hit deep none the less.

He squeezed Jades hand, albeit a bit too tightly.
How could he think-
After all they had been through-
After all the years Jade had been by Peony's side, and she hadn't.

"Jade, you never left me." Before he had known he was moving, he was squeezing the dazed Colonel in a tight hug. Peony buried his face in Jade's hair, shutting his eyes tight and forcing back a sob. "So I would never leave you."

[necroshmancer]

Jade's free hand slowly made its way up Peony's arm to tangle clumsily in his blond hair, fingers awkward and heavy with sleep.

"It's all right..." he mumbled in response, enunciating his words sluggishly, like a tired child, "I... understand... if you have to..."

A strange expression tinged with sadness flickered briefly in the crimson gaze before his eyes started to close, even as he seemed to be fighting to remain conscious.

"I understand..."

Jade turned his head towards Peony and looked at him through his lashes, looking without really seeing...

"After all... I will never be..."

He could feel Peony's breathing on his face.
So he did the only thing that he could do.
He closed his eyes and...
He kissed him.

[peony_the_ninth]

A kiss. If Jade's words could stun him silence, Jade's lips could knock him onto his back. Peony's eyes widened as he felt the other man's soft mouth against his.
Colonel Jade Curtiss was kissing him. Emperor Peony IX of Malkuth.
They had been childhood friends.
He had been in love with Jade's sister
Jade was his subordinate.
Jade most likely didn't even know what he was doing, did he?

Despite all of that, nothing had ever felt so right.
As much as part of his brain screamed that it was wrong, that he was taking advantage of Jade's confusion- Peony didn't pull away. If anything he clutched his best friend tighter, closing his eyes to return the gesture gently.

[necroshmancer]

Jade's hand slipped in Peony's hair, and he reflexively tightened his slack fingers around the golden strands.

He felt the cold of the snow through the coat on his back, he wondered if Dist was crying... his nose must be running... he felt so warm... was it because of the fire eating away at Nebilim's house... was it because of...

Jade sighed against Peony's lips, and kissed him back slowly, languorously: it wasn't fiery unbridled passion... it was just the quiet and tender expression of something he had never even dared to allow himself to feel before.

She didn't have to know... she didn't...
This was wrong... all wrong... but she didn't have to know.

"Nephry..." he whispered into Peony's mouth.

I'm sorry.

[dist_the_reaper]

Dist had spent a good ten minutes at the restaurant with a cup of tea of his own, drying his tears at a table near the back of the restaurant. Even the soothing taste of Orange Spice tea couldn't remedy the painful twinge he kept feeling in his chest when he thought of his friends. He felt wrecked, truly wrecked. He needed a distraction, but as much as he wished, he knew it wouldn't come. The yearning to be near his old friends was far too powerful.

He finished his tea and paid, trudging to the kitchen to harass the cooks again. With a cup of tea and hand, and after a few threats concerning his ultra, gorgeous powers, the scientist trudged back upstairs.

And with a moment's hesitation which seemed distinctly out of character, he knocked.

[peony_the_ninth]

Peony had been watching Jade's sleeping body as he heard the knock.
At first it didn't register, his mind still buzzing from the exchange that had occurred between Jade and himself. His lips were swollen and tingled, and the Emperor couldn't help but wonder despite the physical evidence that it had all been in his head. A strange dream.
The Colonel was sleeping so peacefully, as if nothing had ever happened.

Lifting his head, Peony pushed back his hair from his face with a sigh and looked to the door. "Come in." He didn't need to be able to see through doors to know who it was. Voice sounding a bit more ragged then he would of liked, Peony cleared his throat and straightened. Would Dist know? Would it seem obvious? Was there a guilty look on his face.

"I'm sorry Safir."

[dist_the_reaper]

Dist opened the door quietly, treading inside carefully as if a bomb had just dropped. Unnerved, he placed the tea on the bedside table without a word. He was still mad at Peony. Mad enough that he was beyond feeling like making a scene at the present moment.

Jade was still asleep, as expected, his soft, caramel hair framing his face. Dist's lips parted in a longing sigh. He looked a bit healthier than he had when Dist had left the room, perhaps the rest really was doing him good. Bitterness and regret still tugged at his heartstrings from before, but it had thankfully dulled, becoming nothing more than an increasing need for some highly-therapeutic maniacal outbursts. Dist had always been one to wear his emotions on his sleeve- and after the accident, this trait had multiplied exponentially.

"So," he said coolly to Peony, whose expression felt strange and unreadable. "How is he." The tension in the room seemed to be absent, and Dist wondered if they had had their stupid little fight- but then, Jade was sleeping...it didn't make any