When Fate Comes a'Knocking (Goblin)

[Zero]

"I planned on eating breakfast." Erthe mumbled defensively, knowing that Primrose probably wasn't that happy with him for skipping a meal. It still felt odd to have someone care about his well-being, even if he found that he was kind of enjoying it. "I still think you might be able to fall asleep while we ride. I'm boring and you seem to like falling asleep on or against me."

[GoblinFae]

"You better," she muttered as she struggled to sit up. Primrose smiled brightly though as he referred to the previous two nights whene she had indeed fallen asleep on him. Once more leaning into him as she replied, "it's because you're so warm and safe feeling. But you're too cruel to yourself, Erthe. You're far from boring! Or at least Janus and I seem to think so."

[Zero]

The now all too familiar knocking in his chest gripped Erthe as Primrose leaned into him again. His heart swelled with affection for the sweet woman sharing her tent with him. If only he could properly formulate words for what he was feeling - or at least fully grasp what it was that he felt. No, he knew the affection that he felt for Primrose, but he couldn't accept it. Shouldn't accept it. What he felt was wrong.

"You both have terrible tastes, that is the only explanation." Erthe offered teasingly, crimson eyes meeting her blue ones as they flashed playfully.

[GoblinFae]

Primrose gasped, staring up in shocked horror at Erthe's face, not realizing at first that he was teasing her. Her wide, blue eyes watered slightly with sadness. "No! Not with this. Never in this," she told him fervently. "In other things of course but not when it comes to people. I won't let you say such things about yourself Erthe. Never ever!"

[Zero]

Well that certainly wasn't the reaction the drow was hoping for. It wasn't just the words that got him, it was the genuine horror that had come across her face and in her voice. Erthe couldn't stop himself, a deep chuckle escaped him, and that only developed further into a soft laugh. He hoped she wouldn't get mad at his laughter, but there really hadn't been a way for him to stop it. Her serious reaction had amused him too much.

"I was teasing you, Primrose. Perhaps I shouldn't try to joke, I am not very good at it."

[GoblinFae]

She buried her face into his chest, hiding the blush that darkened her cheeks once she understood his joke. "Not even in jest, Erthe," Primrose whispered softly. "You are worth so much more than I can put into words. Boring is the last thing you are my friend. You are a friend, a protector, a comforter, a man and above all else," at this she lifted her head to look him in the eye again, her own twinkling back at him, "a personal self-warming cushion."

[Zero]

Erthe arched a brow at her, face quite serious. "You forgot pillow, but good to know your priorities are in order." He couldn't maintain the serious expression though, as his lips twitched into a smirk as he gazed down at her. Seeing her in good spirits lifted a weight from him, making him feel lighter and lifting his own mood.

Although remembering his purpose would have brought him back down, the drow pushed those negative thoughts aside, trying to seize the silver lining in the situation. He had this time to spend with Primrose, and mulling on the dark cloud that seemed to hang above him would do no one any good.

[GoblinFae]

Primrose dissolved into giggles, her eyes crinkling with her mirth as she finally sat up in order to breathe properly. "That too!" She continued to smile as she patted his arm and attempted to pull him up as well. "Well pillow-cushion Erthe I do believe it is time to feed me so I can go back to using your amazing attributes. Shall we?"

[Zero]

Erthe sat up reluctantly, even though he had been the one pushing for them to rise, now that the moment had come he really never wanted to get up. Laying there with Primrose snuggled against him had been more than comfortable. Getting out of bed was for the best, though.

"I think breakfast is definitely in order." He agreed as he pushed open the tent flap, squinting against the bright light. "Ladies first."

[GoblinFae]

At the first sign of daylight though Primrose was soon recoiling and hiding her face in Erthe's shirt as if she were a small child. "Too bright!" she squealed, fisting her hands into the fabric of his tunic. "Must we go?"

[Zero]

Erthe chuckled at the young woman's antics, lifting a hand to rub soothingly at Primrose's back as she gripped his shirt tight. "I thought you were hungry. I know I am. Come on, our eyes will adjust. Everyone's probably up and we're keeping them all waiting."

[GoblinFae]

His touch sent pleasant tinglings down her spine that radiated warmth outward to the rest of her body. Primrose found herself continuing to lean in towards Erthe as she relaxed under his touch. "I do so hate mornings," she grumbled nevertheless. "Surely a bit of a wait won't kill them. Kia knows that Janus and perhaps even Uhi can afford to learn patience."

[Zero]

"You think when we're both hungry for breakfast is the best time to teach them patience?" Erthe asked with a hint of amusement. It was so hard to get up with Primrose. Not that the drow enjoyed mornings particularly, but when he was actually so comfortable it just made it that much harder to crawl from bed.

[GoblinFae]

"If they're so inclined to sate their hunger then they don't need me to help them. They're big boys now aren't they? You're the one I have to keep an eye on now," Primrose teased, squinting up at Erthe with the eye that was not facing the sunny side of the tent. "Mister-Skips-Out-On-Breakfast-When-He-Thinks-No-One-Is-Watching."

[Zero]

"I am trying to go eat breakfast." Erthe pointed out with a chuckle. Although he wasn't trying very hard. It would have been simple enough to get up and exit the tent, even with Primrose clinging to him as she was. "The only one you're holding up on breakfast is me - the one you claim to be so concerned about feeding."

[GoblinFae]

Primrose huffed gently and shook her head. "Not my fault you're so warm," she grumbled, finally moving to trudge them both out of the tent. "Besides your own fault for being so hungry you had to wake me up in the middle of the night for food. Certainly don't need me to eat now do you?" A flash of pink in his direction was the only indication that she had stuck her tongue out at him in jest.

[Zero]

"I did not wake you up in the middle of the night." Erthe chuckled as he followed Primrose from the tent, only smirking when she stuck her tongue out at him. He let his eyes roam over the camp, looking for Janus, Ak'nen, and Uhi. Honestly he didn't want to deal with Ak'nen just then - not after the previous evening.

[GoblinFae]

"Close enough," she grumbled back before catching sight of her newest prey. On nimble feet, the noblewoman crept her way over to the campfire and with warning finger to her lips in greeting to the elves she was soon pouncing upon an unsuspecting but incessantly chattering Janus. The pair rolled in the dirt for a bit as the boy hooted and hollered to be free and Primrose refused to relent on her tickling.

They soon broke apart though as his stomach gave a rather loud growl of protest. "What is it with males and their bottomless pit of hunger?" she giggled even as Janus scowled in her direction and tried to seek safety near Erthe. "First Erthe, now Janus. Whom next?"

[Zero]

Erthe followed Primrose at a much more sedate pace, watching with some amusement as she attacked Janus. Any mirth faltered as his eyes roved over Ak'nen and Uhi, his expression turning somewhat sour, especially after the previous evening. He tried not to think about his very brief argument with Ak'nen.

He took a place by the fire away from them just in time for the two wrestlers to break apart as Janus's stomach grumbled. The drow chuckled as the boy came to him for protection. "It's breakfast time, we're hungry, plus he's a growing boy."

[GoblinFae]

Primrose tickled Janus once more for good measure before ruffling his hair and nudging him more into the dirt so she could use him to leverage herself off the ground. His squawks of indignation only brought a smirk to her face as she bounced her away over to Erthe and sat beside him.

"Does that make you a growing boy too then?" she asked cheekily with a mischievous glint in her sparkling eyes.