maximumlegend | etraya ic inbox.

Hold on--

[ There's the background sound of some stuff being moved around. Riz, dude, sorry, but he's going to use one of your clue boards to try and determine the exact route from there to the apartment building to prevent him accidentally sending poor slime-covered Gorgug in the wrong direction..

It doesn't take too long though. Only a moment or two before Fabian seems to have figured it out. It helps that the apartment building is pretty prominent, so he gives the route, and then-- ]

It shouldn't be too far from there. You start walking, I'll let the others know too!

[ Sorry, Gorgug, did you not want all your friends to know about your little slime adventure?

It's too late. ]

[ Okay. Okay, cool, he's got a direction to go to, which...helps. Helps better than wandering awkwardly inside a café and then back out of it, accompanied by nothing but his own befuddlement. He was on a spaceship. Now he's on a street. In slime.

Just what is with this Etraya place. ]

Okay. [ Okay. He's already walking, and maybe he should hang up (should he?), except after a pause: ] --Did something happen to the ship?

[ Maybe that has something to do with the slime.....the slime that apparently he's cursed with and not Fabian......... ]

[ There's a slight delay in Fabian's answer - mostly because he was quickly setting up a group chat and firing off that message in it - but then he speaks up again. It's not like he wants to let Gorgug be confused all by himself, after all. ]

I guess this place pulled you back here from the ship. Though-- [ Another slight pause, where Fabian lets out a sound that almost sounds pained, by in that second-hand sort of way, like he just feels for Gorgug's slimy situation.. It's like he can imagine the sheer sensation of it, and he doesn't like it! ] I don't know what the slime has anything to do with that.

[ Seems like you just got bad luck, bro. :( ]

Honestly, a lot about this place is just really confusing. I stopped asking questions about half of it, because I felt like it was just going to drive me utterly insane. Maybe Riz has a few more intelligent answers about it than I do.

[ A slightly less pained and instead more exasperated groan, before-- ]

If not just because he is actively taking over our apartment here with clue boards with information.

[ Oh....so the slime isn't connected....

Except it might still be connected, but Gorgug can put that in the back for now, since Fabian mentioning Riz and him having the intelligent deductions to share does sound about right.

Instead, in his slimy walk, Gorgug can take in the important details. Such as: our apartment with clue boards. ]

Oh--what's the stuff he's said that sounds important?

[ Because we're not going to ask what do the clue boards say--no no no. We know what the clue boards say, and that's Too Much, so having a translator to even the stuff that Riz has shared verbally is an even better of source of information.

(That is: What has Riz said, to one dumb person to another?) ]

Well..

[ Just the way Fabian's voice trails off by itself says so much. If it was an easy thing to summarize, he would have been more direct about it, after all. Instead he just sounds kind of awkward over the earpieces right now. ]

I'm not sure any of it was really important. [ Maybe vaguely interesting, but Fabian doesn't think that Riz managed to crack some sort of grand mystery about this place, judging by the glimpses he got at all of it.. ] I think he was just having a.. moment.

[ Such a meaningful tone there.

Come on, Gorgug. You know what he means, right? A Riz moment. Like when he decides to tattoo himself all over with clues. That sort of Riz moment. ]

One of his clue boards just said 'are we real.' That sort of thing.

[ Gorgug actually does know what Fabian means, there. A Riz moment, definitely. He has a lot of those, probably (and that's okay; he's still their Riz). Gorgug is nodding to himself when he hears it, a small 'oh' that's knowing possible to be heard.

Though, when Fabian continues... ]

I think about that. [ Said in the most casual, oh, mood, me too type of tone. Because that's normal. ] What did he think? Did he think we're real?

[ This is a conversation that's happening, Fabian. ]

[ Fabian lets out a sigh. ]

It was a long story.

[ Most of which he tuned out. Not that he thought it was a super uninteresting topic, mind you, it was just.. an extremely long story. You wouldn't believe how long the story was, Gorgug. Fabian sounds like he's tired even just thinking back on it, like he can still picture it even now.

.. In fact, he's picturing it so hard that some other thought definitely is hitting his brain belatedly. ]

Wait, what do you mean, you think about that? [ So caught up in the memory of Riz's rambles that Gorgug's own statement almost slipped through the cracks.. ]

[ Gorgug's surprised to hear the wanted clarification come through, though, he guess he gets it? But about letting Fabian get it: ]

I showed up on a ship and nobody I knew was around and then I found out we have to make a case for saving our universes, and-- we get up to a lot of crazy things, but doesn't that seem like a different kind of crazy? All of this--

[ And he interrupts himself, when he remembers another thought. One remembered, which he might've already discussed with Fabian already, but- ]

And everyone kept saying that they only know about orcs or gnomes or elves from story books.

[ Which might not make a normal person start thinking 'am I not real', and it isn't exactly the cause to make him feel that way....

But it did certainly make him think about being in such a world. Briefly.

(A lot of his thoughts can be described as brief.) ]

You are real.

[ The reassurance comes relatively quickly. Like Fabian doesn't even have to think about it. Sure, even just thinking about whether you're real or not feels kind of dumb to him - maybe because Fabian goes by the thought that he's just real as long as he feels real - but it's not like he wants Gorgug to feel bad about it either.

.. though it seems like maybe Gorgug isn't even feeling bad about it? It's sometimes hard to tell with that tone he's always using. Maybe to Gorgug the idea of not being real isn't all that concerning.

Which is a concerning fact in and of itself. ]

Of course you are! We all are! The people who come from these all-human worlds are the weird ones. I mean-- Absolutely no offense to our dear friend Kristen and all, but can you imagine an entire world of only her? [ It's just a little bit too much.

A lot too much, in fact, if either of them would know about British Kristen. But they're still spared that for now. ]

[ There's a pause, because of course Gorgug is going to imagine it, since Fabian asked. ]

That would be a lot. I don't think she'd have a good time--all of hers.

[ It's said sympathetically, and not cruelly. Kristen always has a lot going on, and she gets caught up in her own head, and a Kristen running a world would need some help from friends, Gorgug thinks. But then, even as he thinks that, he does think to himself too that he believes in her--she always gets there in the end.

He doesn't voice it, instead, positively: ]

You're real too. I always think it doesn't matter what I am, anyway. Just that I try my best. It helps me.

[ And that's a thought he's had plenty of times, has had it come down to, to settle the doubts that used to be louder in him after dying the way he did.

Whatever this life is, whether it is life or not: it's all he has. ]

And having you all, [ he adds. Because he wants to, and it's a pleasant thought. Existence. Semi-or-dead-or-otherwise. ]

[ There's a very brief moment of quiet.

But when Fabian's voice rings out again, it's with a laugh. Nothing over the top. It doesn't even really have his usual bravado. If anything, it makes the laugh sound even more genuine in this moment. It's the sort of thing you can imagine his eye looking like it's twinkling a little over - just genuine amusement and fondness. ]

You know, I'm glad that you can find yourself in a situation like this, while covered in slime, and still look on the positive side of things.

[ Maybe even excessively positive. Who would expect anyone to show up here and go right into positive affirmations, not just for yourself, but also the people around you?

But that's just what Gorgug is like, right. He's so sweet, especially at the moments when you don't necessarily expect it. It's what managed to draw that bright laugh out of Fabian. It's that powerful. ]

.. though.. you know. [ Another slight pause.

This one is less surprise like the one that came before the laughter, but maybe more a bit of hesitation. Fabian may have shed off a whole lot of his old self, but sometimes it's still a little hard to be so openly emotional when that was drilled right out of him during his youth. ]

Even if it'd probably be better for you if you weren't here, I'm still glad you're here with us anyway, Gorgug.

[ On Gorgug's end, the laugh surprises him: not only its weight (though it isn't weighty at all--it's more like clouds. cloudy, Gorgug would say), but that it's there at all. Some of us don't realise the kind of things we're saying until they're pointed out to us.

But it does make him smile, all the same. All of Fabian's response, pleasant on the ears. And it's nice too, that he thinks he sees the building he's being directed to -- should be, unless the map is broken. ]

I don't know that anyone should be here, [ he admits. ] But, I'd want to be here if you were. [ And he catches himself, would point out that they would all want to be here, surely, Kristen and Fig too, except: ] --by the way, I'm outside the apartments?

[ That is a questioning voice of 'which way do i go, please'. ]

Oh-- hang on.

[ The connection is suddenly broken. Thankfully Gorgug doesn't have to wait all that long though before the door to the apartment building swings open to the familiar sight of Fabian. Sure, he's likely not wearing something Gorgug last saw him in - in fact, he's wearing an outfit Gorgug won't ever have seen on him before. And he definitely has a very noticable golden neck tattoo that won't ring familiar either.

But despite that - it's very much Fabian. Especially with the dumb, yet happy grin on his face as he approaches the other. ]

There you are again, Gorgug! For the record-- I am not not hugging you because I have something against hugging [ - look, some of us haven't forgotten hugging in that nightmare forest and then immediately hearing that you've never hugged them like that before!! - ] but because I'm not about that slime.

[ NO I PROMISE HE'LL EVENTUALLY NOTICE THE TATTOO ON THE SHIP, I HAVE IT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD HONEY--

But right now, tattoos are not important--but clothes might be. And yet, even before those, it might be Gorgug's smile that's worth noting, though it's always his eyes that light up first with positive appreciation. The pull of his lips is small, soft, and who knows if it has anything to do with his protruding tusks or a more Gorgug-adjacent quirk, that makes it more gentle than bright.

Nevertheless, it's there as Fabian is there, and Gorgug stands listening before acting, curious in what Fabian has to say about hugs--before he then looks down at himself, reminded about his state.

Still, there seems to something even more important than that, just brought to his attention more. ]

I can get washed so you can hug me?

[ Is that what you want, Fabian? Is this the most important thing right now? Just give him the word, man. ]

[ HE NEVER WILL, IN THREE MISSIONS GORGUG WILL ONLY THEN SUDDENLY NOTICE IT AND I KNOW IT!!!

That answer, however, is so unexpected that it actually gets Fabian to laugh. Not pompously or dramatically, but a very genuine laugh - the sort of laugh you have when you get totally caught off guard by something. With a 'pfft' sound coming along with it and all. Fabian moves his hand up to cover his mouth for a moment, shaking his head in amusement.

Look, sometimes the way Gorgug seems on an entirely different wavelength than the rest of them can be a little annoying if they're in the middle of something important, but right now, when it doesn't matter? Fabian thinks it's kind of cute in a way. Or at least amusing. ]

Alright, so are you saying that because you want a hug, or because you think I want a hug?

[ Just clarifying. Gorgug's mind can work in mysterious ways.

Yes, yes, Fabian will get the other inside in a moment to get himself clean - but it's not like a lot of people are passing by to see Gorgug's slimy state anyway, and two minutes of stickiness more won't kill him when he's already had to make the entire trek over here. ]

[ but he's so stiiiickyyyy, fabiannnn - ]

I don't mind a hug, [ however, comes from Gorgug--who answers as Fabian begins to lead him, those few seconds needed to considering the question--like so many questions that Gorgug needs to consider than knowing the answer immediately--take in the start of their walk. He's slightly behind the other guy, and he can see the tattoo Fabian has (that he already knew about!!), as well as just taking his state of dress as it is now. Nothing different, unusual--

but things are a little weird, aren't they?

At least they're weird with a company Gorgug appreciates. He also doesn't think to inquire if Fabian wants a hug too--surely the other will tell him if he does, or maybe he has the courtesy to not ask it while they're walking. Truthfully, Gorgug's looking forward to getting his belongings off his back, to check for the gunk on them, touching at the sticky residue that isn't drying in his hair. Should he be happy about that?

He'll be happy once he gets a shower.

There's probably useful things he could be asking about anyway, questions to do with Etraya, where they came from, or other smart queries; but Gorgug isn't Riz, so he'll allow himself--unless Fabian decides to pipe up himself--to be led quietly to where it is he's being taken.

All the while glancing about where they move through, and how this is certainly not any apartments from Elmville. ]

[ Always the same with Gorgug, huh. Always the most unhelpful not-really-answers at all times. It seems to lean enough towards Gorgug wanting a hug - not minding, whatever! - that Fabian files into his mind that he'll just have to give the other one of those bro hugs later. You know, when Gorgug won't get the slime all over Fabian as well.

For now he instead leads Gorgug back to his and Riz's apartment. He opens the door, letting the other inside so he doesn't have to get goo all over the doorknob, and then closes the door again after Gorgug is inside.

The apartment looks.. pretty standard, honestly. It's not like the two boys have enough stuff from back home to really merit anything more recognize to Gorgug lingering around. There seems to be some sort of improvised home-made version of a battle sheet draped over the couch, and there's a half-filled clue board standing near one of the walls, both things at least betraying the fact that two very specific guys live here.

(There's also a life jacket hanging over one of the chairs..? Who even knows what that's doing there.)

Gorgug will definitely have a moment to look around while Fabian is closing the door and then moving throughout the main room of the apartment, heading towards a door and opening it. ]

The bathroom's here if you want to use the shower. You can drop the clothes on the floor in there for now, we can go get those cleaned after. [ He scratches his head, trying to figure out some of the logistics here.

The fact that the apartment is weirdly quiet - with no sounds of someone, you know, maybe spiraling over a theory somewhere or making any attempts to scale Gorgug's back like he's a skyscraper - betrays the fact that it's definitely just the two of them here right now though. Riz must be out. ]

I'll go look in my closet if I have anything that's long enough to reasonably fit you, then you can wear that until we can get your clothes cleaned and grab some new ones. You don't mind, right?

[ Don't you want to wear Fabian's fabulous clothes, Gorgug.. Is it not also entirely your style!! ]

[ Gorgug is indeed checking out the space as he enters it, though also taking the time--once they're in the main living space--to remove his axe's holster, the same one that Fabian gave him; and then he has his backpack, and then his tool strap to work his way through as the offer of clothes is given-- ]

Yeah, okay-- [ He might be distracted, as each item (particularly, the axe and Gorgug's school backpack) gets lowered and placed by some out of the way wall with a heavy thunk. The tool strap comes off, joins them, and then he can finally take off his dirtied hoodie, only catching afterwards his goggles from his head as they peel off with his clothing.

He sets the goggles with his things, but keeps a hold of the hoodie, looking back finally over to Fabian. ... and actually looking at Fabian, from his legs, to the hoodie in his own hand. ]

...are you sure you'll have anything that'll fit me?

[ Because he, uh,

feels like there might be a problem here. ]

[ Fabian lets out one of his usual overconfident huffs.

The sort of huffs that usually end up in disaster - yet disaster that he apparently never quite seems to learn from. ]

Of course!

[ Like it's natural for him to have something in half-orc sizes. When Fabian is definitely more compact than Gorgug, despite getting closer build-wise than most of the other Bad Kids. ]

Don't you worry about it! You just go ahead and shower, and I'll go look in my closet and get some clothes ready for you while you're in there. [ He's even waving his hands a little, trying to direct his friend in the direction of the bathroom without touching him and getting slime all over his own hands too. ] I got this!

[ Do you want to believe this, Gorgug? Or do you perhaps want to press X to doubt? ]

[ He wanted to press X to doubt.

He was gently pressing it when he asked the question in the first place, with concerns about leg wear visible in his mind's eyes. And it should continue to persist, really...

But there's something about Fabian's confidence that--doesn't entirely dismiss Gorgug's worry, but that makes it hard for Gorgug to argue, to maybe suggest they figure out the clothes situation first and then he goes for a shower. There must be something, even if it turns out to be a little tight, Gorgug can handle it until alternatives come along. ]

...Okay.

[ And so, despite any logic (and that note of doubt that one might be able to glean from his tone), Gorgug concedes without any more protest. A frown and furrow on his face, and he follows the direction of the shower, letting his concerns stay on the pout of his lower lip.

But he should trust in his friend, right? Fabian wouldn't let him down. So he can undress, and get washed up knowing that there'll be some options out there. Maybe some kind of baggy trouser, even if it doesn't reach all the way down his calves!

At least he doesn't have to worry about his underwear situation, and once he does come out from the shower, washed and refreshed and with a towel over his shoulders (just because he feels a little too naked since--he is), it won't be butt naked. ]

[ Don't worry, Gorgug. While you are showering, your loyal and dependable friend Fabian has been diving right into his closet to get something out of there that will make you look fashionable in this new place.

So when the half-orc comes out of the shower, Fabian is already waiting there. He's sitting on the couch, seemingly looking something up on his earpiece, but turning his head and attention to Gorgug the moment he hears the other guy and halting all of that. ]

Great timing! I put an outfit for you right over there on the table.

[ He gestures in its direction.

And it's-- well, it sure is an outfit Fabian would wear, that might be the first impression here. At least it seems that he was thoughtful enough to grab a wide and loose shirt by Fabian standards, since he realized his crop tops would maybe cover up maybe only the very top of Gorgug's chest, though the shirt does not leave a whole lot to the imagination either with that deep cut neckline..

The pants, however, are unfortunately just skinny jeans.

Good luck with that one, Gorgug. ]

[ With the way it's laid out, the shirt is actually surprising for how baggy it does look, from first glance. He's not as wide as some half-orcs, not like Ragh, and so when Gorgug turns to it in Fabian's gesture, his guard is low, his hope of something...decent enough for a day (or a few hours) being kindled as his eyes go down to the pants....

And this was always his concern, wasn't it. Why did he let that guard down to now let the worry set back in.

No, he should better investigate. Gorgug approaches the clothes with a sealed mouth, picking up the shirt and-- there's a tie, so that actually really works? And he thinks it shouldn't be much of a problem; and it's so much of the lesser problem that he would rather keep looking at it than eventually turning over to the actual problem that are the jeans. ]

...

[ He continues to say nothing. Instead, Gorgug puts down the jeans and also takes the towel off from around his shoulders, letting his zajiri tattoos and the the flower that blooms in metallic symbolism on his shoulder become visible, for the time he undoes the shirt and gets it on; tying it back up, fiddling with the cuffs as they don't manage to reach all the way down his arms. Bothersome, but fine--expected, even, and Gorgug doesn't mess with that so much beyond some failed attempts to make them lower more, but it's all a distraction from the larger problem.

Slimmer problem, even. The jeans that Gorgug pick up next, staring down at them with the zip undone and with the legs next to his. He glances over at Fabian, a 'are you sure?' in his throat, but-- he'll try it. That's where this will lead, won't it?

Gorgug gets his leg and foot stuck immediately. ]

Shit. [ Okay, okay, just-- pull out, pull out. Give it a wiggle, and, um, don't lose balance, just shake it-- ] Shit!

[ And in a flash of immediate emotion, Gorgug gets his foot to go through to the other side: by ripping the leg of the pant on either side, a heavy bang as his foot hits against the ground in that flash of rage. ]

[ Fabian is mostly trying to look away. Not like he hasn't seen Gorgug get dressed before - please, they're Bloodrush teammates, he's pretty sure he has seen Gorgug getting dressed more than anyone else in the world at this point - but he can imagine the other might like a little bit more privacy when they're not in the showers after a game. When being dropped into this place is its own entirely confusing and overwhelming thing, and with Fabian there wasn't even slime involved.

But.. it's hard to notice the sounds of what's going on.

Especially the sound of an audible rip.

Fabian gasps like he doesn't have four other sets of the exact same pair of pants, and he immediately turns his head into his friend's direction to see what's going on. ]

Did you rip it?!

[ He sounds more shocked than offended, at least.

Though it's mostly because it's his instinctive reaction. Fabian isn't really thinking. If he was, maybe he'd be a touch more delicate on the topic of Gorgug breaking stuff, but-- he likes those pants, okay!!

Gorgug, did you rip his nice pants?! ]

[ oh no

Fabian is upset.

And it's more the volume of the delivery than specific emotion put behind it, although alarm has its own connotations to inspire in a person. A person ready to be panicked, like a half-orc who has been caught invoking sounds that he shouldn't be, and the response to that is-- ]

No! [ The most anguished, caught red-handed no that one could say, right before they start struggling against their pants again. But instead of doing the smart thing, like taking his leg out of the pant leg, Gorgug is, at first, attempting to pull it up higher up his calf, which only causes it to struggle and to tear further. And there might be room here where Fabian could speak up, think to or try to intervene as Gorgug is doing nothing but practically yanking at these jeans. But, alas, it's already too late: Gorgug is far too gone in paying attention to more than his current predicament.

Because with a whine suited for a teen, he pulls the jeans with enough force and emotion to do more than just tear at the stitching, but to rip the upper portion of the jean apart in his hands.

And now Gorgug is standing there, jeans partially on one leg and jean material in both hands, looking like he's about to cry. ]

They don't fit!! You said you got this!

[ 😭 😭 😭 😭 ]

[ Fabian tries to intervene the moment he realizes where all of this is going. But-- alas, getting up from his seat and trying to rush over to Gorgug is just not happening in time. Not before the half-orc already pulls on the pants even harder, completely ripping them to shreds.

Which is a pretty devastating sight, but there's not much time to linger on that when Gorgug is already speaking up again with a whine that Fabian may have heard from the other before, but which sure isn't a very common thing. Somehow it makes Fabian ~~go into a panic~~ panic even more than everything that happened before now, like there's the immediate instinct to solve the whining. (And dodge the accusations.)

And instinct sometimes makes someone do the most simple thing. Which - in this case - means that Fabian is latching onto Gorgug's hand, either compressing the jean material in it or forcing the other to drop it, and without saying a word he's starting to tug the other along through the apartment. Even while Gorgug is wearing nothing but a shirt and the most partial pants in the whole world. Short shorts would probably cover more of one's lower half than the amount of jeans Gorgug has on right now.

Thankfully it's not like Fabian has to tug the other all that far, given that it's just a small apartment. So there's hardly any time for Gorgug to protect or say more before they're already standing in Fabian's walk in closet.

Which.. truly is a walk in closet. Probably nothing compared to what the half-elf is used to having back home, but for any normal apartment's standards it's impressive. Not to mention there's so many clothes here, despite Fabian not even having been in this place all that long. ]

Well, come on, then! Grab something that does fit you!

[ A quick glance around may reveal that Fabian did at least make a good pick for the top, considering there are so many tops in this closet that would absolutely not fit Gorgug. So many tight shirts and crop tops. It's like a half-orc's nightmare.

But it's also true that.. it doesn't seem like there's a lot of pants that fit Gorgug. Most of it seems similar to the jeans he just ruined, and some just are short shorts...

M-Maybe if you look around hard enough you can find a wider set of pajama pants, Gorgug? Maybe one of those wide jogging pants?? Time to explore, buddy.. Explore the wonderful world of Fabian's walk-in wardrobe with its sparkly clothes in neon colors everywhere.. ]

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