Grey fishes out a wooden mug, he only has one, so they'll have to take turns. He fishes out the kettle from the heat and pours into it.
"No sugar or milk," he says with a shrug as he offers the mug to Jamie. "Also, wait for a bit for the grind to settle."
Grey wouldn't survive mornings like this without coffee but it's still pot coffee made on open fire, not exactly anything fancy. He shoves the veggies onto a wooden bowl he has waiting on the side and leaves them there, steaming and cooling down. He takes a seat beside Jamie then, thinking that he looks exceptionally adorable in the overbig sweater.
"It's going to be a couple of days before we're out of here," he says simply. "Long walk ahead."
Jamie wrinkles his nose a little, but he didn't really expect there to be luxuries. Not after having to be fished out of a frozen river. He'll be happy enough to drink something warm and caffeinated and he'll just hope it's not too bitter.
When Grey sits, Jamie shifts closer to lean against his side. He's had this man inside him, so he's pretty sure a bit of casual physical touch isn't off the table. He's quiet as he considers the possibility of a long walk.
Grey lifts his arm and lets Jamie snuggle against his side before lowering that arm around him. He fits nicely there. (He would fit nicely anywhere, tiny as he is.)
"The nearest town," Grey replies with a small snort. "Probably want to return to the river, travel along side of it, steal a boat when we come across one." That way they'll cut the hoofing shorter.
"And it'll allow us to fish for dinner," he continues with a twitch at the corners of his mouth. Frozen veggies and mushrooms are only going to get them so far.
"I could possibly get us somewhere faster," he says after a moment, hesitating just a bit as he makes the offer. Jamie keeps his eyes on the fire, frowning a little and holding his mug closer as he considers what he's just said.
He could. It will take a little bit of effort and some careful calculation, but he could. Maybe he shouldn't rush them. His option might be faster, but it's still dangerous.
"It's dangerous," he says. "If I can keep us to the edge of the Hedge, we should be okay. But it's never going to be completely safe. If we don't have to cross a continent or anything, all the better."
It's a risk Jamie's taken before. He dipped into the Hedge to get from California to the east coast when he was in a hurry. He hired a guide to get him through the Hedge on another trip. He can do it.
There's barely any actual threat travelling through the woods. It won't be pleasant, but it'll be somewhat safe. He wants to gauge the actual risks in this before agreeing to anything.
"Is the risk worth it?"
He's not beyond using this. Magic is in his blood, in his history and future, it seeps out of him every time he just breathes. But he wants to make an educated estimate about the usefulness of the method.
"It'll get us back to a real city faster, which means, at the very least, a hotel and a bed and a hot bath."
Well, shower, but never mind that.
"It means not having to fight bears or steal boats or anything."
Look, he thinks those might be perfectly valid reasons to do it. Jamie runs his fingers through his hair and looks at the fire again. He tucks against Grey's side a little more.
"If I keep us on the edge of it, we should be okay. We'll just be fast. And, honestly, I'm probably more in danger there than you are. Probably."
Jamie's never cut through the Hedge with anyone but other changelings, so he has no idea what kind of energy Grey's presence will put out there.
"That... doesn't endear me to the idea any more," Grey points out with a small snort. "You being safe as well is important."
He could've left Jamie in the river, he could have left him in the woods, he could have left him in the cold, he could have left him already in the train, but he hadn't. And it had nothing to do with Jamie being a fae, riding his dick last night or being absolutely stunning. No, he was a living breathing creature of free will. He had the same right to exist as Grey did, perhaps a little more.
"Alright, we'll try it," he says then, quietly as he steals the cup from Jamie a moment and takes a sip from it. His fingers tighten marginally over Jamie's hips, brush over the jutting angle.
He sighs and closes his eyes as Grey grips his hip.
"Think of it like.... going along the border of hostile territory. You don't want anyone to know you're there, so you don't want to draw any attention to yourself. Me going into the Hedge is gonna make little waves no matter what, which is why moving faster is better. But. We'll stay on back roads."
He looks up at Grey, more solemn than he's been since they met.
"I will," Grey promises. Jamie doesn't have to worry about that. He knows that these things come with rules and regulations and you'd be mental not to abide by those rules.
"No magic then," he says simply.
He takes another sip of the coffee and hands the cup back to Jamie, his fingers upon that hip have lighten up, drawing circles on Jamie's side now, gentle and distracted.
Jamie takes the coffee back, but he just holds it for now. He tries to relax under Grey's gentle touch.
"Don't eat anything. Try not to touch things. And, if you get separated from me at all, stay away from the roads that look open and safe. The ones that seem like a good way to go."
He looks up at Grey, trying not to seem overly worried.
"The Hedge isn't safe. It's convenient, but it isn't safe. And I don't want to get separated."
"Alright, sounds easy enough," Grey replies quietly. "It'll alright. It's not the first time I'm dealing with the fae. Trust me, I won't go improvising on my own."
He knows well enough that it's the worst thing he could do, thinking he knows better.
"If we ever end up in north and snared in by Näkki, you'll let me handle that."
It makes sense, doesn't it?
He leans away to fish the plate with fried veggies and mushrooms, pushing it onto Jamie's hands next. "You ought to eat something. We spent a lot of energy last night."
Jamie sighs and accepts the plate, though he doesn't do more than pick at it. It's nerves, mostly. He's terrified of doing this, but then, he is always afraid. He'd rather not have other people notice that, but he also doesn't want to trudge through the taiga for fuck knows how long.
He eats a little more, then passes the plate back to Grey.
"I'll be fine," he insists softly. "Honestly, last night was pretty good for me."
Grey picks at the food on the plate as well. Mostly because his attention is elsewhere, namely in Jamie. He spears a few veggies onto a fork and offers them to Jamie's mouth, not taking a no for an answer but waiting until he opens up and feeds him a few more pieces of food.
"Aside from the train crashing, demons and trampling around in the freezing forest after taking a dive into an icy river, last night was great," he says with a small, very very small quicksilver smile that's gone before it has time to breathe. "You might be fine, but I want you to be good when we get to the Hedge."
Grey eyes look at him quietly, steady and certain of himself. They'll be fine.
Jamie rolls his eyes, but he accepts the offering of food. At least Grey has a nice smile, fleeting as it is. Feels like a little victory to see it at all.
Jamie sighs and rests his head against the bigger man.
"I will be, darling. If only because there isn't really another option. I'm not letting us get lost there, that's for certain."
He'll find the right route and then... well. Run for it, probably. He's not worried about Grey keeping up, he seems quite athletic. And he's steady and warm and Jamie suspects he'll be just fine.
Grey puts the plate away, the mug as well and wraps one long arm around Jamie.
"Are you worried?" he asks quietly, nose buried in that light hair at the crown of Jamie's head. "If you are, we can travel through the usual means no problem at all," he promises while his hand reaches up to nudge Jamie's chin up so Grey can look into his eyes. He holds that look for a long moment.
"If you say so, little flower, we'll leave the Hedge well alone."
"I'm always worried, Grey. I never stop worrying."
That isn't the right word for it: he never stops being afraid. But it'll do for now. He closes his eyes as Grey nuzzles his hair and he takes some comfort in the other man's size and presence. He looks up at Grey when the man tips his chin up.
"I just want to get it over with. So... whenever you're ready, we can go."
"Alright, better get it over and done for then," Grey says and nudges Jamie to get up. "We have some shit to do to pack up this camp."
He pulls down Jamie's clothes first, then focuses on packing away his belongings and finally dressing himself. He doesn't ask his shirt back if Jamie wants to keep it, he's free to do so. Grey can definitely handle the cold better.
"Are we ready?" he asks after a moment. "I need to release the spell or locals will end up eventually wandering in and being trapped."
He gets up and gets dressed again once Grey hands over his clothes. He should probably give Grey's shirt back... he does, eventually, even if it seems like he's fine without it. Even if the view is better.
"Yeah, I'm ready whenever you are."
It'll probably be easier once Grey releases his spell, anyway. Jamie pushes his fingers through his hair and he waits until Grey does whatever he needs to do. There's a trod here somewhere, he can feel it nearby.
"We have to walk a little, but I don't think it's far."
Grey has a simple undershirt and a thick winter coat, he would be totally okay without the sweater that Jamie had been loaning, but he doesn't argue, just shrugs off his jacket, pulls on the shirt and then puts everything the way it was before.
He breaks the fire first, with a small snort, reaching to bring Jamie close to him, pops one of his thumbs into his own mouth before reaching under Jamie's shirt to draw a line with it along his spine. The connection to the fire subsides with a few commanding if quiet words under Grey's breath. The air around them suddenly goes colder, winter sharpness pushing through. The fire collapses on itself, the coals and embers suddenly letting out a gasp and dying down.
Grey's eyes are calm as he looks down at Jamie, maybe a little too calm, distant and distracted. But his lips are moving, barely-words spilling in whispers from his throat as the forest around them starts to wake up to his call, turning itself around again. A breath of something, whispering wind breezing past them, then a colder wind suddenly bursting through their camp, making the hem of Grey's coat and their hairs whip about for a moment. The winter scenery around them suddenly has more depth, more openness, chatter of something in the woods, cracking of wood. The forest isn't covering them anymore.
Grey seems a little out of it when he finally quiets and reaches up to rub his eyes.
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blackbluewhite2021-01-10 01:16 pm
continuing from bakerstreet.
Grey fishes out a wooden mug, he only has one, so they'll have to take turns. He fishes out the kettle from the heat and pours into it.
"No sugar or milk," he says with a shrug as he offers the mug to Jamie. "Also, wait for a bit for the grind to settle."
Grey wouldn't survive mornings like this without coffee but it's still pot coffee made on open fire, not exactly anything fancy. He shoves the veggies onto a wooden bowl he has waiting on the side and leaves them there, steaming and cooling down. He takes a seat beside Jamie then, thinking that he looks exceptionally adorable in the overbig sweater.
"It's going to be a couple of days before we're out of here," he says simply. "Long walk ahead."
no subject
When Grey sits, Jamie shifts closer to lean against his side. He's had this man inside him, so he's pretty sure a bit of casual physical touch isn't off the table. He's quiet as he considers the possibility of a long walk.
"Where are we going?"
no subject
"The nearest town," Grey replies with a small snort. "Probably want to return to the river, travel along side of it, steal a boat when we come across one." That way they'll cut the hoofing shorter.
"And it'll allow us to fish for dinner," he continues with a twitch at the corners of his mouth. Frozen veggies and mushrooms are only going to get them so far.
no subject
He could. It will take a little bit of effort and some careful calculation, but he could. Maybe he shouldn't rush them. His option might be faster, but it's still dangerous.
no subject
He lifts his hand, gently prods Jamie's chin up so he can look down at those eyes of his.
"Are you sure of that?"
He's not sure of it, Grey can tell that much. Is it worth the risk?
no subject
"It's dangerous," he says. "If I can keep us to the edge of the Hedge, we should be okay. But it's never going to be completely safe. If we don't have to cross a continent or anything, all the better."
It's a risk Jamie's taken before. He dipped into the Hedge to get from California to the east coast when he was in a hurry. He hired a guide to get him through the Hedge on another trip. He can do it.
no subject
There's barely any actual threat travelling through the woods. It won't be pleasant, but it'll be somewhat safe. He wants to gauge the actual risks in this before agreeing to anything.
"Is the risk worth it?"
He's not beyond using this. Magic is in his blood, in his history and future, it seeps out of him every time he just breathes. But he wants to make an educated estimate about the usefulness of the method.
no subject
Well, shower, but never mind that.
"It means not having to fight bears or steal boats or anything."
Look, he thinks those might be perfectly valid reasons to do it. Jamie runs his fingers through his hair and looks at the fire again. He tucks against Grey's side a little more.
"If I keep us on the edge of it, we should be okay. We'll just be fast. And, honestly, I'm probably more in danger there than you are. Probably."
Jamie's never cut through the Hedge with anyone but other changelings, so he has no idea what kind of energy Grey's presence will put out there.
no subject
He could've left Jamie in the river, he could have left him in the woods, he could have left him in the cold, he could have left him already in the train, but he hadn't. And it had nothing to do with Jamie being a fae, riding his dick last night or being absolutely stunning. No, he was a living breathing creature of free will. He had the same right to exist as Grey did, perhaps a little more.
"Alright, we'll try it," he says then, quietly as he steals the cup from Jamie a moment and takes a sip from it. His fingers tighten marginally over Jamie's hips, brush over the jutting angle.
"Protective magic, or not?"
no subject
He sighs and closes his eyes as Grey grips his hip.
"Think of it like.... going along the border of hostile territory. You don't want anyone to know you're there, so you don't want to draw any attention to yourself. Me going into the Hedge is gonna make little waves no matter what, which is why moving faster is better. But. We'll stay on back roads."
He looks up at Grey, more solemn than he's been since they met.
"There are rules. I trust you'll follow them."
no subject
"No magic then," he says simply.
He takes another sip of the coffee and hands the cup back to Jamie, his fingers upon that hip have lighten up, drawing circles on Jamie's side now, gentle and distracted.
"Tell me about the rules."
no subject
"Don't eat anything. Try not to touch things. And, if you get separated from me at all, stay away from the roads that look open and safe. The ones that seem like a good way to go."
He looks up at Grey, trying not to seem overly worried.
"The Hedge isn't safe. It's convenient, but it isn't safe. And I don't want to get separated."
no subject
He knows well enough that it's the worst thing he could do, thinking he knows better.
"If we ever end up in north and snared in by Näkki, you'll let me handle that."
It makes sense, doesn't it?
He leans away to fish the plate with fried veggies and mushrooms, pushing it onto Jamie's hands next. "You ought to eat something. We spent a lot of energy last night."
no subject
He eats a little more, then passes the plate back to Grey.
"I'll be fine," he insists softly. "Honestly, last night was pretty good for me."
no subject
"Aside from the train crashing, demons and trampling around in the freezing forest after taking a dive into an icy river, last night was great," he says with a small, very very small quicksilver smile that's gone before it has time to breathe. "You might be fine, but I want you to be good when we get to the Hedge."
Grey eyes look at him quietly, steady and certain of himself. They'll be fine.
no subject
Jamie sighs and rests his head against the bigger man.
"I will be, darling. If only because there isn't really another option. I'm not letting us get lost there, that's for certain."
He'll find the right route and then... well. Run for it, probably. He's not worried about Grey keeping up, he seems quite athletic. And he's steady and warm and Jamie suspects he'll be just fine.
no subject
"Are you worried?" he asks quietly, nose buried in that light hair at the crown of Jamie's head. "If you are, we can travel through the usual means no problem at all," he promises while his hand reaches up to nudge Jamie's chin up so Grey can look into his eyes. He holds that look for a long moment.
"If you say so, little flower, we'll leave the Hedge well alone."
no subject
That isn't the right word for it: he never stops being afraid. But it'll do for now. He closes his eyes as Grey nuzzles his hair and he takes some comfort in the other man's size and presence. He looks up at Grey when the man tips his chin up.
"I just want to get it over with. So... whenever you're ready, we can go."
no subject
He pulls down Jamie's clothes first, then focuses on packing away his belongings and finally dressing himself. He doesn't ask his shirt back if Jamie wants to keep it, he's free to do so. Grey can definitely handle the cold better.
"Are we ready?" he asks after a moment. "I need to release the spell or locals will end up eventually wandering in and being trapped."
no subject
"Yeah, I'm ready whenever you are."
It'll probably be easier once Grey releases his spell, anyway. Jamie pushes his fingers through his hair and he waits until Grey does whatever he needs to do. There's a trod here somewhere, he can feel it nearby.
"We have to walk a little, but I don't think it's far."
no subject
He breaks the fire first, with a small snort, reaching to bring Jamie close to him, pops one of his thumbs into his own mouth before reaching under Jamie's shirt to draw a line with it along his spine. The connection to the fire subsides with a few commanding if quiet words under Grey's breath. The air around them suddenly goes colder, winter sharpness pushing through. The fire collapses on itself, the coals and embers suddenly letting out a gasp and dying down.
Grey's eyes are calm as he looks down at Jamie, maybe a little too calm, distant and distracted. But his lips are moving, barely-words spilling in whispers from his throat as the forest around them starts to wake up to his call, turning itself around again. A breath of something, whispering wind breezing past them, then a colder wind suddenly bursting through their camp, making the hem of Grey's coat and their hairs whip about for a moment. The winter scenery around them suddenly has more depth, more openness, chatter of something in the woods, cracking of wood. The forest isn't covering them anymore.
Grey seems a little out of it when he finally quiets and reaches up to rub his eyes.
"Yeah, we're done here. Lead the way."