[For Sam] Healer & Dragon

[carrythetorch]

It had all gone wrong this time. In retrospect, Lio thinks maybe he'd been going too hard. He was on the brink of exhaustion, and his latest raid on livestock had been met with more resistance than it should have, almost as if someone had known he was coming.

He'd gotten away, thankfully, but not before he'd taken a number of blows -- arrows shot from crossbows with enough power that they'd pierced even through his scales. He'd ripped them out in flight and set the better part of a fallow field on fire before he'd flapped high enough to disappear into the cloud cover. That had been what saved him. It wasn't long before he couldn't keep himself aloft any longer, too much pain, too much blood lost.

Even maintaining his full draconic form is too much, and as he plunges to the Earth and tries to slow his descent with his wings, he fizzles back into his human shape, a lithe, slender man. His clothes are dark enough that the blood soaking them isn't obvious from a distance. He lands in a crumpled pile not far from a road through the woods, just off the trail in the underbrush. And that's the last thing he knows.

...

When he opens his eyes next, he's warmer than he expects to be. There's soft blankets beneath him and over him. He can smell something clean and earthy, herbal maybe, and light spills in setting the whole room in a comforting brightness and-- wait. He's in a room. The last thing he remembers is falling, and, oh.

He sits up all at once, hissing at the way his body protests the movement. Where is he? Has he been captured? Except no, if he'd been captured he'd be bound. Or dead. Maybe staked through to the ground. Not wrapped in soft blankets and tended to. "Where am I?" He asks the question mostly to himself as he blinks against his bleary vision willing it to clear, willing his eyes to focus.

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[barenakedspirit]

Kray had been his hero. But the forest is still whispering, telling him the truth in a softer, sadder tone. It feels his pain and he meets Lio's eyes as he says. "I told you. When you accepted staying here and letting me treat you, I will fight for you. No matter who is coming for you."

There's pain in his eyes. Alright? No. He isn't. His world is being collapsed but there's only forward. Always, only forward. "...and I will be. When all this is over." He looks away at the forest. He had been blind, hadn't he? He could get angry. But that won't help the forest, balance, or Lio.

Even if he's entirely justified in that anger. Galo scrubs at his face one more time and breathes in. "So, we have extra reasons I'll do the talking tomorrow." He pauses adding, "Getting angry like that, didn't open some of your wounds did it?"

[carrythetorch]

Lio is not... touchy. He's not open or affectionate. He keeps himself tightly in control because he know what can happen when he loses it. His anger had very nearly cracked that control, and now while those cracks are still closing, he's watching this human who looks so sad, in so much pain.

Who is still saying he'll fight for him. Even knowing what he is, Galo is keeping to his word.

His shoulders slump and he breathes out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, probably. But I'm fine." A little more bleeding won't kill him. What might kill him is that he wants to comfort this human. He doesn't like being the reason for Galo's pain. For all that he puts himself forth as the cold leader of the dragons, he cares. About his people. About the ones who rely on him. And somehow, he's starting to care about this healer who has shown so much kindness without expecting anything in return.

"You're an idiot," Lio informs him, holding out a hand towards Galo. Handshakes. That's human, isn't it? "I'm very glad I met you, Galo Thymos."

[barenakedspirit]

He takes Lio's hand, giving him that hand shake he wants. "Glad I met you too. Thanks for opening my eyes. I'll fix things." There's just a half smile on his face but it's something. Then it falls into something more serious as he says, "Now, let me see. Got to check you over again and fix the damage."

A little more bleeding won't kill Lio but he doesn't like healing to come undone. He could fuss at him for getting angry but he couldn't blame him. In the reverse he'd have been angry too. "You're lucky I'm all charged up from my nap."

[carrythetorch]

A nod. He's starting to believe Galo when eh says that. "You won't have to do it alone." Lio will help. More than that, Lio will defend this good-hearted idiot. There aren't enough in the world who would show this much kindness to a stranger, who would change their minds so wholly simply because a dragon and the woods presented a new and ugly truth.

He deflates though, frowning. Really! He's fine! He just got a little over excited and strained. But, he sits back on his heels looking at Galo expectantly. "I'm lucky. So let's get it over with so I can go back to sunning on my rock. Now that you know what I am, I'm not going to pretend that's not what I'm doing."

They have a lot of work to do, Lio knows that. But he has to regain enough strength to travel with Galo. And to stand up to Kray Foresight.

[barenakedspirit]

"Like a cat." He says as he slips off his rock and kneels down before Lio. He reaches out to press a hand to his chest and breathes in deep. The forest's anger surges up from the grass and through the branches curling around his arms. It offers it to him freely to burn off by turning it into something positive.

Silently he thanks the forest as he pours that power into Lio. He can feel the tears like holes in fabric. He seals them one by one. Good enough. Galo lifts his hand and says, "You gonna roll in the grass too?" Teasing means they're friends now, right?

[carrythetorch]

"Like a dragon," he corrects him with a wrinkle of his nose. "But yes." Like a cat. It's going to be wonderful. The sun is warm, and he may be made of fire at his core, but that doesn't mean he won't take warmth from whatever external source he can get it from too. He takes a breath and tries to hold still as Galo pours more of his magic into him.

He can feel his body knitting back together. Ah. That's better. Better than he'd been even before his anger got the better of him.

Blinking at the comment he sniffs, looking to the side. "Of course I am. And now you should know that if you keep being an idiot, I'll bite you. That's just my nature." It's an empty threat, which is clear by the smirk that's trying to curl over his lips.

[barenakedspirit]

"That's not as much of a threat as you think it is." Galo says, grinning back at him. Yes, things suck right now but they'll get better. At least dragons turned out to be alright.

Galo leans back against his warm rock and shuts his eyes for a moment. "So, now I know what you are. What do you need on a day to day basis as you're recovering. If you got species specific needs, we need to meet them."

Even if it's turning the patient bed into some kind of nest or so.

[carrythetorch]

"It will be when you see my real teeth," Lio answers as he moves to stretch out on the rock on his back. And since he's not pretending, nothing is stopping him from really stretching (mindful not to strain his wounds, but they feel so much better after this last bit of healing), sighing his relief as the sun falls over him.

He cracks one eye open to peek at Galo. "I'm not strong enough to take my other forms yet. So I can't disrupt your house too much. But no. I'm used to getting by. ...I do like meat though."

Feed him more meat, Galo. He is a carnivore.

[barenakedspirit]

“So you’re a carnivore. Got it.” Galo says as he throws his arms over the top of his warm flat rock. Lio looks so ridiculous and comfortable stretched out on the other rock. There has to be an appeal to sunning like that.

He climbs back onto the rock and lays on his back, stretching out against the warm stone. The sun and the warmth feel good. It calls to the fire of his soul.

Galo rests his head against his locked together hands and it tightens the muscles in his chest, his hard biceps flexing. He sighs in pleasure. “Okay, sunning like this? This is good.”

[carrythetorch]

"More or less," Lio agrees. A carnivore by nature. But he doesn't dislike other food. Rice is tasty. Some fruits are wonderful. His people have been scraping by with whatever they can manage to get -- from raids and hunting and scavenging.

Galo moves and Lio watches, watches the healer go and mimic him with sunning himself. Well. WELL. Good. It's a great way to enjoy the sun and the warmth. And uh...

This human is far too attractive. His gaze is caught by the flex of his biceps, that perfectly sculpted chest. That's ah... distracting. Is what that is. Lio realizes he's staring, especially after hearing that little sigh leave Galo's lips, and snaps his eyes shut. ...no good the image is still there. He swallows. "It is, right? Heat above and heat below. I like being warm." He's miserable when he's cold, Galo. So there's another species thing.

[barenakedspirit]

Galo cracks open one eye and grins at him. "Good to know! I was gonna ask you how warm you want me to keep things at night." Warm it is. He tends to prefer it to be warmer than most people would like. He reaches back and grabs the bottom of the rock and stretches his body.

The pull is damn nice coupled with the heat. "And good to know you won't mind the bath either." He rolls onto his stomach and lounges like a large predatory cat. But a seriousness steals over him as he says, "In light of what you are the forest will not let people in tonight. My clearing won't be able to be found by anyone we don't want to find it."

[carrythetorch]

Lio smiles, not even realize that he's doing it. Something about that grin on Galo's face is infectious. But ah, good. Look at that. Fire mages are the best sort of company, really. The promise of a warm night works for Lio.

So does the view as Galo goes and stretches. Is it wrong of him to enjoy the view? Probably. But here he is anyway.

Lio perks up. "Bath?" Opposite of minding a bath, Galo. Total opposite of minding.

The dragon looks serious in the next moment as well. He frowns. "Safe for a night then. That's more than I've been able to say in a long time."

[barenakedspirit]

Sympathy comes and goes across Galo's face. He rolls back onto his back and hits his fist against his chest. "Yeah, no one will come for you tonight. Not if old Galo has anything to say about it."

But it leaves more they need to talk about. "I'm going after Kray when you're better. I can't leave him be with what I know." No. He can't leave that alone at all. Kray saved him but his crimes must be answered for.

He tips his head back and closes his eyes. It's going to suck. "He can't refuse an audience." Not with how he'll come to him. Kray will know that. "A traditional healer visit isn't a thing you ignore. You can't come in with me. But you can hang out around if...it maybe goes south."

He's optimistic that Kray will come quietly. The forest rustles and reaches towards Lio. It wants him to go with Galo, their stupid. Stupid healer.

[carrythetorch]

That's all he wants for his people, that feeling of safety at the end of the day. He's trying not to get his hopes up that there might be some actual hope for things changing. But Galo's determination is as infectious as the grins on his face.

Lio is quiet for a long moment. "There aren't many humans who are willing to fight this battle for us."

That's just the truth. The fact that Galo is willing to still help him at all, knowing what he is, is amazing. The fact that Galo is willing to take the matter to Kray Foresight directly, despite his history with the man is also amazing. Lio doesn't know what to make of it.

But he knows he will stand behind this man as much as Galo has done for him. Even before the encouragement of the forest. He nods, setting his hand on the stone, a brief flicker of his fire. Don't worry. This idiot healer is now under his protection. Anyone who thinks they can harm Galo Thymos will have to make it through Lio's claws and teeth.

"I will. I'll be there if anything goes wrong." And it will. Kray won't just surrender because of an appeal to his better angels.

[barenakedspirit]

If a forest could sigh with relief it seems to do just that. The branches rattle as grass and flowers settle. Leaves fall and Galo nods. “Glad to have you.”

After a moment he mulls over a further response and says, “Kray is good at selling his opinions and view point of dragons. But that isn’t all of it. There are laws that punish people for sheltering dragons. Or even aiding them in any way. He’s cut both ways.”

He makes a chopping motion with his hand and puts his hands behind his head. “It’s terrible. But he can’t punish a Healer for doing their job. He can try, sure. But, I hope he doesn’t.”

[carrythetorch]

"I've brought a lot of trouble to your doorstep," Lio acknowledges quietly. He won't apologize for it. He can't. Not if this will bring the help that his people need. And Galo has given him his word that he will help. He can't turn that away, but what he can do is defend this healer, with every last shred of flame he has.

And he will.

"Kray wants us dead or in his custody. I don't know what he's doing, what he's after. But I know it can't be good."

A pause and he frowns. "Hope is fine, but... are you prepared to fight back if he does?"

[barenakedspirit]

He lets himself consider it. Kray could throw public opinion against him by claiming he fell back into being a fire mage. He couldn’t use fire if he fought back.

It would have to be water, wind, and earth. That’s nothing new. But could he fight against Kray who had saved him.

Something tightens in his jaw. “Yeah, I can do it. He broke the laws. He has to answer for that. If he resists it just proves it.” His anger manifests in a rising heat that the plants bask in. His fire, his magic that always served as the canvas for the rest.

The elements offer their silent support as he sits up and says, “I don’t need the circle’s approval to act.” He would just have to dress right to show the public that law was broken.

Easy enough. “You’ll need to dress the part for if you need to sweep in. You remember what you need?” He turns his head to look at Lio. There’s the pain in his eyes still but his resolve is there too. He will do his job.

“Looks like this trip tomorrow will be more than just plants and supplies for a time.”

[carrythetorch]

The plants aren't the only ones who bask in it. Lio sits up a bit straighter, leaning towards Galo without even realizing that he's doing it. That fire inside this man, a fire mage of the old flame.

"Dress the part?" Lio looks confused at that. What does that mean, Galo. He'd kind of planned on shifting form and biting Kray in two if he had to. ...or you know, rescuing Galo first and figuring things out from there. That's the actual plan.

He nods though. They'll need to prepare for this. Their trip tomorrow is a good start, isn't it? "I'll still behave in town." Hood and not drawing attention to himself. Until they're ready, and then attention will be drawn in a big way.

[barenakedspirit]

Oh, Lio doesn’t remember or maybe just never knew. Or it hasn’t crossed in mind in ages because humans have been dicks to dragons for years thanks to Kray. Likely the last one. Galo gestures with his hands towards the forest. “Yeah, I know you will. Anyway, I’m talking about the traditional accessories elementals wear to show they are acting on behalf of the earth’s will.”

It would state to anyone who saw Lio what he was. An elemental. Part of the balance. “Let’s see...Fire is...red hawk feathers, sea grass, fire agate, and the token of the healer who called you. Mine is sea glass. I got bunches of the stuff. Just depends on what color you feel like everyone seeing on you.”

He makes a small thoughtful noise and says, “when you uh change. Does stuff on you expand like a necklace or so. Or are you just clothed guy. Naked dragon.”

[carrythetorch]

Ah. It has been a long time since a dragon appeared beside a mage, with the way the world has decided to turn against them due to Kray's machinations. But Lio vaguely remembers hearing something like this, in stories from long before his time. "Okay. Feathers and stones and tokens of you. I can do that."

He can't help an amused snort at the question. "If it's something like jewelry, my magic can handle accommodating my other form with it. Clothes... those aren't so easily shifted." So yeah, clothed guy, naked dragon.

Actually being outfitted and treated like the elemental spirit his people are meant to be. It makes something in him twist with an almost painful hope. "Magenta, for the sea glass. The color of dragonfire. And blue, like your eyes. Let's make it clear I stand for both of us working together."

[barenakedspirit]

It would have to be a necklace and earrings. maybe bracelets. Galo crosses his arms over his chest and nods. He could work on that while Lio was asleep. Tomorrow they'll go down and get the pieces he needs as well as supplies. "Jewelry it is! I'm better at making that stuff than anything else."

He doesn't care for shirts as it is why would he bother learning how to make his own? He knows the shape he wants for the center pieces of each piece. Proper impact must be made. It will be the first time a dragon has been treated as they are.

An elemental.

"I'll make sure it's more than clear we're a pair." He gives a thumbs up with a grin spreading across his face. "We can do this, Lio. As partners we'll put it all right."

[carrythetorch]

"Then we've got a plan." He'll be the elemental, and Galo will be his fire mage. Like the days before his time, when mages and dragons worked together, guardians and servants of the elements that fueled them both. There's a warmth that spreads through his chest, almost overwhelming at the thought of it.

Whatever it was that brought him from death's doorstep to Galo's attention has to have been some sort of fate, some working of nature that realized how badly broken the balance is. They can fix this. They can help his people.

That grin on Galo's face is infectious and Lio smiles. "We can do this," he echoes, almost in disbelief at the way it rings to true. Partners. He reaches out a hand towards Galo, a closed fist.

[barenakedspirit]

Galo knocks his closed fist against Lio’s with his grin still on his face. “Okay, we have a plan! So, I got to check the traps and some of the healing areas of the forest. You can come with or keep sunning yourself.”

His grin turns sly as he says, “You can roll in the tall grass. It’s pretty soft. I nap there sometimes.” One day he will pay for teasing Lio this much. He slips off his rock and stretches, bending down to touch his toes.

[carrythetorch]

Wow, Galo. Lio narrwos his eyes at him. How dare he really. Except the teasing is reassuring somehow. The healer isn't afraid of him, even knowing what he is, is treating him just like anyone else.

But dissing the grass rolling. Really. "And I will. Definitely going to." He sniffs, looking off, but there's the threat of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, a certain sign of his actual mood, of how touched he feels right now, how hopeful for the first time in as long as he can remember.

Galo moving draws his attention back, and Lio does a terrible job disguising the fact that he's watching very closely as the other man stretches, a little too interested in the stretch of hard muscle. The shirtless life choice works for this man.

[barenakedspirit]

His smile only grows at the almost smile on Lio's face. "Can't wait to see it." He's made an unlikely friend and partner. Galo rolls his shoulders back and extends his hand. His staff settles against his palm and he lifts it, resting it against his shoulder.

Lio is watching him like he's seen predators watch a fascinating snack. Odd but he figures it has to do adjusting to being able to just be. "We'll follow the river and cross it before the west part of the forest. Come on."

He turns and walks into the forest, the branches and grass curling around him. He belongs to the woods and the woods will do the same for him. The word partner means a lot to the wild. Lio in a way, has gained a home in his pledges made today.