[Amoren] New Gravity

[Degare]

TIMESTAMP: 17th Solace, Glade 4622
NOTES: -

► Show Spoiler

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It was very strange to be pushed to his limits the way Arkash always did to him…but it was precisely this that he loved. He’d been pushed to the edge of his life when they’d first met and again whenever they’d collide. The night before was the same in this regard, though it was new relative to the other experiences they’d shared together. It brought him a unique sense of euphoria, a high he wouldn’t soon forget and might beg for again in the future.

As the sun rose in the sky, the two men lay beside one another wrapped in a soft cocoon of the Veir’s bedding. For his part, Degare lay on his side, face pressed into his lover’s shoulder and one arm draped across his chest. A brighter shaft of sunlight hit his face just right and served to rouse him, his mind slowly drifting back to consciousness. Waking up beside Arkash, to be greeted with his scent and his warmth again was something he’d so deeply craved over the past month or so.

Pressing his lips to the other’s shoulder, the Ferrier runs his hand down his lover’s chest and traces delicate fingers over the scars that still lingered just below his ribs. He was genuinely surprised that the Rathor had chosen to leave those there; given that he was a Necromancer, Degare had simply assumed he’d erase them. In many ways, it flattered him that he’d made the conscious decision to keep the remnants of that encounter etched in his flesh.

While artefacts of sleep still lingered heavily in the mind of the Veir, he was happy to simply lay here and enjoy his lover’s presence. It would definitely be a long time before he’d ever admit it, but the silver elf would in all likelihood bend over backwards to do whatever it would take to stay by his side in the coming days. The thought of being apart from him for another extended period of time filled him with overwhelming sense of dread and the purity of his joy in his partner’s arms combined to create a dependence he wasn’t even aware of at the moment. Even if he was…the words would have to be pried out of him before he'd ever say them willingly.

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'Thoughts'
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Raillen Tongue/Speech"
"Silvain Tongue/Speech"

[Arkash]

A deep red pigment filled the wafer thin rim of his iris when he first woke that day, a hue that darkened to rust, and assumed a deeper shade of brown. He laid there in complete silence while he stared at the adorned ceiling of Degare’s chambers, then shut his eyes again as he drew a deep breath and let it out with an even deeper exhale.

After many nights of sleeping in caves, under the stars, and beneath rickety tents in the howling winds, he was warm, comfortable, and intact. He stayed that way for a moment and bathed in the warmth of the sheets that he shared with the Ferrier, the warmth of the cheek that rested on his shoulder. A moment more of basking brought a smile to his lips, and he wormed his arm under the Veir’s neck to rest his hand on the side of the Veir’s head. There, he gently brushed through the elf’s silver hair with his thumb, and hummed in delight.

“You have no idea how nice it is to wake up to you again,” Arkash spoke with a wistful sigh.

“I’ve missed this…” he admit, “so much.”

His other hand came to hold Degare’s hand while it rested on his chest, the slow droll of his heart beating somewhere within. A turn of his head saw him press a long, slow kiss to the elf’s forehead before he broke it with another exhale. It had been some time since he woke in such a fashion, to simply lay there while the sleep in his bones withdrew to the confines of his subconscious.

“How’s your neck, my love?” His fingers ran down the side of Degare’s head, and came to rest on the tender flesh he’d marred just hours ago. “I wasn’t too rough, I hope…” He offered with a cruel smile; he knew he was.

As the last of the morning’s sleep withdrew, and the comfort in which the Rath basked became faded, he took the Veir by the shoulder and tugged. He was gentle at first, then quite firmly pulled the larger man onto his back and rolled with his weight in the same motion to land atop the larger elf. With his chest flat against the elf’s, Arkash kissed him in the tangle of bedsheets, grinned, then lifted himself from the other’s body with a curl of his lips.

“Are you okay?” He asked at last with a distinct seriousness crawling through his gaze while he held himself there. “I saw tears last night… Before everything,” he explained.

Image source.

[Degare]

TIMESTAMP: -
NOTES: -

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He could feel his partner begin to stir, though he didn’t yet respond. The little movements, the deep breaths…feeling his partner’s body slowly rouse was soothing to him in a strange way. The simple mundanity of feeling him wake filled him with a bright, vibrant sense of joy as he felt the wings of butterflies gently beat against the bones of his ribs. In these softer moments, Degare was so very happy.

It was then that he felt Arkash’s arm slip beneath him to cradle his head, and at this, his softer smile brightened into a much broader sort of grin. The thumb stroking his scalp and the gentle sounding hum from his lover’s lips made him feel at ease. As his partner spoke, the Veir nuzzles his face into the other’s soft skin, taking the time to really enjoy his scent and the supple texture of his skin.

“I think I've got some clue…at the very least, I feel the same…Sometimes, I’d dream about you. When I woke up, for the briefest of moments I’d see a phantom of you beside me…I grew used to watching it fade…” these words trail off with a soft hum of a sigh that sounds fairly strained, as if he’s trying to hold back a lot of the emotion he’s feeling. In ways less emotional, it also hurt for him to speak. It was in the middle of those sentiments that the pain from hours before resurfaced as his jaw moved, his vocal chords pulling at the bruises with each sound he produced. “...so this…? Having you really here? I…can’t describe it.” Actually? That's not true. Degare is perfectly capable of articulating exactly how he feels at this moment…but…he’s afraid of the words. To him, saying them out loud would make them real.

Arkash’s lingering kiss and the feel of his hand atop his own caused amber eyes to close for a few brief beats as he took the time to just bask in his lover’s warmth. At the question, the Ferrier laughed, if only a little bit– laughter hurt. “Oh…it’s…your mark will definitely linger, my dear...” these words are spoken with a light, amused exhale from his nose as the subtle curl of a smile pulls at the corners of his lips. His tone was warm and loving, as if expressing gratitude towards the other’s use of force...and the particular pet name he'd used on the elf. The little Rathor definitely did not hold back, but that made the experience all the better.

His mind was drifting at ease in the comforting warmth and low light of the morning, so when Arkash abruptly moved to force him onto his back and sit atop him, it did surprise him quite a bit. Degare happily accepted the kiss foisted upon him, returning it with the warmth of his own affection. The Veir’s eyes widened in delight as he looked up towards his lover, amber eyes reflecting the gentle, warm waves of his adoration. In the sunlight, he could better appreciate the differences in the Dranoch’s appearance. In some ways, he looked…a lot more human than before. The paler, ashen tones to his skin were swept away leaving a darker, more vibrant tone in its wake. The misty fog over his irises had cleared and the hues that’d been revealed underneath refracted the sun’s light in ways most beautiful. He was missing his clawed fingers and sharp teeth, too. From what he knew of Dranoch, botchlings couldn’t hide these things.

Before he could ask, his partner posed a question. His lips press together, if only briefly, into the shape of a frown then twitch back into a smile he’s clearly trying to force. Eyes of reddened amber drop his gaze from his lover’s face, seeming to flounder briefly about deciding where to land, eventually settling on the other’s collarbone. His jaw sets just before lips part as he begins to answer, “I was hoping you…wouldn’t ask,” he spoke with a few strained notes of dry laughter. “Arkash, I…Entente talk. It wasn’t hard for Lucia to find out that somebody resembling you worked for House Mathis, and then, as suddenly as that person appeared, he was gone. In no other noble house was he found– in no other position was his name mentioned, like a ghost, he was gone,” his explanation is slow and strained, delivered in a raspy voice from both the weight of his sadness and the physical pain each word caused him. “...so to me, and to everyone else, you were a slave disposed of. Idle gossip floating on the lips of nobles for a few days and then you faded into nonexistence as more interesting topics came along. I thought you were dead. I had begun to mourn you! There was no reason for me to believe otherwise since I could find no trace of you– Human, Rathor or otherwise. Silence.” His voice was fraying, breaking the longer he spoke.

He swallows, blinking a few times in a vain attempt to clear the gloss from his eyes. “I don’t handle loss well. I never have,” the last few words would be hard to understand as his voice cracked and he chokes. “...so…so when…I woke up…with you on top of me…? Everything…every emotion I’d ever felt since you left…flooded back.”

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'Thoughts'
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Raillen Tongue/Speech"
"Silvain Tongue/Speech"

[Arkash]

For a moment, Arkash just laid there with the weight of his lover's head on his shoulder. He basked in the morning's warmth and drank the sound of Degare's voice while he went on to say how much he'd missed the Rath. His words brought Arkash to smile with a wistful undertone to the glint of his eyes. There was some level of regret apparent in his features, but on what subject was unknown and unshared.

He did smile at the brief laughter with a lot more vibrance to his expression and gently ran his hand along the Veir's neck to gently test the flesh there. Indeed, he could almost feel the structural damage against his fingertips, the tenderness with which the flesh reddened and became sore. "Good," spoke the Rath quite contently, a rolling breath to deflate his chest while he felt the marks he'd made.

The morning's peace couldn't last forever, though. Arkash moved the elf onto his back and held him down from above, then posed his question from there.

For the most part, Arkash wandered through social interaction blindly. He spoke what was on his mind and shared most surface-level thoughts without a filter when he was comfortable with his company. For the most part, things ran relatively smoothly with some ups and downs in conversations that he held. And then sometimes, he'd say or ask something that didn't quite land how he expected them to and didn't have the desired effect as a result. People were difficult to predict and understand, and their reactions often roused him from that senseless trudge to manually steer through whatever mess he'd made in his thoughtlessness.

Degare's reaction to his question was one such sobering experience.

The frown that preceded Degare's forced smile brought a distinct focus to his gaze, as though something had awoken in that brief silence to trail his question. Regret claimed his eyes at the delivery of that strained laugh, and Arkash's intent stare followed every word the noble spoke. In time, Degare's experience was clear to the Rath, but even so... He nodded a little in understanding; Degare didn't handle loss well.

As Degare's voice began to crack with his choking, Arkash shook his head and lowered his chest to Degare's. There, the Rathor cupped the elf's cheeks with both hands and brushed beneath his eyes to clear any tears if they formed. "Degare... It's okay, I'm back now."

"I get why you were upset... I see why you thought the worst and why you had such a time while I was gone... I suppose I was lucky enough to know you weren't in danger while I was away..." he trailed on, vocalizing his thought process again. "...I can't imagine what state I'd be in if we swapped places."

"But you don't have to feel that way anymore, I'm here Degare, I'm back... I'm not going anywhere, either. You don't have to worry, okay? Besides, thanks to you, I'm wiser now..." Arkash spoke almost cryptically and appeared to think for a moment, eyes turning to the side while he considered. "You're one of the only people I can trust here in Daravin," he said, sincere.

"...Everyone thinks I'm dead, then? Raphael survived, obviously, but does he also think I'm dead?" Though Arkash's tone carried the same softness and sensitivity, there was an obvious shift in his demeanor. From compassion and understanding to logic and planning. Arkash had to understand his situation, and he believed Degare held those answers.

Image source.

[Degare]

TIMESTAMP: -
NOTES: -

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A sharp inhale along with the set of his teeth and pull of his lips occurred as his lover poked about the bruising to the soft flesh of his neck. His eyes narrowed a bit as he cringed from the pain of it– not only was the damage rather spread out, it was very deep in the places where Arkash’s fingertips had set as well as the wrapped lines from the ligature. “I’m…honestly surprised I didn’t pass out; I came pretty close to seeing black a couple times,” still does he struggle to speak, but that didn’t appear to be stopping him. “Very good timing on your end…but I might want a bit more affection out of you as this heals,” he spoke with a warm smile and loving tone to his voice. While the Veir would always be a glutton for punishment, there was something about Arkash’s sweetness that really made him melt.

Unfortunately for the elf, when his lover repositioned, the question he then posed was one that pulled a rather visceral response out of him. He offered the younger man a full explanation, or at least as much as he could force himself to say before his voice finally broke and words became much, much harder to articulate.

His vision was blurred from the tears that were forming in his eyes so he couldn’t quite see the expression on his partner’s face from this distance. Degare really needed comfort in moments like this– it had been quite a long time since he was this emotionally vulnerable under a lover.

At first, when Arkash lowered himself down and cupped the elf’s face in his hands, his eyes would close with a soft gasp and he began to cry more, struggling to breathe at this point. He couldn’t reign his emotions in anymore, much as he tried to maintain some semblance of composure, he simply couldn’t. He barely heard his lover’s words as he quickly sucked in air then exhaled a bit slower in vain attempts to calm himself down. At the same time, he lifted his own arms and wrapped them tightly around the smaller man’s back, digging fingers into his skin while he pulled him as close to his chest as possible.

With a much longer, deeper breath the Ferrier finally manages to reopen his eyes. After he blinks away more of the tears, “I know you’re here now…and it makes me incredibly happy. Really, it does…underneath all of…all of…this…is relief, I promise…” he manages to squeeze out these words so as not to confuse the other with the intensity of his reaction.

That’s the only sentiment he had time to say before Arkash continued to speak. The other’s vocalized understanding did help– he wasn’t entirely sure how he’d come across especially since he’d thought of himself as fairly pathetic in moments like these. The words with the most impact, though, were the ones he said about them having swapped places. It really did underline the fact that their love for one another was, indeed, mirrored.

As the little Rathor continued to try and soothe him, the Ferrier focused mostly on trying to slow his breathing. A bit of a grimace pulls on his lips when he hears the other mention how he’s wiser and then states that the Veir is one of very few he can trust in Daravin…oh, what troubles had his lover gone through…? He almost couldn’t bear to think about the implications behind those words. Him being right all those days ago was a worst case scenario, something he had never wanted.

Forcing himself to swallow so he could speak, “That’s all I need to hear, that you won’t go anywhere…that’s all I want, I’m just…so terrified of losing you again, I don’t think I could handle that…” he really does mean these words, the sincerity and desperation are nearly palpable in his voice.

Upon hearing Arkash’s inquiries about Raphael, Degare exhaled softly as he tried to sift through what he remembered about the sentiments others had shared about the subject. “For the most part, people think you’re dead. But that’s…outsiders of House Mathis. Raphael himself…? I doubt he’d think you’re truly gone unless he burns your body himself. I…wouldn’t be surprised if he’s operating under the assumption that you’re still out there, somewhere…but I don’t know him. I don’t know what lengths he’d go to end you if that’s the case…” At first, the Veir spoke slowly as he explained what information he was able to recall. However, as he continued to speak, his words became more rapid, paranoid, worried. He’d connected the dots in his head as he articulated those things– there’s no way the other man would just let Arkash go without properly disposing of him. At that, he could feel dread begin to rise within him. He really couldn’t bear to lose another lover.

“If…he does intend to have you hunted…I’ll defend you. Run with you. I…can’t be apart from you, I…” love you. He sharply cut himself off at the beginning of the last sentiment.

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'Thoughts'
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Raillen Tongue/Speech"
"Silvain Tongue/Speech"

[Arkash]

As they streamed, Arkash collected the tears that fell from the elf’s eyes with the gentle brush of his fingers. For a moment, the expression the Rath wore changed. Behind his pity was something colder; something precise and analytical stared from the confines of his skull as if to try and pick apart the Elf as he laid below him. Just as quickly as that glint appeared, it withdrew with a quickened blink of his eyes. “Me too,” he affirmed. “It did get hairy out there for a second, but I’m… Really glad to be back,” the young Rath assured as he continued to gently wipe away the older man’s tears.

Arkash continued to vocally relate to the thrice mage, explaining that he understood how the elf felt and all those meaningful words that people wanted to hear when they were tender… At least until Degare confessed his fears. The gentlest smile crept across his features while he gazed upon the man, then leaned in to press his lips to Degare’s, as if to silence him.

“You don’t need to think about that, love,” he assured. “You’re stuck with me; so where you go, I go. Alright?” He let the air turn quiet and settle for a moment while his words stuck, then spoke again. “It’s… Really quite sweet that you care about me so much… I don’t think anyone’s ever cried for me before,” Arkash said as he lifted his wettened finger and watched it glisten in the morning’s light. “But I hate seeing you this way,” he finished with a frown and returned his gaze to the elf. “How do I make you feel better, hm?”

With Degare’s answers to his questions, Arkash nodded. He appeared to think for a moment with his gaze pointed away, then snapped his stare back at the elf at the delivery of his vow. Arkash began to grin at the silence to follow the start of Degare’s last sentence. “-Oh honey,” Arkash spoke with a soft smile. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll just have to be more careful when I return to Boghadar with you,” Arkash reasoned with a tilt of his head and steadily sat up. “No one found me at your estate, just in the city limits. I think I’m fine here in Amoren too so long as I don’t walk around in my true form,” he spoke with a shrug.

At the end of his reasoning, Arkash returned that smile to his lips and leaned down to press a kiss on the elf’s forehead. “It’s alright,” Arkash assured again. “I’ll be careful from now on, just so you don’t worry. I’ll fetch a new mask and clothes in the next few days, maybe pick up a Necromancer’s kit, too…” Trailed the rath’s voice flirtatiously as he let his weight fall to the side, and dropped in a pile to face the elf from the bedding he laid upon.

He stayed there for a moment and gazed enamored at the elf with his freely loving eyes. After a stretch of silence, he finally spoke again. “…You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to,” quite contently, then reached for Degare’s cheek and brushed the skin there with his thumb. As his eyes trailed the motion and caught the glint of Degare’s tears, Arkash was brought to smile again.

“I already know.”

Image source.

[Degare]

TIMESTAMP: -
NOTES: -

► Show Spoiler

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While his vision was heavily blurred from crying, he drifted crimson-tinted eyes up to rest his gaze on his lover’s face. Despite the continued stream of tears, the Veir’s expression did appear to warm the more the other reassured him. With a soft sigh, “I…I want you to know that even if I were right about Raphael having some kind of trap laid for you, I take no pleasure in that…I wanted to be wrong. For once, I wanted to be wrong in my knowledge of the Entente and the politics of my own nation. On the day you left, all I wanted was for you to return to me safe, unharmed, on time…” he trailed off as a soft smile quivers at the corners of his lips, eyes drifting to the side and glossing over anew. “...but regardless, you’re here now, and despite my stress…I couldn’t be happier to have you back.” With the delivery of these words, his smile brightens along with a vibrant, loving glint in eyes of amber as they return their attention to the Dranoch’s face.

There was great succor to be had for the silver elf from his lover’s attempts to clear away his tears despite the fact that the flow of them had yet to stop. While he expressed his great terror in regards to the concept of losing Arkash again, the younger man leaned forward to cut him off with a gentle kiss. With a somewhat deep exhale through his nose, the Veir returns it with his own abundant affection.

When their kiss disconnected, he said it again: ‘...you’re stuck with me…’ The first time the little Rath had said this to him it caught him off guard, made him uncomfortable. He hadn’t decided if that was something he’d even wanted. By the second time, it brought him great solace at the thought. And now? It made his face flush red at the sheer amount of joy it stirred within. Wearing a bashful smile, his eyes drifted closed and reopened in tandem with a pleased sigh. “I’ve always been a somewhat lonesome individual, but…in the case of you? I’d love to be stuck with you,” his velvet voice was embroidered with threads of loving adoration.

After a few moments of silence, his lover spoke again. To this, “...really? But you’re so…ah…” he trailed off for a moment, not entirely sure how to articulate what he meant. “Loyal, loving, powerful, and so very precious…it was so easy for me to fall into caring for you…and now? You’re stuck with me, too.” By this point, the elf sounds much happier.

In regards to the question about what would make him feel better, “...honestly? …time spent with you. I already feel a lot better than I did yesterday, even. I was just…holding a lot of emotion in.” With those words there’s a pause for a moment, but he continues, “Your sweet words and soft touches definitely help, too.” Even unstated, this would be obvious from the degree to which he’s melted underneath the younger man.

As Degare spoke about the differing perspectives from the wider Entente when compared to that of Raphael, he watched Arkash’s gaze drift off in thought as the information was processed. However, upon the delivery of his promise, his lover’s focus immediately snapped back onto him. The elf wasn’t actually sure what methods the Halamire’s trackers employed when hunting down their targets, but he knew it was far more advanced than just the information highway that was the Entente’s gossip. That was obviously part of it…but there was definitely much more. Despite Arkash’s fairly nonchalant attitude, Degare could feel a sense of dread pooling deep within. “I…yeah, if Raphael contacts the Halamire for help…I’d be worried, but…? There’s no way to stop him from doing that if that is his will; we can only react in that case…so please, do exercise extra caution. For me, at least.” As much as he tried to quell them, his nerves caused an audible shake to his words.

He breathed a somewhat relieved sigh when Arkash assured him that he’d be careful. It is worth noting, though, that the Veir wasn’t quite sure how cautious the Dranoch would really be…Degare knew he was fairly arrogant and while that was somewhat warranted, to be as such is toeing a very dangerous line in Daravin.

When his lover mentioned the Necromancer’s kit along with a change of his tone, the pale elf smiles along with an overall coquettish expression as eyes of amber drifted to the side, following the little Rath as he fell beside him. “I’d like that…let me know if you need any help getting your hands on any of that– I’d be happy to.” His words are warm and affectionate but delicately laced with lust. “As strange as it is to admit, having you…flay me, play with me like that…I crave it,” the elf admits this as the blush on his face deepens. “I’d also love to bleed you a bit more– I love the texture…and the scent.” He can’t remember if he’s vocalized this before, but it’s definitely true. He’d always loved blood but Arkash’s unique traits had an undeniably special draw to him.

The pair sat in calm quiet for a few more moments and the Ferrier took this time to breathe deep and calm his nerves, eyes drifting closed. They reopened again along with a turn to his head when his lover spoke. The Veir pushed his face into the other’s hand, nuzzling his cheek against it. As if embarrassed, his gaze drops at the last thing Arkash says, ‘I already know.’

Well…of course. Much as he tried to keep his feelings locked up, the events of the past month or so had made this very hard to maintain. Of course Arkash had read him. Now wearing a somewhat sheepish expression, “I…of course you do. It’s not that I don’t want to…I just…can’t…? …and I feel bad because of how good it feels when you say it to me….yet I…can’t say it back…” Trying to explain himself, his words flowed slowly. He wasn’t quite sure if he made any sense.

Once these words trailed off, the Veir shifted to laying on his side and drifted a hand across the space between them. Then, he pulled his little lover close. Wrapping that arm around his back and resting his hand against the back of the Rathor’s neck, Degare presses his lips to the top of the other’s head and lingers there to bask in his scent. “I looked at your Mural through the Tether last night…what city is that…? It’s pretty…” His voice is soft, almost dreamlike in tone.

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'Thoughts'
"Common Tongue/Speech"
"Raillen Tongue/Speech"
"Silvain Tongue/Speech"

[Salen]

Arkash

Lores
Psychology: Influence of past trauma
Psychology: People can be sad even after the cause is resolved
Psychology: Logic and Emotion do not cooperate
Psychology: Even if you immerse yourself, you might not relate
Psychology: Put yourself in their shoes
Psychology: An emotionally broken man
Psychology: Tender emotions
Psychology: Rebuilding is filled with opportunities
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[PC] Degare: Traumatized
[PC] Degare: Lingers on the past
[PC] Degare: Dependent on you
[PC] Degare: Only calmed by your assurance and promises
[PC] Degare: Malleable

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A

Points: 8

Degare

Lores
Sociology: Daravin - Need Information? Try Gossip; Entente Love to Talk
Politics: Daravinic Entente - People Talk and Words Can Damn You
Politics: Daravin - The Halamire
Psychology: Emotion Often Overpowers Logic
Psychology: Affection's Taste When You've Been Starved
Psychology: Soothing Effects of Physical Affection
Psychology: Introversion
Psychology: Love Can Be Intimidating
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[PC] Arkash: Missed waking up beside you
[PC] Arkash: Reiterated his promise: you are stuck with him
[PC] Arkash: Hates seeing you cry [emotional distress]
[PC] Arkash: Genuinely tries to empathize with and care for you when you're upset
[PC] Arkash: Says nobody's cried for him before
[PC] Arkash: Knows you love him

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A

Points: 8

Comments: Wholesome... I cried... Well done folks, heres ya points.