her patience.
“I’d be more annoyed at that resounding agreement if it wasn’t so true,” muttered Mazik, loud enough for everyone to hear. “So yeah, me and Gavi and Rae came up with a plan that might let us quit our jobs and start doing something else. Uhm.”
Kalenia cocked her head to the other side, her face still politely curious. “Yes?”
“Wait, he hasn’t talked to her about this yet?” said Gavi.
“What a bad boyfriend. He should be ashamed,” said Raedren.
“I was scared so I kept putting it off, all right? Now shhh! ” hissed Mazik. He turned back.
Mazik took a deep breath, and then let it all out in one go. “We want to become adventurers and catch those kidnappers who have been going around kidnapping people and use that to help us get into a guild and,” he took a breath, “and then we’ll be able to work when we want to and won’t have bosses that yell at us and we’ll actually be doing something important and well Rae is already doing that but ignore him he’s bored out of his mind anyway and we won’t hate our lives and then I’ll stop complaining so much and maybe drink less haha okay probably not that and it would be a lot better and sunshine and roses and something et cetera. What do you think?”
Kalenia blinked, absorbing all of this.
Idiot , thought Raedren, shaking his head.
What an idiot , thought Gavi, likewise. Though that was kind of cute.
Gavi blinked.
Kalenia looked off to the side. She massaged her temples for a minute, thinking. Then she turned to Mazik. “This will be dangerous, won’t it?”
Mazik nodded. “Almost definitely certainly.”
Kalenia took this in. “And you’ll have to hurt people,” she said. It wasn’t a question.
Mazik grimaced, but nodded. “Yes, probably. We’ll certainly be trying.”
“But you’ll be able to quit your current jobs?”
“If we’re successful, yes,” said Mazik. “Hopefully.”
Kalenia pursed her lips. “And … you think you can do all of this without getting killed?”
Mazik pointed to Gavi and Raedren. “That’s what they’re for. Rae to keep us alive, and Gavi to keep us from doing anything too stupid to live through.”
“Somehow it feels like I got the hardest job,” said Gavi.
“Trade ya?” said Raedren.
“Eh, I’ll pass.”
Kalenia took this in too, filing it away like the diligent honors student she was. “And,” she started, quietly, “will this make you happy?”
Mazik hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Yes, I think so. Just having the freedom to work when we want to would be fantastic, and we might even be able to do some good.”
Kalenia examined her boyfriend’s face. “Okay,” she said finally. “If you think it will make you happy, I certainly won’t stop you. It’s fine with me.”
Mazik sagged forward, letting out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Even Gavi and Raedren breathed a sigh of relief, and promptly felt embarrassed for doing so.
While everyone was distracted, Kalenia leaned forward and gave Mazik a kiss on the cheek. “You’re silly,” she said with a gentle smile.
“Can’t argue with you there,” said Mazik tiredly. His voice softened. “Sorry for not talking to you first. I didn’t want to … well, it’s just that the whole idea is so crazy, I didn’t really think I’d go for it for the longest time, and once I decided to I talked to Rae and Gavi almost immediately. So I, uhm…”
“It’s fine,” said Kalenia, squeezing his hand. “It’s your decision, not mine. I’m just glad you talked to me now.”
Mazik was almost overwhelmed. He straightened up. “By the way, do you want to join us? You’re welcome, if you’d like.”
Kalenia considered it for a long minute, and then shook her head. “I don’t think so. I like it here. Besides, I’m not good at flashy magick.”
Mazik had expected that answer, but was disappointed nonetheless. “That’s a shame. You’re the best caster among us.”
“I
“I’d be more annoyed at that resounding agreement if it wasn’t so true,” muttered Mazik, loud enough for everyone to hear. “So yeah, me and Gavi and Rae came up with a plan that might let us quit our jobs and start doing something else. Uhm.”
Kalenia cocked her head to the other side, her face still politely curious. “Yes?”
“Wait, he hasn’t talked to her about this yet?” said Gavi.
“What a bad boyfriend. He should be ashamed,” said Raedren.
“I was scared so I kept putting it off, all right? Now shhh! ” hissed Mazik. He turned back.
Mazik took a deep breath, and then let it all out in one go. “We want to become adventurers and catch those kidnappers who have been going around kidnapping people and use that to help us get into a guild and,” he took a breath, “and then we’ll be able to work when we want to and won’t have bosses that yell at us and we’ll actually be doing something important and well Rae is already doing that but ignore him he’s bored out of his mind anyway and we won’t hate our lives and then I’ll stop complaining so much and maybe drink less haha okay probably not that and it would be a lot better and sunshine and roses and something et cetera. What do you think?”
Kalenia blinked, absorbing all of this.
Idiot , thought Raedren, shaking his head.
What an idiot , thought Gavi, likewise. Though that was kind of cute.
Gavi blinked.
Kalenia looked off to the side. She massaged her temples for a minute, thinking. Then she turned to Mazik. “This will be dangerous, won’t it?”
Mazik nodded. “Almost definitely certainly.”
Kalenia took this in. “And you’ll have to hurt people,” she said. It wasn’t a question.
Mazik grimaced, but nodded. “Yes, probably. We’ll certainly be trying.”
“But you’ll be able to quit your current jobs?”
“If we’re successful, yes,” said Mazik. “Hopefully.”
Kalenia pursed her lips. “And … you think you can do all of this without getting killed?”
Mazik pointed to Gavi and Raedren. “That’s what they’re for. Rae to keep us alive, and Gavi to keep us from doing anything too stupid to live through.”
“Somehow it feels like I got the hardest job,” said Gavi.
“Trade ya?” said Raedren.
“Eh, I’ll pass.”
Kalenia took this in too, filing it away like the diligent honors student she was. “And,” she started, quietly, “will this make you happy?”
Mazik hesitated for a second, then nodded. “Yes, I think so. Just having the freedom to work when we want to would be fantastic, and we might even be able to do some good.”
Kalenia examined her boyfriend’s face. “Okay,” she said finally. “If you think it will make you happy, I certainly won’t stop you. It’s fine with me.”
Mazik sagged forward, letting out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Even Gavi and Raedren breathed a sigh of relief, and promptly felt embarrassed for doing so.
While everyone was distracted, Kalenia leaned forward and gave Mazik a kiss on the cheek. “You’re silly,” she said with a gentle smile.
“Can’t argue with you there,” said Mazik tiredly. His voice softened. “Sorry for not talking to you first. I didn’t want to … well, it’s just that the whole idea is so crazy, I didn’t really think I’d go for it for the longest time, and once I decided to I talked to Rae and Gavi almost immediately. So I, uhm…”
“It’s fine,” said Kalenia, squeezing his hand. “It’s your decision, not mine. I’m just glad you talked to me now.”
Mazik was almost overwhelmed. He straightened up. “By the way, do you want to join us? You’re welcome, if you’d like.”
Kalenia considered it for a long minute, and then shook her head. “I don’t think so. I like it here. Besides, I’m not good at flashy magick.”
Mazik had expected that answer, but was disappointed nonetheless. “That’s a shame. You’re the best caster among us.”
“I
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