Welcome to Gaia! ::

Efflo clung to him tightly with his good arm, the other folded like a wounded wing against his side. His body shook a while longer as Gabby cradled him, until the sobs eventually quieted and tapered off. Gabby’s words were the most soothing medicine of all and he savored each “I love you”, focusing entirely on them and not his worn down body. He pressed his cheek against Gabby’s, warm breath rattling out and over the dragon’s cool skin.

The boil squirmed suddenly, and winced at the movement, foolishly biting again at his torn lip. But he nestled back immediately, sniffling as he wearily lifted his head to look at Gabby. “They’re awake,” he said softly, and as if on cue a little worm head poked out of his arrow wound. The sight, to Efflo, was the second most comforting thing in the world. Gabby, obviously, had won first place. Though the worms repaired, they didn’t lessen the pain; in fact he felt a faint stinging as they moved around inside the torn flesh, sewing it together with glowing strands. It was an unsettling sight to most, which is why the boil often opted for bandages to cover his wounds, even though wrapping them was mostly unnecessary.

He worried what Gabby would think, knowing that even though the dragon was okay with this part of him, seeing it might be too much. But his anxieties were no match for his exhaustion and Efflo leaned his head on Gabby’s shoulder tiredly. “I love you too. I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” he murmured, voice barely higher than a whisper.

Gabby had a right to know and Efflo knew if the positions were reversed, he’d be hunting the perpetrator down without regard for anything but hurting whoever was responsible as much as they’d hurt his lover. That was exactly what scared him. He knew that Gabby was stronger than him but the horseman had decimated him in three blows. Meanwhile Efflo’s hits had barely registered. The boil shivered and huddled himself against Gabby, remembering Mengyao’s cruel smile glaring down at him.

Sitting safely next to his boilfriend, the terror of it sunk in and Efflo shook his head, looking back at Gabby with panicked, pleading eyes. He hated holding anything back from the dragon, but he couldn’t stand the thought of his lover getting hurt. It was a heart-wrenching dilemma but finally he relented, exhaling in frustration.

“I-I… Gabriel, you have to promise, promise me if I tell you that you won’t do anything! Promise me!” he demanded, his exhaustion giving way for the moment to a fiery intensity. “You have to… promise.”

His hand sought out the dragon’s, and Efflo squeezed it tightly as he leaned against him with a sigh. “That’ll have to do,” he said quietly, offering Gabby a small, tender smile anyway. He was upset that Gabby wouldn’t agree but he understood.

“I was just out walking, and then suddenly there was fog… And a big old house, but I don’t know how I got there,” he explained, frowning as he struggled to remember everything. It all seemed kind of hazy, his memories playing back like a grainy black and white film. “I was curious so I went inside… And there was a long hallway and a bunch of locked doors. Only one was open and I just wanted to peek inside but I tripped and, and… He was there. He said I wasn’t a real horse, Gabriel!” Efflo’s voice dropped to a furious whisper, the boil looking stricken.

He shook his head, carefully nestling himself back against Gabby. “Of course not! I told him he was an idiot.”

Efflo fell silent for a moment at Gabby's next question, worried that he was making the wrong decision by giving in. But not seeing any way to avoid the question, he conceded to the boil, “…He said his name was Mengyao Miao.” Despite the fog that covered everything else, he remembered the name clearly; it wasn’t something he was likely to ever forget. “Mengyao Miao, Horseman of Conquest.”

Efflo let out a sigh of exasperation, stupidly oblivious to the opportunity that had just presented itself.

“No, Gabriel, Mengyao Meow.”

“That’s not fair, hogging all the fun,” he answered with quiet laughter, his smile mirroring Gabby’s. Then Efflo was nodding - sleep sounded spectacular. He curled against his boilfriend, nuzzling his face against Gabby’s neck as he closed his eyes.

“Love you,” he whispered against Gabby’s cool skin, yawning softly. The boil was completely spent, and sleep overtook him almost immediately. He dozed against the dragon peacefully; wrapped in Gabby’s arms, his dreams could only be sweet.