#when i heard aarakocra i was for sure expecting they would just make it a human with wings maybe

[judyalvqrez]

there was something really jim henson-esque and campy about how some of the non-human races were portrayed in the new dnd movie that i really enjoyed. they could’ve easily gone the shitty cgi route or just not shown those races up close at all, but no, they said you want a bird man? we’re gonna get you a bird man

[baka-monarch]

@pleasentcalli-gt I shall infodump!!!!!

Techno is a half orc barbarian, who goes on several assigned adventures- several being with a mysterious ranger named Dream, but nobody knows they're race since Dream is constantly wearing a mask and clothes to hide himself (but since Techno has fought by their side so often he's caught glimpses of the coal black skin he keeps hidden, and suspects what they are- but isn't too bothered by it, he's not gonna tell anyone or mention to Dream that he suspects because of how most people see and treat Dream's race)

Dream is a ranger that goes on several adventures, usually with Techno, but he doesn't mind going with others.... But on the most recent adventure his mask breaks revealing that he's a dark elf to everyone, the rest of the party leaves, not trusting a dark elf even if they've seen how good of a person he is- but Techno stays to make sure Dream is alright, and even offers him his home to stay at until he can get another mask

In Techno's home he lives with:

Philza, an aarakocra (or bird person-) sword singer (which is a type of magic user/wizard that has the wand enchantments on swords to do spells while fighting physically), who owns a large cabin in the woods

Wilbur, a half elf bard who's better at playing music then casting musical spells- it's no matter as with his higher charisma, he's amazing at distracting people in squares so his associate can pick pockets easier-

Tommy, a halfling rogue (and the one who helps Wilbur steal from people), who lost his family at a young age before being found by Wilbur and brought to Phil's cabin to be raised.... His family were killed by a party of dark elves, and everyone assumes this is why he's a bit more cold and rude to Dream then he would be to anyone else- but there's more to it then just that (imma write a little thing about this under the cut because I can't get a specific line out of my head-)

"I don't hate you because of what you are, I hate you because of what you did."

Dream took a deep breath as he sat next to the small halfling- well Tommy was tall for his race, but he still only came up to Dream's waist when standing at his full height. The drow had been wanting to ask about this for so long, but he was never alone with Tommy, and anytime he asked with the others around the halfling would always run off and someone would answer for him. So now here Dream was, sitting next to Tommy at the table, both going to have lunch while everyone else was in town. He could do this it was just an easy question right? 'Why do you hate me?' something he'd asked several people before, when he left the Underdark, and there were two answers he knew Tommy could give- one of which was because Dream is a dark elf... But he'd become accustomed to people hating him for his coal black skin, red eyes, and white mane of hair, most surface dwellers hated drow because of the connotations that came with them.

Dream shook those thoughts from his mind as he took another deep breath, watching as Tommy stared down into his bowl of soup, vigorously eating so he wouldn't have to be here with Dream for long. He knew this was why they weren't looking up, and why they were rushing, because Tommy had done it several times before.

"Tommy." The halfling snapped their head up to look at him as he spoke. It startled Dream a bit, the silence that had just been broken, and the small glare the smaller held in their eyes in this empty and still house. Unsettling because they were usually smiling, usually laughing, usually full of life. "Why..." He started to say but hesitated. Why was he scared of the answer? It's nothing new to be hated, so why does it matter? He licked his dark lips before continuing. "Why do you ha- dislike me?" He cringed at his own words, sounding so awkward in his mouth, and all he could do was wait for an answer- an answer he feared, but shouldn't.

"I don't dislike you- I despise you." Tommy answered coldly, and the seriousness of their tone sent a shiver down Dream's spine. What happened to the annoying prankster from an hour ago? "And it's not because of that fucking racist shit if that's what you're worried about." The smaller shrugged, and Dream felt his eyes widen in surprise, a little confused as to what else is could be.

".... What do you mean?" The drow couldn't stop himself from hesitantly asking, but regretted it when Tommy dropped his spoon and looked up with an even more defined glare- but they weren't mad, they were hiding another emotion, Dream could tell by the way their entire body trembled, but he couldn't understand why.

"Do you really want to know?" Dream nodded to their question. He wanted to fix this, he didn't want Tommy to be upset with him if they were his friend's brother.... And he hoped maybe they could be friends too.

"You killed my family." Tommy's words stabbed Dream like a knife, but before he could ask, Tommy continued. "The night they died, we were staying with some elves, mainly for protection since they offered us shelter in their camp. That night however.... Tha- that night... A party of dark elves came... Although I was a fucking kid, I still knee Underdark common at the time, from when mom and dad would do trading with peches"-Dream was familiar with the race of Underdark halflings, but didn't know much of their culture- so he was a bit surprised to know that they had connections with their surface dwelling counterparts-"so when I saw you- you leading this fucking party, I listened from the place mum had hidden me and I heard you give the command- the command to slaughter everyone. To kill even the elven children, and when the adult halflings tried to help you told your men to kill them as well..."

Dream took a moment to process the information... And was sad to realize it was true. He remembered that day. The first day he was put in charge of a surface raid. Back then Dream still only had knowledge from the Underdark, he had been raised and taught that the surface was full of nothing more then people who were evil and mindless creatures... It was back when he worshipped Lolth, a deity that took pride in how she manipulated Drow to believe that she was the only divinity, but her ways were dark and twisted- after living on the surface for so long, Dream knew that now... But back during the raid he hadn't. He knew he gave the commands, the command to have no mercy (as if Drow ever did have mercy when from the Underdark- another reason why he left the reched place) when killing the surface elves... But he couldn't help but to question if it was really his fault. All his life up until then he'd been manipulated, lied to, and taught a specific way of life- he hadn't known any better, and was just trying to please his fellow Drow by acting like the rest of them. He did not take satisfaction in death, he hated watching as children were stabbed... And for what? Because he was too afraid to question his own beliefs at the time? Because he had been doing the same as every Drow before him had done? Yes he gave the command, but was it really his fault if that is what he had been taught to do?

"I remember you smiling at me." Tommy scoffed, pulling him from his thoughts. Dream remembered too- and if he looked at Tommy long enough he could reconize exactly who they were from back then... A small sobbing child, trembling in fear. "You smiled after killing everyone I loved..." Tommy was crying now too, and Dream wanted to comfort them, but knew there was nothing he could do... Back then that smile was meant to be comforting as well- in the Underdark peches (halflings from the Underdark), were seen as nothing more then pets, slaves to Duergar and Drow. He'd assumed it had been the same on the surface, that those halflings were slaves to the surface elves and that he'd done something good in freeing them- which is why he hadn't pointed out to the other Drow where the halfling children were hiding... But now he knew, he understood, and he was sickened with himself for ever thinking that.

"I'm sorry...." Was all Dream could mutter. There wasn't much else he could say. He didn't expect forgiveness, even if he was changed now, even if he'd kill one of his own kin to keep Tommy, and everyone else living in this cabin safe.

"It's too late now." The halfling said coldly while whiping the tears from his face. "So now you know.... I don't hate you because of what you are, I hate you because of what you did."

(the only reason I wrote this is that last line aidhebksishs I just really really really wanted to fucking use it-)

[tigerkirby215]

5e Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty build (My Little Pony: FIM)

(Artwork by 14-bis on DeviantArt. It’s remarkably hard to find “regular” artwork of Rainbow Dash, but it probably helps that I’m looking on DeviantArt.)

From DOTA to garbage brony shit! Anyone who’s been around either my YouTube or DeviantArt (no I’m not linking them) would know I’m a brony. It’s been awhile since I’ve watched the show but I do still genuinely love the community. Say what you will but the brony community is dedicated, artistic, and genuinely friendly.

I came up with this concept awhile ago on r/whatwouldyoubuild and once again in an attempt to branch out from League of Legends I figured I’d take a crack at probably the most iconic pony of the show. Yeah suck it Twilight you may be the main character but do you have spectrum hair?

GOALS

10 seconds flat - Rainbow needs to fly fast; fast enough to make a sonic boom of color.

Time to take out the adorable trash - SUPER ACTION HORSE; SHE REALLY KICKS!

Egghead - Rainbow’s got a colorful personality, with plenty of quips in the heat of the moment.

RACE

Pegasi fly. You know what D&D race is known for flight? Aarakocra! Flight is basically all you get as an Aarakocra, but you get to fly a whopping 50 feet as early as level 1! Other than that you get some Ability Score increases: a +2 to Dexterity but I’d suggest moving that Wisdom increase to your Charisma instead thanks to Tasha’s. The only other important thing of note is that you get Talons that do a d4 slashing damage; perhaps more of a gryphon thing but if you DM lets you deal bludgeoning damage instead you could consider these to be hooves.

If Aarakocra isn’t allowed: Flight is kinda a requirement to play Rainbow Dash, but it’s not a requirement for the build. Feel free to use whatever race you want and adapt this build to it.

Chances are if your DM isn’t allowing Aarakocra then they won’t allow other flying races like Winged Tieflings. Though I would perhaps suggest asking your DM if you can nerf the  Aarakocra’s fly speed down to 30. Because yeah: 50 foot flying speed at level 1 is kinda crazy.

ABILITY SCORES

15; STRENGTH - Applejack may be the workerpony but it takes a lot of body strength to kick the clouds into shape!

14; CONSTIUTION - Dexterity would be more in-character but Constitution is far more useful. Feel free to swap CON and DEX for better roleplay but worse health.

13; CHARISMA - I’m pretty sure RD has a solid 70% of the fan content made about her specifically.

12; DEXTERITY - Who would’ve ever guessed that flying fast takes dexterity?

10; WISDOM - Rainbow Dash can be a bit of a hot head at times, acting without thinking when her ambition gets the better of her.

8; INTELLIGENCE - Finish studying for that exam yet?

BACKGROUND

For someone who uses the Athlete feat in far too many builds it’s rather surprising that I don’t use the Athlete background from Theros more! As an Athlete you get proficiency in Athletics and Acrobatics for all sorts of aerial sports, along with a language of your choice (pick your fancy) and while you’d normally get Land Vehicles see if your DM will perhaps allow Air Vehicles?

Your main feature Echoes of Victory makes it more likely that ponies all around Equestria have heard of the great Rainbow Dash! It also allows you to participate in some sporting events to earn a living when you’re not at work clearing the clouds.

(Artwork by nightcreepmax on DeviantArt.)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - ROGUE 1

Starting off with Rogue levels because skill proficiencies are always nice! Take Perception, Persuasion, Insight, and of course Performance with a backing track by Daniel Ingram! You also get Expertise in two skills: Athletics and Acrobatics will help with Wonderbolts-tier stunts!

You learn Thieves’ Cant as a Rogue, which is like a language... but awesome, and only shared by other awesome Rogues. But of course the main appeal of a Rogue is their Sneak Attack, allowing you do an extra d6 of damage through the power of friendship! (Or having advantage on your attacks.)

You can only sneak attack with a finesse weapon but I’d suggest wielding something like a rapier and flavoring it as a really sharp horseshoe. See if your DM will allow you a bludgeoning finesse weapon.

LEVEL 2 - ROGUE 2

You’ve heard of Rainbow Dash, now get ready for Rainbow Disengage! Cunning Action lets you Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a Bonus Action.

LEVEL 3 - BARBARIAN 1

I hope you didn’t expect Rainbow Dash to be the sneaky type! Barbarians get Unarmored Defense at level 1, so you can ditch the leather jacket and instead get AC equal to your Constitution plus your Dexterity!

But of course the main appeal of playing a Barbarian is the ability to Rage with the power of friendship! You can enter a Rage as a Bonus Action for advantage on strength checks and saves, extra damage on melee attacks using strength, and resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. Your Rage lasts 1 minute but ends early if you are knocked down or go a full round without attacking or being attacked.

You may note that you can only use strength for Rage’s damage bonus damage, which of course conflicts with the Rogue’s requirement for Finesse weapons... Guess what! You can use strength with Finesse weapons, meaning you can Sneak Attack with your strength!

LEVEL 4 - BARBARIAN 2

Second level Rogues get to play with danger! Reckless Attack lets you give yourself Advantage on your attack rolls at risk of enemies having Advantage against you. Now here’s where you cheat the system: if you have advantage on an attack... you can sneak attack! “Oh yeah; that is awesome.”

Additionally: do you know what helps with death-defying stunts? Looking forward. Danger Sense gives you advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects you can see coming. So if someone throws a ball of fire at you just dodge out of the way!

LEVEL 5 - BARBARIAN 3

Third level Barbarians get to choose their Primal Path, and to smite your foes with the power of awesomeness the Path of the Zealot will let you channel a Rainboom into every hit! While raging, you can channel Divine Fury into the first target you hit to do additional damage equal to a d6 plus half your Barbarian level. The damage can be either Radiant or Necrotic; Radiant makes more sense but if you think Necrotic damage would be more useful it’s nice to have that option.

You also have the power of plot armor thanks to Warrior of the Gods. If you die you can be revived without the use of expensive diamonds, because My Little Pony is a kids’ show. Man can you imagine if they killed off one of the main characters in a kids’ show? That would be wild.

Additionally Tasha’s provided Barbarians with Primal Knowledge for some more skill proficiencies. I’m sure you picked up on some Survival skills at Wonderbolts camp; it’s good to be able to survive if you break your wings and get stranded in the wilderness.

(Artwork by radiostarkiller on DeviantArt.)

LEVEL 6 - BARBARIAN 4

4th level Barbarians get our first Ability Score Improvement: as much of a meme as taking Athlete is Resilient (Strength) is far more useful for keeping alive and avoiding danger.

LEVEL 7 - BARBARIAN 5

5th level Rogues get an Extra Attack, so you can attack twice in a round! So awesome! Additionally your movement speed increases by 10 feet thanks to Fast Movement, so you’re a little closer to reaching Sonic Rainboom speeds!

LEVEL 8 - ROGUE 3

Third level Rogues get to choose their Roguish Archetype. Man I wish there was a Rogue that was based on moving fast and taunting their foes... oh hello Swashbuckler! Swashbuckler gets two features at third level but it’s basically 3 features in total: Fancy Footwork lets you dash move normally away from a target you attempted to stab, making them unable to attack you with a reaction.

Rakish Audacity meanwhile lets you add your Charisma to your initiative rolls, and it lets you Sneak Attack an enemy in melee if they don’t have friends nearby, even if you don’t meet the requirements to Sneak Attack! Of course you could just use Reckless Attack for Advantage to Sneak Attack, but at least your Sneak Attack increases to 2d6!

LEVEL 9 - ROGUE 4

4th level Rogues get another Ability Score Improvement: more Strength will let you “kick” (read: stab) harder.

(Artwork by Skitsroom on DeviantArt.)

LEVEL 10 - ROGUE 5

5th level Rogues get Uncanny Dodge to be as potent as a pony. If you get hit on your turn by an attack you can see you can use your reaction to take half damage instead! Additionally your Sneak Attack damage increases to 3d6.

LEVEL 11 - ROGUE 6

6th level Rogues get Expertise in two more skills: Persuasion will be useful in the future, and Perception will help you mind your head.

LEVEL 12 - ROGUE 7

7th level Rogues get Evasion for some truly death-defying stunts! If you succeed on a Dexterity saving throw you’ll take no damage instead of half damage, and even if you fail your save you’ll only take half damage instead of full damage! “Danger is my middle name!” Additionally your Sneak Attack damage is now 4d6.

LEVEL 13 - ROGUE 8

8th level means another Ability Score Improvement: cap off that Strength so that you can succeed at any athletics contest. “Look ma; no wings!”

LEVEL 14 - ROGUE 9

9th level Rogues can make quips that bronies will buy tee-shirts of. Panache lets you taunt, or lets you charm! As an action, you can make a Persuasion check contested by a creature’s Insight. The creature must be able to hear you, and the two of you must share a language.

If it’s an enemy it’ll have disadvantage to hit anyone who isn’t you, which is good because you’re a bulky Barbarian girl. The effect lasts for 1 minute but ends early if one of your friends hits them.

Alternatively if that person was just some average everypony, you can charm them! Everyone’s friends with Rainbow Dash, after all! Unless you’re not, obviously. Then you can have a 5d6 Sneak Attack!

(Artwork by Dawnf1re on DeviantArt.)

LEVEL 15 - BARBARIAN 6

6th level Zealot Barbarians gain a Fanatical Focus. Once per Rage if you fail a saving throw you can reroll it, because you’re a main character and you’re just that awesome.

LEVEL 16 - BARBARIAN 7

7th level Barbarians get Feral Instinct: so you know how you’re adding your Charisma to your initiative? Well now you have advantage on initiative checks too! Additionally, being around Pinkie Pie means that you know how to react to surprises: and that reaction is to RAGE!

Additionally Tasha’s gives you Instinctive Pounce, letting you move half your movement speed when you Rage. So it’s like half a dash!

LEVEL 17 - BARBARIAN 8

8th level Barbarians get another Ability Score Improvement and I’ll leave this up to you: more Charisma will give you better initiative and an easier time taunting your foes, but more Constitution means more health and armor.

Just decide if you want to be an awesome fighter or have awesome one-liners. Either way you’ll be awesome!

(Artwork by Underpable on DeviantArt.)

LEVEL 18 - BARBARIAN 9

You know how you’re probably rolling most things with Advantage? Well Brutal Critical allows you to add an extra weapon damage die to any crit you might make. So instead of 2d8 + 12d6 + 4, it’ll be 3d8 + 12d6 + 4. “Another great feat of heroism!”

LEVEL 19 - BARBARIAN 10

10th level Zealot Barbarians are so awesome everyone else can benefit from their awesomeness. Zealous Presence will let you use your Bonus Action to give all allies within 60 feet advantage on attack rolls and saving throws until the start of your next turn. You can only use this ability once per Long Rest, so save that Rainboom to truly turn the tide!

Additionally Tasha’s Primal Knowledge gives you another skill proficiency, so take Animal Handling to take the Tank as the tank.

LEVEL 20 - BARBARIAN 11

11th level Barbarians get plot armor, because they’re in a kids’ show. If you’re knocked down to 0 HP Relentless Rage allows you to make a DC 10 CON save while raging to instead drop to 1. You can make this save multiple times but the DC increases by 5 every time and well... your Constitution isn’t exactly earth-shattering, so you’ll probably get two uses out of this at best. Still: defying death twice is more than enough to beat the bad guys! I mean probably.

FINAL BUILD

PROS

I liked it... A LOT - So. Your weapon does a d8 + 5 of damage, your Sneak Attack does 5d6, your Rage does a d6 + 8, and if you crit all your dice get multiplied and you get to add an extra d8 on top of that. In short: you can do a total of 1d8 + 6d6 + 13 damage with one hit (average of 42 damage), or 3d8 + 12d6 + 13 damage on a crit! (Average of 76 damage!)

Seriously; I’d do it for anypony - You work fine alone but the Elements of Harmony work best with friends. Panache helps you keep your friends safe and Zealous Presence lets you make them awesome!

I hate losing - You’re certainly tanky with nearly 200 health, but you know what’s exceptionally fun? Cheating death near constantly. You’ve got two chances to go down to 1 HP instead of 0 while raging, and if they do happen to knock you down Rarity won’t have to sacrifice any diamonds to bring you back! No need for a robotic Rainbow Dash today!

CONS

If I go down, I’m going down flying! - Your AC isn’t great, as you had to invest everything into Strength to be able to smash people big time. Well at least you can wear Medium Armor right? Oh wait you can’t because armor will stop you from using your wings.

Want to know the opposite of agility? That! - So I like level 1 in Rogue for skill proficiencies (by the way you have a surprising amount of them thanks to Tasha’s), but while DEX saves are really nice with both Evasion and Danger Sense you’re lacking Constitution saves. And I mean, let’s not address the elephant in the room of your pitiful Wisdom and Charisma saves.

This competition isn’t for the weak - This build is rather MAD, requiring high Strength, Constitution, Charisma, and at least 13 in DEX. I’m just saying that this might be a build you want to point buy for: put 12 into DEX (+2 from race makes it 14) and 14 in Strength, Constitution, and Charisma. Heck, you can even get one of them up to a 15 with Point Buy!

But ponies aren’t just born awesome. (I mean, they are. Have you seen that mane?) You’ve gotta work to be awesome! Fight the good fight for your friends and save Equestria from both basic friendship troubles and world-ending villains! Participate in a few races while you’re at it and maybe try to find a pet too. Heck, maybe read a book too while you’re at it. You egghead.

(Artwork by JaDeDJynX on DeviantArt.)

[eryiss]

Oh Captain Our Captain

Summary:  Sentry has been worried about Lucius ever since they have left the demon prince's palace. And now they're back on the stormchaser and have a moment to think, she has a plan of action. Anf if everything goes to plan, Lucius will know how they all feel about him, one way or another. [Quillucius One Shot]

This is just a little something becuase Lucius needs some love, especailly after last episode. It’s short and sweet, and i hope you all enjoy it. 

You can read it Archive of our Own, or under the cut. Enjoy.

Oh Captain Our Captain

"Oh Oriya," Lucius exclaimed. "It feels like it's been a year since we last saw you."

People chuckled and laughed at Lucius' reaction to the half orc, who awkwardly attempted to push the captain off her. She made a small comment explaining that, at least from her perspective, that it had been less than a day since they had seen each other last. Lucius quickly began to recount the story of what had happened to the group in those few hours. It was a spectacular tale, and almost all of the group chimed in at some point or another.

Sentry didn't, she was looking at Lucius with concern. She had been doing this since they had left the demon prince's palace, even if nobody had noticed. The reason for her concern was rooted in something their captain had said after the card game.

'I put myself forward because I feel you all have a greater purpose.'

On the surface, it felt like he was alluding to the destinies that seemed to be afflicted on the group. Sentry was now Sentinel Prime. Quill was H'esper's chosen one. Nova was collecting the pieces of Tiangong. Aila was the only wild elf of her clan on Aerois. They all seemed to have some kind of cosmic fate linked to them, and it appeared that Lucius did not. Sentry hadn't thought about that before, but now Lucius had pointed it out it seemed obvious.

But that wasn't what concerned Sentry. What concerned her was the fact he was willing to risk losing his mind, and possibly die, because he thought he was less important than the rest of them.

Sentry should have noticed he was feeling like this.

And when she had realised just how much that had affected him, she had thought back to their travels. How Lucius hadnt really been open with his emotions at all. His parents had been murdered, and someone wanted to kill his family, and he never talked about it. He closed himself off, and became a more stern and decisive version of himself, but the team had just assumed that came with his position of captain. But now it was glaringly obvious that he wasn't allowing himself to be emotional about anything.

Which of course was unhealthy. Only slithers of what he truly felt ever showed. When a member of the team was in danger and he fought so hard to save them, that was the closest he got to letting his feelings free. He didn't want to lose anyone else.

But he had just admitted he was willing to sacrifice himself for everyone else to live.

The team always had so much going on that they hadnt noticed it. But Sentry should have noticed. It was her job to notice. Her position in the ship was to keep up morale, how could she have missed that their captain was feeling so down on himself. It had been something that she had been thinking about constantly since they left the demon prince. And now that they were back on Aeoris, and on the ship, she had time to do something about it.

Inconspicuously, Sentry walked to Quill as Lucius introduced Thalia to Oriya. She nudged her friend in the wing, and he let out a small squark before looking at her.

"We need to talk about Lucius," She said softly. "He's not feeling alright. He said something after what happened in the card game, and I'm worried."

"You noticed that too," Quill replied, tone equally quiet. "He's been like this for a while. Every time I get him to talk he clams up and changes the subject."

Sentry sighed. She knew that, out of all of them, Quill would be the one to notice any change in Lucius. Not only did he have a near impossible ability to see subtle changes in people, but the two of them had been sneaking around at night for a while. When their relationship had been revealed, Sentry had faked surprise while secretly being glad the two felt comfortable to tell their shipmates about it. Obviously Lucius' boyfriend – birdfriend? – would know if something was wrong with him.

"I've been thinking about what we can do to help." Sentry said with a sigh. "Does he not like talking about what he's feeling?"

"He brushes it off. But only when he's feeling bad. He's happy enough to tell me he loves me," Quill commented, then blushed a little at what he'd said. Sentry beamed at the confession. "The point is, it's only when he's feeling bad when he closes off. I think he doesn't want to be an imposition. Or he doesn't think his problems are important. I'm not sure."

"I thought that might happen," Sentry nodded. "I've got an idea. I need some time to make sure I can do everything, so do you think you can distract him in his cabin for a while."

"Sure," Quill nodded. "I mean he'll probably want to have a sleep anyway, so it shouldn't be hard. How long will it take?"

"An hour or two. If you just keep him in the cabin for as long as you can, and I'll ask for you both through the messenger ring when everything's ready," Sentry requested, and Quill nodded. "I'll take Aila and Nova with me. So it shouldn't take long."

Again, Quill nodded. He walked towards his boyfriend, who was attempting to assist Thalia in explaining to Oriya how the medusa's ship worked. Sentry watched as the aarakocra guided Lucius away and spoke to him under his breath. Whatever he was saying, Lucius seemed to agree with it, and they were soon walking into the interior of the storm chaser. Sentry smiled a little as she saw Quill's claw wrapped up in Lucius' hand.

Now that they were out of the picture, she walked to Aila and Nova with determination, and explained her plan.

~~~

It was weird, being woken up by the use of the messenger ring.

Lucius was dreaming about something – they faded so fast he couldn't remember what – when he heard Sentry's voice asking for both Quill and Lucius to come to the main deck. He blinked his eyes open in a haze, lifting his head from Quill's chest and looking around his cabin with blurry vision. He felt a little stronger than he had before, thanks to the rest, and stretched his arms.

"You know you're the second-best pillow I've ever had," Lucius commented, smiling at his boyfriend. "Right behind the one I had as a child, which ironically was stuffed with feathers."

"So you like the pillows feathers more than mine?" Quill asked in faux offence. "I didn't know you were even seeing other feathers."

"Well, I suppose that pillow didn't have such a charming personality or such a cute face," Lucius mused with a smile. "Maybe you actually are my favourite pillow in the world. Congratulations Birdie," He laughed, and Quill grinned. "Why does Sentry want us on deck?"

"No idea," Quill shrugged. "Maybe it's dinner time."

"I hope so. I'm getting hungry for some Aerosian food," Lucius smiled. "Well, we shouldn't keep them waiting."

The two men quickly started to walk through the corridors of the Stormchaser, hand in hand as they did so. It was nice to hold Quill's hand, even if it was a little pointier than a human hand. A lot of things were nice with Quill, including hugging him, pressing his lips against his beak, and generally being around him and loving him. He was glad that he had stuttered out his feelings for Quill, and the birdman had reciprocated them with almost the same level of awkwardness.

As they got closer to the main deck, Lucius' stomach growled at the scent of one of Howards dishes. The food they'd eaten with Thalia had been nice enough, but it wasn't the same, and he had been craving it for a while now. Howard was a wizard in the kitchen and Lucius fully intended to make the most of it.

He pushed open the door to the deck with a smile, then froze.

The first thing he focused on was the dining table, at which sat every member of the Stormchaser crew. Then he saw streams of colourful paper had been hung from various parts of the ship, like a party. Then his eyes settled on a makeshift banner, handing from above. On the banner was written 'Happy Lucius Day.'

"What?" He asked, stunned. "What's… what's going on?"

"We're having a party for you, silly," Nova said with a smile, dragging Lucius towards the table.

"Why?" Lucius asked as he was dragged forward. He was dumbstruck.

"Because you're our captain, and you do a lot for us, and we want to make sure you know about how thankful we are," Sentry explained, smiling and pulling out a chair for Lucius. "And so you know we don't take you for granted."

"You really didn't have to-"

"We did," Aila said firmly, looking at Lucius with an authoritative expression. "We all thought you knew how important you are, but apparently you don't, so we're not taking any chances. So, happy Lucius day."

"I came up with the name," Nova smiled. "It could have been a little bit better, really, but 'you're the best captain ever' didn't fit on the banner and we didn't know how long you'd be sleeping for."

Lucius felt tears prickle at the edges of his eyes, and did his best to blink them away. Quill nuzzled his beak into his shoulder when he noticed this, the aarakocra's version of a kiss on the cheek. Lucius took the seat offered to him without saying anything, and had a large smile on his face. It warmed Sentry to see it, and she was immediately glad that she had thought to do it. She just wished it hadnt been needed.

Looking around, Lucius saw that each and every one of the crew were here for the meal. Even lookout, who had been given a large plate that Lucius expected had been heated up. The fact they were all here for him… it made his fight against the tears difficult.

The party was a relatively simple thing, but it meant the world to Lucius. The meal Howard made was three courses. A salad that Lucius had once mentioned enjoying, a stew that Lucius would always have bowl after bowl of, and a chocolate desert that was popular among the sky cities. Even the menu had been made with Lucius in mind, and it felt as though the warmth in Lucius' stomach had flooded his entire body. The gesture made him feel so loved that he could barely put it into words.

"We've also gotten you a present," Sentry said after the bowls were taken away. "We hope you like it."

Nova placed a large book in front of Lucius. It was a leather-bound thing, and probably quite heavy to lift. Written on the cover was what seemed to be the title: Oh Captain Our Captain. It wasn't a book Lucius was familiar with.

"We felt like having each of us tell you how important you are to us might be overwhelming," Quill explained. "And that you might feel awkward, but we also know that you need to hear just how much we all love you. So we thought this could be a good compromise. Open it and you'll see what I mean."

Lucius opened it to the page of content. Listed beside each page number was the name of a crewmate. The names of his team, the names of his engineers. Even each member of the wolfpack had a name on the page.

"We wrote down how we feel about you, rather than telling you face to face," Nova explained further. "That way, instead of being overwhelmed and not knowing how to react, you can read it all on your terms. It was actually Aila's idea."

"People telling you touchy feely stuff is weird. This way it's easier to take," She shrugged. "Buy you have to use it, especially when you're feeling shit. Promise me."

"I-I promise," Lucius said, running his finger down the page with wide eyes.

"We're also gonna update it from time to time. We made sure to get one with lots of pages, so don't be shocked if we sneak in a new message or two," Nova smiled.

"Thank you," Lucius whispered, and there was a slight sob in his voice. "You didn't need to… thank you."

Both Sentry and Quill, as they were the closets to him wrapped him up in a hug. Nova followed suit, and Aila placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Lucius allowed himself to cry, protected by the comfort of his friends' tight embrace.

~~~

It was far past midnight when the temptation arose. Quill was sleeping soundly beside him, curled up and letting out quiet whistles of air as he slept. It was an adorable sight, and one that Lucius loved seeing. But, as much as he would normally be happy to watch his boyfriend like this, his mind was elsewhere.

When he was sure that Quill wasn't going to wake up, Lucius summoned a relatively dim dancing light and reached for the book on his nightstand.

On the page of content, he saw that the order of the messages written for him was somewhat at random. He expected there was probably a reason for this – perhaps they wanted to spread out the messages from people closest to him, perhaps not – but he decided that he would read maybe the first two or three pages. He was alone, essentially, so now was as good a time as any to see what they really thought.

He flipped the page, feeling a little nervous. The first message was from Aila.

'Aila.

Look. I know I'm not gonna be as poetic as the rest of them, and as this is the first page I might as well ease you into all the feelings stuff. You're one of the strongest men I've ever met, and you keep us all together. You're a great captain, and you need to stop being so hard on yourself. You kick ass, and anyone who denies it is an idiot.

And stop closing yourself off. I used to do it and its crap. If you ever need to beat the crap out of something, come to me and we can spar. Or you can vent. I can't give great advice, but I can listen.

You're a good man, Lucius. Stop telling yourself otherwise.'

Ridiculously, Lucius let out a slightly teary laugh. He read the message a few times, and couldn't help but feel a bloom of pride at Aila calling him one of the strongest men he had ever met. That was high praise coming from the strongest person he had ever known.

He turned the page again, fingers only slightly shaking with emotion.

'Howard.

When I first decided I wanted to join an airship crew, I won't lie, I was cacking myself. I was scared I wasn't going to fit in, and that people would be sick to death of me because I wasn't the roughty toughty type. But the Stormchaser let me in with open arms and accepted me. That's because of you.

You're a kind man, Lucius. You're accepting, and you're caring, and that makes you good. I was in a rough patch before I met the lot of you, and I don't know where I'd be without this crew. But you've given me a place where I can be loved all over again, and be happy and accepted. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that.

And I know that you cared a lot for your dad, and I don't know what exactly happened. But as a father myself, I can tell you one thing. Any father would be proud to have you as a son. Don't you forget that.

And don't forget that these people love you. And they wouldn't be nothing without you.'

A sob escaped him at that, particularly at the comment about Lucius making his father proud. The elf always wondered how his father would react if he saw him now, and to have such a good father as Howard to say he would have made the man proud meant more to him than he cared to admit.

A few tears fell as he turned the page again.

'Quill.

Lucius. I am so in love with you, it hurts. You are the most beautiful, strong, courageous and important man I have ever met. You are constantly thrown into the worst of situations and you fight your way through them with a bravery that no man has ever had before.

You are yourself, you don't change for anybody, and that makes you perfect. You make us laugh, and keep us safe, and push us forward, and make us feel warm and accepted. For a group of people like us, a person like you is exactly what we need. And you help us with such kindness and generosity, without any judgement, and you have revitalised my life so much.

One day I might be able to put into words how much you mean to me, but until that day I'll just say this. You are more loved by everyone on this ship than you could possibly believe, and we will continue to love you for the rest of time.

Lucius Virion Eluin Elenasto. You are loved, important, and adored.'

Lucius closed the book after that, and ignored the tears rolling down his cheek. He looked to his still sleeping boyfriend with the softest expression he could wear. Even reading the messages had been overwhelming, but in the best way possible. He had come from a group of people who often weren't open with their feelings, and yet here he had a book of messages singing his praises. He had never felt so loved.

He removed the dancing light, snuggled under the covers and wrapped his arms around Quill from behind. As he drifted off, he realised the mistake he had made in the devil prince's palace. He shouldn't sacrifice himself because he felt like he was less important. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

But he would do anything for them. He would fight, no matter what the odds of winning. He would be there for them in his darkest days. He would love them all, forever and always.

Just as they loved him it seemed.

[mystery-moose]

FIC: Angus McDonald and the Flight of the Flying V (5/?)

[AO3 link]

They’ve come a long way, but even ten years after the world was saved, they’re still not quite where they should be. A whim, a missing painting, and a handful of near-death experiences help a flip wizard and his apprentice bridge the gap.

Taako does his best. Angus takes some risks. Introductions are made, bonds are tested, and lessons are learned — better late than never.

The route Angus chose led them to a big square near the center of Neverwinter, a crossroads of a dozen different streets converging onto a central marketplace packed with people from every corner of Faerun. There was a clock tower here, covered in ornate golden filigree, stretching up into the sky. It was one of the tallest buildings outside the noble quarter, and besides serving as an easily visible landmark, kept excellent time.

It was a little past eleven, now. Angus knew the schedules well enough to figure they'd be able to score tickets easy enough, but he wanted to avoid the afternoon rush.

Taako wasn't exactly cooperating.

"How much?"

The aarakocra merchant pointed to the sign hanging from his cart. "Fifty gold, sixty for the shawl."

Taako blanched, the cloak he'd been admiring draped over his hands. "Sixty?! I wouldn't pay thirty for this thing!"

"Price is the price, wingless," the merchant said firmly. "You wanna haggle, go bother the rakshasa."

"Why would I haggle?" Taako scoffed, rolling up the cloak. "Stuff ain't worth my time, anyway."

Angus stood behind Taako, glancing around. He always kept one eye open and a hand on his coin purse whenever he traveled through the market square; getting his pocket picked one unlucky afternoon had taught him that lesson.

Good thing, too, since he was attentive enough to see Taako slip a scarf from underneath the cloak he was replacing on the cart. He tucked it behind his back with the practiced ease of a petty thief.

"This is all fine-count Calimshan silk, dunce," the merchant shot back, his feathers ruffling. "You won't find better prices north of Memnon!"

"Don't bullshit a bullshitter, thug," Taako drawled with a smug grin. "This is a big-ass brand-name markup for chumps, and we both know it."

"Markup?!"

"This is some cast-off outlet shit you got from a thrift store in Tethyr, my dude! You're tripling your money at thirty gold."

Angus touched Taako's shoulder. "Sir? We should really get moving."

As Taako turned to face Angus, he reached over and discreetly pulled the scarf from Taako's belt. Taako's eyebrow twitched, but he grinned and laughed it off.

"No big shakes, boychik," he said casually. "Nothing here worth these prices, anyway."

The aarakocra grumbled, his wings unfurling slightly. "Forty five!"

"For the shawl?"

"No, the cloak!"

He turned away again, disinterested. The merchant made a disgusted noise.

"Fine! Forty five for the shawl!" He grumbled. "You're scaring off my business."

Taako turned and grinned. "Deal!" he said triumphantly, reaching for his coin purse while Angus tried to stealthily replace the scarf on the cart.

Suddenly, Taako spun and his ears pricked up visibly. Angus was about to ask what was wrong when he heard it himself — a sudden crash, loud and clattering, followed by the sound of screams almost drowned out by the noise of the crowd. He barely had time to react before Taako tackled him to the ground.

A wagon, small and built for city travel, crashed through the market stall behind them. People scattered in every direction as it raced through the square, heedless of pedestrians, bouncing over the cobblestones and coming within two feet of where Taako and Angus lay. They watched as the aarakocra took to the air while the wagon splintered his cart, then, accompanied by the screeching crash of wood and metal, it was suddenly stopped by a spell — Bigby's Hand, glowing a neon red, had appeared in front of the wagon and blocked its path.

Angus pushed himself to his feet. Taako was alongside him, dusting himself off. "The hell did that come from?"

"Alright, everyone, please step back!"

A woman, tall and broad shouldered with a long braid wrapped around her neck and a scar on her forehead, marched out of the crowd. She wore shiny full-plate armor and a tabard bearing the sigil of Neverwinter. Angus recognized her instantly as Dierdre Boudicca, Lord-Commander of the militia.

"This isn't a show!" she shouted, marching forward towards the wreckage. "If you need medical attention, speak up! Healers are on their way!"

"Hey! You still have to pay for that!"

He glanced over his shoulder — Taako was halfway through stuffing a shawl into his purse, smiling innocently while the merchant perched with his arms crossed on the ruins of his cart. Angus gave him a look, and Taako rolled his eyes before pulling out his coin purse.

Angus turned back to the crime scene. Militia men and women swarmed around Boudicca, pushing people away and trying to establish a cordon. The massive spectral hand disappeared as another woman he recognized stepped out of the crowd — shorter, younger, and clad in typical militia leathers and longcoat rather than heavy armor. Angus waved and managed to catch her attention.

He liked Silvia a lot. She was clever, compassionate, and had a strong sense of right and wrong. They'd collaborated on a few cases together, and though he'd been prepared for obstinacy, she'd helped as much as she could. It was more than he'd expected from anyone in the militia; private detectives weren't exactly popular with law enforcement. Angus had come to think of her as a very good friend, and he appreciated her help.

(He also appreciated her hair, thick and curly and tied behind her head. And her eyes, hazel brown set against mahogany skin. And her nose, a bit bigger than his, which scrunched up when she laughed. He didn't make any particular judgments about these things, of course. He just noticed them, that's all.)

"McDonald!" Silvia said with a grin as she approached. "Don't tell me this is one of yours?"

Angus smiled back. "No such luck. Can't expect every crook to just fall into your lap."

"You'd be surprised," she said, glancing back towards the wagon. Boudicca was directing others as they hauled the driver out. "Just sort of stumbled into this one, believe it or not. Wanted thief rounds a corner right into the Lord-Commander doing her weekly inspection. He bolts, hijacks a wagon, and there I am doing my rounds when he peels around a corner into the market."

"Jeez. Talk about bad luck."

"For him, sure." She turned back and smirked. "It's all a matter of perspective, right?"

Angus chuckled. Then his eyebrows rose. "Oh, hey, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure. What's up?"

He pulled out his notebook, tore out half a page and handed it to her.

"I'm working a new case," he explained. "Nothing I can talk about, yet, but if you happen to hear anything about a noted thief in town, or run into any seventh-level Evocation, could you let me know?"

"Real hush-hush, huh?" she drawled, taking the scrap of paper from him.

"Sorry," Angus said sincerely. "Client privilege."

"It's cool. I get it." Silvia stuck it in her pocket. "I'll keep an ear to the ground."

"Thanks, lieutenant. Really."

"No problem." Silvia leaned around to look past him. "Who's your friend?"

Uh oh.

Taako shoved Angus to the side as he stepped forward. "Hail and well met and stuff," he said, tipping his hat and grinning his Cheshire cat grin. "Name's Taako. What's your handle, maydl?"

Silvia's eyes widened as she glanced briefly at Angus. "So you're Taako, huh?"

"That's what it says on the merch! Why?" Taako leaned in conspiratorially. "Has Agnes been telling stories? Because I can guarantee at least half of them are true. Which half is up to you!"

She laughed, and extended her hand. "Lieutenant Silvia Hayden, Neverwinter militia. Nice to finally meet you, Taako."

Taako shook her hand firmly. He cocked an eyebrow. "You moisturize?"

"Got to, in this climate."

He nodded approvingly. "Nice."

Angus cleared his throat. "We're, uh, actually in a hurry, so—"

"News to me, my dude!" said Taako. Then he turned back to Silvia. "Why don't we do lunch? Boy's rail thin, needs to put on some ell-bees."

Angus sputtered. Silvia grinned, but shook her head.

"Can't," she said apologetically. "Got some legwork of my own to do. Angus isn't the only one who has to work for a living."

"Yeah, speaking of—"

"How about dinner then? His place." Taako leaned forward. "I make a mean risotto!"

"We should really get going—"

"Sounds great," Silvia said, barely restraining a laugh as she glanced between the two of them. "But I've got a thing. Rain check?"

"Sure, sure! Anytime's cool for us!" Taako said cheerily, elbowing Angus in the ribs. "Ain't that right, Angarang?"

Angus got between them and started to push Taako away. "Sorry, really gotta go! Talk to you later, lieutenant!"

"Give us a buzz!" Taako shouted over Angus' shoulder.

The moment they were through the crowd and out of the market, Taako burst into laughter.

"That wasn't funny!" Angus said, stamping his foot like he was eleven years old again.

"Au contraire, mon frere!" Taako managed to gasp. "That was fantastic!"

Angus moaned and rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses while Taako steadied himself on his shoulder.

"Oh, kiddo," he sighed. "What a gift."

"To whom?"

"Me, mostly," Taako said honestly. "But don't worry, we'll get you that date yet."

Angus took off his cap and hit Taako over the head with it, which only made him laugh harder. "She is a friend and colleague!"

"Oh, don't play dumb!" he retorted, grinning wickedly. "She's your fucking crush, dipshit!"

Angus continued to hit Taako with his cap as the elf cackled maniacally. The final blow knocked his hat off. With a harrumph, Angus slammed his cap back on his head and stomped off down the street. He heard Taako follow close behind, still giggling, and the telltale sound of his umbrella wooshing through the air as he swung it idly.

In all honesty, that had gone about as well as he'd expected it to.

[eryiss]

His Bucket List

Summary: Every night, Quill leaves his chambers and sneaks onto the main deck of the ship. It's bothering Lucius to the point where he confronts him about it, and discovers something about his friend that warms his heart. And gives him an idea that can make the Aarakocra smile.

I don't know where the idea to write this came from, but I wanted to add more content for these wholesome boys. So please enjoy. 

You can read this on Archive of our Own, or under the cut. Hope you enjoy it ^.^

Bucket List

"He's out there again, isn't he?"

Lucius was leaning against the wall, looking towards Sentry who nodded solemnly at his question. The ship-captain had knocked on the door to Quill's quarters moments ago, but to no response. Sentry, who's room sat opposite Quill's, must have heard the knocking, and her presence had confirmed what Lucius had expected. It made his stomach drop a little.

It had taken a while for anyone to notice, but ever since they had acquired the ship, Quill had developed the habit of sneaking from his room late in the night and standing on the top deck. At first nobody had paid too much attention to it – there was a certain majesty to watching the sky go by while you're above it – but Sentry had started to hear Quill's door opening every night, almost always at twelve midnight. That wasn't somebody who wanted to enjoy the night's sky from a unique angle; this was obsessive.

Nobody had talked to Quill about it. Partly because they weren't sure if there was an actual issue they needed to talk about, and partly because Quill was their friend. If Quill wanted to talk, then he would. He was a sensible man, after all.

Well, a sensible bird. Aarakocra?

But Sentry had brought this up over a month ago. Before Nova had revealed her ILS secret. Before they had gone to the city of glass. Before a lot of things. But still, now they were in the air again, Quill was going back to the top deck at midnight and nobody knew why. And it was really starting to annoy Lucius.

He and Quill had… something between them. Lucius couldn't quite define it, but it wasn't simply friendship. With the occasional flirtatious word, or subtle glance, it was clear that they had a different kind of relationship with each other than they did with the others. They hadnt sat down and talked about what this meant – other, more life-threatening things kept coming up – but it was clear they were more romantic than they were platonic.

So, to know something was wrong with Quill but he was refusing to talk about it, made Lucius feel sad. Maybe that was selfish of him.

"You should talk to him, Lucius," Sentry continued. "Maybe that's what he needs, someone to break the ice."

"Well you've known him longer; it makes much more sense for you to do it."

"You know it's different with you," Sentry smiled. "I won't force you, but it might help."

"Maybe," Lucius mused. "Sorry for bothering you."

"Don't worry about it," Sentry smiled. "What else is a Moral officer for?"

"I suppose so. Goodnight Sentry."

"Night, Lucius."

Sentry closed the door to her chambers, and a single glance at Quill's locked door made up the captain's mind. Rather than feeling upset that Quill had something on his mind, he should use the closeness they shared to try and help. With a brisk pace, he started to walk to the top deck with a look of determination across his features.

When he opened the door to the open air, a rush of cold air hit him, and he wrapped his coat tightly around himself. A few lights – both magical and otherwise – illuminated the deck enough that he could easily Quill.

He was standing at the front of the ship, his wing stretched out beside him. He looked amazing.

Lucius walked across the deck and towards Quill, returning his pace to a normal speed. The wind wasn't too strong considering how high they were, and it wasn't loud enough to drown out the sound of Lucius' boots clicking against the wooden deck. Quill must have heard it as well, as he turned around when Lucius was a few feet away from him. His eyes lit up in a smile as he saw Lucius, who happily returned the gesture.

"Lucius, hi," Quill smiled. He sounded pretty happy. "What are you doing up here? It's the middle of the night."

"Oh, just going for a late-night walk," Lucius made a flicking motion with his hand as he stood beside Quill, leaning on the side of the ship. "What are you doing up here? Again?"

Quill opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself when he heard the weight of Lucius' use of the word again. He sighed a little, looked down over the edge of the ship, and brought his wing down. Lucius frowned a little at that action, hoping that he hadnt said something that would make Quill get all closed up and defensive.

"You noticed that, did you?"

"Your best friend used to look after a child who was always running away, and she now lives across a small hallway," Lucius laughed a little. "Did you really think you could get away with sneaking out?"

"Fair point," Quill laughed as well. He kept his focus on the clouds below them. "You know, I'm okay. I mean I get why you might get worried about me – I'd probably do the same if anyone else was doing this – but I really am okay."

"Then why are you doing it?" Lucius asked, looking at Quill, still somewhat concerned.

"It's just that… okay," Quill took a moment to gather his thoughts, now looking back at Lucius. "Basically since we met, everything's been a rush. We always had a goal, and somewhere to be, and we didn't have any time to just be normal. And calm. But now that we've got the airship, we've suddenly got weeks' worth of traveling when nothing happens. And it's great, it really is, but it's the first time in a while that we've had time to think."

Lucius frowned at that. "Is there something that's worrying you? Because we can talk about it."

"Honestly, it's nothing that bad. It'll be really underwhelming when I tell you," Quill laughed again, and Lucius frowned again. "It was just that, before I met any of you – before I met Sentry even – I had this thing. A bucket list, I suppose. Having time to think about it made me, well, think about it."

"I didn't think you were the bucket list type."

"Well, I wrote it after I lost my wing," Quill explained. "After it happened, all I could do was just think about what had happened, which wasn't great. So I thought, rather than sitting around feeling crap, I could make a list of things I wanted to do and do them."

Quickly assessing Quill's face, he didn't seem too downtrodden about his missing wing. Lucius had noticed that he could often be somewhat dismissive about it – even making jokes from time to time – which always made Lucius frown. He couldn't be sure it his friend actually had gotten over the trauma of what happened, or just didn't want to trouble people with it.

"Did it help?" He asked.

"Yeah, a bit," Quill nodded. "I mean, at the start I put things like write a book and travel the world. They didn't really help because I never thought they would actually happen. Which is funny actually, because we sort of are traveling the world."

Lucius smiled, but didn't speak. It seemed like Quill wanted to keep going.

"But eventually I realised that, if I wanted it to work, it needed to be things that I could actually do. I don't remember all of them, but it was things like baking my own bread, or leaning how to play poker. I think having hot chocolate in the snow was on there. But when things were more tangible, I actually tried to do them. It was nice to have something to do."

"Do you still have it? The list, I mean."

"No. I lost it sometime in the travels. Must have flown out of my pocket or something," Quill shrugged. "But, sorry. Got on a bit of a tangent. Not like us to do that," Both men laughed at his statement. "The reason I am out here is because my long-term goal on the bucket list was to… well. It was to fly again."

"You want to fly again?" Lucius asked, frowning.

"I know it's unlikely. But there's magic and technology, so I tried to be optimistic," Quill smiled again. "But standing here, when we're flying through the sky, I just like to spread my wings. It's as close as I've been to flying since it happened. It feels nice."

Lucius could understand that. Well, not exactly; other than his brief stint with the crown he had never flown. But he could understand why someone who used to fly all the time would want to relive that. even in a small way such as this.

"Why do you only do it at night?"

"It's embarrassing," Quill laughed again. "If I do it at night, less people awake to watch me."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lucius said immediately. "I didn't want to interrupt. I can go if you want, and I won't tell anyone about it if you don't want me too."

"It's fine, Lucius," Quill smiled again, not turning fully to look at Lucius. "I know you'd never make fun of me for it, nobody would. The embarrassment is my issue, and honestly it's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. And I'd rather you all know than keep it a secret and have everyone worry about me."

"If you're sure."

Quill smiled again. "Come on, we should get inside, you must be freezing," He laughed. "I don't know how you all manage without feathers. As pretty as some of you may be."

Lucius wasn't sure if that comment was directed at him particularly, but he blushed anyway. When Quill laughed and nudged him slightly, it became clear that Quill had indeed complimented him. That only made him blush harder, therefore making Quill laugh again. It was a vicious, and rather unfair cycle, Lucius thought.

"Well," He said, trying to save face. "You would be the expert on pretty things, wouldn't you?"

The laughter stopped at that, and although he couldn't be certain that any blushing was happening between the thick layer of feathers, the sudden glance away made Lucius thing that he had managed to get the same reaction from Quill. They walked to the inside of the ship side by side, smiling to each other as they did so.

And, as relieved as Lucius was to hear nothing was wrong with Quill, one thing plagued his mind. Quill spoke about what was on his bucket list but didn't say if any of them had actually been crossed off. If they weren't, that wouldn't do.

It wouldn't do at all.

-~----~-

Three Days Later

"Lucius," Quill laughed as he rushed down the ship's corridor, Lucius grasping his wrist. "Slow down."

The elf didn't seem to hear Quill's request, and instead continued to drag him through the ship at a pace that reflected his excitement. He had knocked on Quill's door and was almost fidgeting with excitement at whatever he had planned and had dragged him out of his chambers before Quill could say anything. He hadn't given Quill indication as to what he was doing, and the large bag that Lucius had slung over his shoulder didn't help.

It didn't take long for Quill to realise that Lucius was taking him out onto the top deck. This would be about the same time he would have gone to stretch his wing out, so perhaps Lucius wanted to be part of that. Quill would be happy if that was the case, it would be nice to spend time with Lucius alone.

That still didn't explain why he had a bag, though.

Sitting on the deck in the same place Quill usually stood were two sun loungers; where they had come from Quill had no idea. As they walked closer he saw that there was also a camping stove set up in front of them, with one of Howards industrial looking metal pots resting on it.

"Ta-Dah!" Lucius said with a smile, gesturing to what he had set up. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah," Quill smiled. "I'm not entirely sure what it is, though."

"Oh, right," Lucius smiled, reddening a little. "Sit down, and I'll explain."

Quill did as he was told, sitting on the cushioned lounger and leaning back. It was angled back slightly so he was looking at the stars. He watched as Lucius switched on the camping stove, then sitting in the other sun lounger. They were pushed up against each other so both men were shoulder to shoulder. Quill moved a little closer to Lucius without thinking, and he could feel the man relax a little beside him.

"I've been thinking about your bucket list a lot since we talked about it," Lucius began, and Quill looked to him with curiosity. "And I wasn't sure if you had actually done any of the goals, so I thought I could help you."

"You didn't have to do that," Quill smiled, looking at Lucius with fondness.

"Hush," Lucius smiled, brining his bag onto his knees. He looked to Quill before pulling anything out. "Now, I need to warn you, I didn't manage to get them all perfect. So, don't get too excited."

Quill didn't say anything but laughed a little. Lucius rooted through his bag for a few moments before pulling something out. It took a few moments for Quill to realise that it was a deck of cards. The Aarakocra smiled a little; he hadnt expected Lucius to pay any attention to his bucket list – he half expected Lucius to think it ridiculous – but apparently he had. It made him feel warm inside, really.

"Now, I did used to play poker quite often," Lucius began. "However, when I sat down and tried to remember the rules… I couldn't. At all. It's all completely gone. But, don't worry, because I did remember the rules to another card game. And dare I say, a much more advanced game that will be even more impressive."

Lucius was playing it up, and Quill couldn't help but smile. "Right." He said, grinning.

"Really, its possibly the most difficult game you'll ever play," Lucius continued, grinning. "It's called snap."

Quill laughed at that. Of course he knew how to play snap – it seemed impossible to be an adult without having played it once – but Lucius seemed so happy with his theatrics and Quill was washed up in his enthusiasm. It was nice to see him so relaxed; with all that had happened, Lucius had been overwhelmed by his responsibilities.

As Lucius explained the rules of snap, Quill found himself enjoying the elf. He could just sit and watch the man without concern, drink in his upbeat attitude and enjoy the brisk wind that was rushing through his features. It was great.

"So, that's it," Lucius concluded, smiling wide. "Now, I know it's a lot to take in one go, so if something doesn't make sense I can explain it again."

"I think I might have just understood it," Quill laughed.

"Well if that's the case then I won't have to go easy on you when we play," Lucius grinned, picking up the bag again. "But now you can tick learning poker off your bucket list; kind of. So next, making your own bread. I spoke to Howard earlier and he said that he's happy to teach you whenever you're ready. I would have done it, but I tried baking yesterday and, well, this was the outcome."

Quill watched as Lucius pulled something out of his bag. It was loaf shaped, but entirely black. When Lucius offered it to him, the Aarakocra picked it up and laughed a little. It was heavier than any loaf of bread should be, and Quill couldn't help but smile.

"Are you telling me this isn't made by a professional baker?" Quill asked sarcastically.

"Birdie!" Lucius laughed, and the use of the nickname made Quill's stomach jump. It had been a long time since he had heard that.

"I'm serious, people would pay millions for a loaf of bread this perfect. I'm shocked it's not in a museum," Quill continued, and Lucius nudged him in retort.

"Oh be quiet," Lucius laughed. "So I'm maybe not the best at making bread. But I can tell you that I am the best at making hot chocolate. Speaking of which."

Lucius brought two mugs from his bag and sat forward, turning off the camping stove and lifting the metal pot. He poured a smooth brown liquid into both mugs, and the strong scent of hot chocolate made Quill smile softly. When the elf offered him a mug of the steaming beverage, he took it carefully and brought it too his mouth. It really was good; perhaps Lucius really was the best at making hot chocolate.

As Lucius leant back, Quill quickly stretched his wing out so that it curled around Lucius' shoulders. The elf seemed shocked for a moment but smiled and pushed himself closer to Quill's body. They were essentially cuddling now, and Quill found it delightful.

"I know it's not snowing, but I thought it's cold enough out here to be close," Lucius explained.

"No, this is perfect," Quill assured him, taking the mug to his beak again. "Honestly, this is really lovely. Thank you for doing it."

"Don't worry," Lucius smiled, looking down at Quill softly. "It's nice being able to do things like this, especially for you," He was blushing now. "I like making you happy, Birdie. You're my best friend."

Quill smiled. "I like it when you call me Birdie."

"Then I suppose that's what I'll have to call you from now on, isn't it?"

They fell into silence after that, cuddling up with each other as they watched the stars and drank their hot chocolate. Quill found himself unable to stop the smile forming on his features, and he didn't care to try. This had been one of the nicest things someone had done for him. And yes, it was a small gesture really, but the amount of thought that Lucius had put into it just made Quill feel so loved. It was a feeling he could get used to. He couldn't imagine it getting any better.

But then it did. Lucius, after finishing his hot chocolate, leant over and pressed his lips against the side of Quill's beak. It only lasted a moment, but it sent a fire rushing through him, and it was brilliant. He cuddled closer, nuzzling his beak into Lucius' neck as a response to the kiss. Lucius made a small sound of happiness, and it made the Aarakocra's body flush with joy.

He could definitely get used to that