See you soon.

[Rosco Agassi]

((Dated mid-March, just before Rosco, Dog and Kez leave for Ner Batin))

It's not pleasant, but the days are finally warming up enough for Rosco to walk through the woods again. The snow crunches under his boots before slowly sinking him down to the ground. His pants are damp, but he keeps pushing through the brush towards Lysander's Grove. Z wants to talk, and in the woods is are where they are least likely to be found.

The winter had been a bit of a blur, and though Rosco had made it more than clear he was unhappy with Z's recent actions, he never bothered to talk more about it. Too busy writing letters or learning craft, but really, wanting to avoid it. The tension between Z and town is palpable, and there is only so much you can say before you start to lose faith in the person you're fighting for.

Rosco huddles up on a tree stump, jacket pulled close to cut the wind. The woods is a great place to meet if you want to catch hypothermia, even on gradually warming spring days. He makes a mental note to pack some extra layers for his trip to Ner Batin.

[Z]

The woods is where Z always feels most at home. The howling wind and frozen ground did little to dissuade the peace he felt out here, and he could always disappear if he wanted to, that control comforted him.

He watched from his small spot in the bushes on the edge of Lysanders Grove as Rosco approached, he had asked the halfling, one of his oldest friends in Holdfast to meet him out here just earlier today. He let Rosco find a comfortable spot, atop the little tree stump just next to Lysanders grave before emerging from the treeline to greet his friend.

There is an audible rustling from the woods just to Rosco's right as Z stands with his staff, and takes the few snow-trodden steps into the clearing, raising his hand in greeting, he has a sort of forced smile on his face, keeping up appearances. His cloak is almost soaked through from being used as a seat, but it doesn't seem to bother him at all, there are other things on his mind.

[Rosco Agassi]

Rosco has a healthy fear of the woods and what lurks within it. When he hears rustling, he immediately tenses, readying himself to dematerialize. Instead he is met with a familiar flash of green fabric as Z emerges from the treeline.

He lets out a sigh of relief. "One day I'm gonna get scared and just punch you. It won't hurt you im sure, but im still gonna do it," he laughs, a beat of silence falling between the two before he finally registers the obvious tension on Z's face.

"What's going on?"

[Z]

Z does let out a short laugh at the thought of Rosco clobbering him one of these days, the halfling has gotten a lot stronger since he first arrived in holdfast with Z.

A short sigh, Z looks around to make sure no one else is around, and doesn't seem to notice anyone which is ideal. "I'm going on a trip" he says in a hushed tone, "for a year. With Zelda" the followup almost spills out after the first, Z hasn't spoken since that weekend in November, and seldom does, it still just doesn't feel quite right, quite like him.

[Rosco Agassi]

Rosco is convinced he will never get used to Z's voice. Even after hours of conversation with him and Teek, each time he speaks it feels like something brand new. Hell, maybe it is, maybe Z is still finding his voice too.

The confession brings another beat of silence. Rosco seems to think about it for a moment, weighing his response. He wants to be angry at the thought of one of his best friends leaving. He wants to snap and yell and remind him that he can't leave because hell, he just opened a giant psychic portal that wants to eat a townsmember. But there's something that comes up before all that anger - relief. His face softens a bit as he looks up at Z.

"Good."

More silence, but Rosco knows by now that silence between them speaks more than words.

"You are not who I met when I came to Holdfast, Z. In some ways that's good - you're stronger, a more capable fighter, a more powerful psychic. You've found your niche, your family, and your culture and I respect that. But by Faerie, Z, you've also become a real asshole," Rosco smiles as he says it, but there is a hurt in his eyes. "You need to find yourself again because this criminal, murderous persona is not the person I came to Holdfast with. Maybe a year away will help with that."

[Z]

Z takes it all in, listening intently to his friend, hanging off almost every word, he was nervous about how Rosco would take this, uncertain if he'd argue for him to stay, and cause a fight leading to an even bigger divide between them. Rosco's acceptance, encouragement, means a lot to him.

He avoids Rosco's gaze now, more than a little ashamed of himself, as he takes a full minute to process his response before opening, and the closing his mouth a few times, still uncertain of how to start.

"You're right." A pause as he lifts his head now to look at Rosco, "I'm sorry." Another short pause as he opens his mouth, then thinks a moment before speaking "take care of Teek, and everyone, please." His eyes don't hold the usual defiance, or mischief, they're tired from having to constantly look over his shoulder, and from everything else he's done as of late, tired of looking through coin purses or pockets, tired of looking into others psyches, tired of anger.

He reaches out then, and wraps his arms around his friend, embracing Rosco in a hug, feeling how cold the halfling is out here, and squeezes a little tighter, who knows how long it'll be before they hug again. You seldom know the last time you'll do something.

[Rosco Agassi]

Rosco takes in the silence, making sure to listen closely to every word in between. He's not angry. It has been rare that he's truly been angry at Z for anything. What Rosco feels more commonly is hurt. Z's downwards spiral, the theft, the murders...He wants to be able to trust in his friend, but that trust continues to slip away the longer Z continues his streak.

"I will," he promises, choking back tears, "You just need to watch out for yourself."

He refuses to be the first to let go. Rosco leans into the hug, letting Z stay there as long as he wants. He's scared, Rosco can sense it in his voice, and he realizes that he never did ask Z what he was doing for a year away from home. "Where are you guys going, anyway? What kind of shit are you getting yourselves into?"

[Z]

It's a good few minutes they embrace, just holding each other and breathing, their mutual warmth helping the other with the chill still in the air. Z eventually loosens and pulls away from Rosco, he sees the almost-tears in his friends eyes and puts on a warm smile, before it cracks into a more mischievous grin, almost suppressing a small laugh, as he responds succinctly: "Patience."

His hands grip the cool wood of his staff, and he seems ready to leave the cold behind, Z gestures with his head up and out of the woods, and mimes a drink from a mug while looking to Rosco for his response, unable to wipe the grin off his face.

[Rosco Agassi]

Rosco laughs, wiping the few tears that managed to fall. "You're a little shit," he mutters, but he is grinning too. Something about his mischief is contagious - that's what drew Rosco to him in the first place those years ago.

"Fine, but just so you know, now that you've taught me how to send a dream I'm going to be bothering you at least a few times a month. Make sure you're still alive and shit." He gives the man a final teasing poke before scurrying past him and towards the inn. Someone's bound to have hot chocolate inside.

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