[OOM] The Westersand, First Night, with Jay. (Prethreading.)

[fluffiest_archadian]

The camp - a small collection of tents atop a rocky hill with a good view of the surrounding area - is surprisingly quick to set up. Everyone moves very efficiently, erecting tents, tethering chocobos, setting up sentry posts. A few reddish crystals are placed around the camp, generating heat comparable to fires without the light.

Sherral's tent, slightly larger than the others, no doubt to accommodate numerous maps, is towards the centre of the camp. Once the camp is set up, Sherral inspects it, and then gives the nod to the expedition's second in command and heads into his tent.

Comments

[runningred]

Jay keeps out of the way at first, not being sure how things are done but he watches everything, taking it all in. He makes sure Yanna's settled, giving her a gentle brush down and an extra sugar cube.

He especially observe the men - how they react to Sherral and to him. As an interloper, Jay's expecting a bit of resistance but Sherral's men seem as pragmatic as Sherral is. After a while, he flags someone down to find out which tent is his before dropping in to see Sherral. "Need anything?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

Their behaviour towards Sherral seems to be one of almost absolute deference and respect. With the exception of a few soldiers that seem to be newer, none of them seem actively afraid of him, but Sherral doesn't have to ask anything of them more than once before they're hurrying to do it.

To Jay, they seem to be distant but not unfriendly. When Jay flags one down, he's cheerfully told to pick any tent without too many people in, and that they'll be heating up some tea over the fire magicite shortly.

He also gets handed a small, paper-wrapped package: Rations, it turns out. There's some bread inside with a slightly elastic-y texture that speaks to being made to last a long while; some suspiciously plastic-y cheese whose texture speaks to the same; strips of dried meat not unlike jerky; and a small package of dried berries.


In his tent, Sherral has removed his helmet and cloak and is stripping off his armour. Most of it is gone by now, leaving him in just the skintight undersuit and woollen trousers beneath it.

"I have my rations for the night," he says by way of answer. "I think I need must wash my cloak, though. It's stained with dragon blood. Is there aught you need?"

[runningred]

Jay finds a spot in a mostly empty tent and sets his gear down and changes out of his armour till he's down to his black skin-suit pants and a loose hoodie.

"Nar, I'm all good. Just thought I'd check in. I'm gunna have to clean my armour too. That shit stick's like a bastard."

He considers Sherral for a moment, leaning against a tent pole and munching on his elasto cheese. "We fought well together today. I know fun's the wrong word for it but it felt good."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Aye, it does," Sherral agrees ruefully.

He pauses, setting his swords aside. The blue sword is checked quickly - it's regained some of its faint glow.

Then he pads over to Jay, lightly brushing some probably wholly imaginary dust of Jay's shoulder. "It did. We make a good team."

[runningred]

Jay's not quite as subtle. He glances over to the tent-flap, making sure it's closed and there's no shadows to cast towards the camp before pulling Sherral into a slow, deep kiss. "Was nice to work with partner again."

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral kisses him back, curling an arm around his waist.

Wryly: "Do you do this to every partner you work with?" Not that Sherral is complaining at all.

[runningred]

Jay chuckles, trying not to think about Bruce. "Only the special ones. And only once before." And she was the one who nearly killed him.

He nuzzles Sherral's ear, "I'm guessing the commander can't fool around during the mission but I am gunna kiss you every chance I get."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Aye, I can't," Sherral says, leaning in. "But I am entirely amenable to kissing."

[runningred]

Jay chuckles, kissing his way down Sherral's neck. "I'm sure there are other things we could get away with. As long as you're quiet."

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral laughs, easing himself away from Jay a little.

"I shouldn't," he says, although he sounds tempted. "Not out in the field."

[runningred]

"So I should leave you be then?" Jay's smile is wicked and hungry, leaving Sherral be is the last thing on his mind but he won't push the point if Sherral doesn't want to play.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"You are a terrible person," Sherral says solemnly. Then: "We should join the other men."

[runningred]

Jay grins and shrugs. "Isn't that why you brought me here?" He steals one last kiss before stepping back.

"I'll go grab my gear and meet you by the fire stones."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"I'll see you there," Sherral says.

About two minutes later, after finding some water to soak his cloak in, he's sat by the stones with his rations, gnawing on the not-quite-meat.

[runningred]

Jay fetches his rifle and his cleaning kit, sitting opposite Sherral to field strip and clean everything, making sure it's in good working order for tomorrow. As he works, he listens to the men; watching reactions and picking up anything useful in their talk. And watching the reactions of those around him.

[fluffiest_archadian]

He's quickly, and somewhat insistently, served some tea in a flask. There doesn't seem to be any overarching theme to the conversations between the men: Most are talking about cleaning sand out of their armour, or their homes, or good places to eat in Rabanastre.

A few are discussing what took the Leviathan down. One fellow says it was a Rozarrian bomb, another points out with some scoffing that it was clearly magical.

Sherral remains fairly quiet, cleaning his swords without involving himself much in the conversations.

[runningred]

Jay flicks a grin to Sherral, realising they're doing much the same thing - working quietly and talking it all in. Jay thanks them for the tea and sips it as he, almost without looking, strips the gun and puts it back together before starting on the pistols.

Once his guns are clean, he packs them away and starts on his armour. He listens intently to the talk about the Leviathan. After all, that's where they're headed. A small, diamond tipped drill appears from his kit and he starts working on the dragon-scale breastplate for his mount.

[fluffiest_archadian]

He gets several interested glances at his guns. Firearms in Ivalice are not that advanced, after all.

"Bloody huge explosion, though," one soldier says. "You could see it from Rabanastre and all."

"S'like Nabudis, right? You could see that from halfway across the continent."

"I hope not. I don't want to find the Leviathan crawling with the bloody undead."

[runningred]

All of Jay's gear is very advanced. He's been lifting equipment wherever he could in prep for this mission. He raises an eyebrow at that. "Not liking the sound of that. I'm not big on the undead."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"They're persistent fellows," one soldier agrees. "You practically need to eviscerate them before they'll agree to stay down."

"S'why they sent the Captain, right?" Another says, and Sherral arches an eyebrow without looking up from his swords. "'Cause it's Nabudis all over again."

"And another Judge. Maybe there's something they put in the water rations at the Ministry of Law," one remarks.

[runningred]

Jay watches Sherral's expression, making a note to ask him later. Once his gear is clean and his new ornament is finished, Jay leans back to sip his tea and munch on his rations. He watches faces, Sherral's no less than any.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Nice," Sherral remarks wryly, nodding at the ornament. "Putting those trophies to good use, I see."

[runningred]

Jay chuckles and ties off the last cord to attach it to Yanna's harness. "Seemed like a good use for it. Considering how hard that sucker's hide was, it'll make good armour. Besides, it's not every day I get to tangle with a dragon."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"It was a remarkably hardy creature," Sherral agrees. The men are starting to move away one by one now, heading for their tents to get as much sleep as they can, each one saluting Sherral as they leave.

[runningred]

"That it was." Jay grins, waiting till most of the men are gone before getting up himself. "I guess that's my cue to crash. Unless there's anything you need before I turn in?" It's not meant as a tease and he does manage to keep the leer out of his voice for once.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"I should also, er, 'crash'," Sherral says, rising to his feet. "There's too few hours before we need to be moving again."

[runningred]

Jay throws him a wink and heads to his tent to bunk down for the night. Because he's him, he sleeps in his back, arms crossed with a pistol in one hand and an knife in the other. Old habits die hard. Thankfully the workout with the dragon is enough to wear him out so he makes it through the night without nightmares - after all, waking up screaming and armed tends to freak out bunk-mates.

It take him ages to get his head together in the morning, even if the men pack around him efficiently. He finds a mug and some hot water and keeps out of the way while nursing a coffee from his private stash. Jay is not a morning person. Woe-betide anyone who looks at him sideways this morning.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral, on the other hand, is super a morning person, and seems quite cheerful as the camp is packed up around them.

"You look like you've seen better days," he remarks to Jay as he passes.

[runningred]

*grumble, grumble, grumble* Damn morning people. If he didn't like Sherral so much, he'd be getting the bird about now. "Just better hours. 'm not a morning person. I'll be fine in a while."

[fluffiest_archadian]

"We've tea left still, if you want it," Sherral suggests.

[runningred]

"Got coffee. 'm good." He raises the mug half an inch. "How soon 'fore we move out?"

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Twenty-one minutes," Sherral says, without checking.

[runningred]

"I think I hate your brain." Jay mutters without venom, wondering off to pack his gear and fit Yanna with her new breastplate. Despite his grumbling, he's ready to go twenty minutes later, helping the men load the pack chocobos.

[fluffiest_archadian]

Sherral grins a little, and wanders off to pack up his own gear.

Twenty minutes later, he's finishing up helping load the pack chocobos and pulling himself onto Bridget, gathering his cloak about him and pulling on his helmet.

[runningred]

Jay whistles to Yanna, fitting her with her new breastplate and stroking her feathers as he mounts. "Forward to glory then?" He's still half asleep but functional, happy to just get on with riding.

[fluffiest_archadian]

"Aye," Sherral says. "To glory. Or something like, at least."