starlightcafe | Now I know you're my true north, 'cause I am lost in the woods.

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Now I know you're my true north, 'cause I am lost in the woods.

Wembley glanced around at what he could see of the surrounding forest. It wasn't much, honestly, with the snow coming down as thick as it was. It wouldn't be the first time he and Gobo had been in a tight spot while exploring together, but this was a much bigger space to be stuck in than back at the Rock. Colder, too. He hadn't been this cold since that one disastrous Festival of the Bells.

He was worried, and not exactly happy - despite his best efforts. But he wasn't scared, not yet. He was with Gobo, after all. If he had faith in anyone, it was Gobo. The other Fraggle was brave, clever, resourceful, charming... Scratch that last one. That last one was not what he was supposed to be thinking. He was trying - so hard! - not to think that way anymore. He'd admitted his feelings to Boober, who had been wonderfully understanding, but just because Boober thought it was okay didn't mean Gobo would. He didn't think things had been awkward, so it seemed he'd succeeded in hiding how he felt, but it wasn't easy.

Walking was also getting increasing difficult, as the snow started to really pile up on the ground. Wembley frowned and reached over to tap Gobo's shoulder. "Uh, Gobo...? Are we lost?"

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At first, this had been a lovely walk in the woods past Scrooge's property. Sure, he might not be able to navigate a forest as well as he could some other places, but that shouldn't prove to be too much of a problem! Of course, time makes fools of us all, and it didn't take long for the gently falling snow to start to thicken, obscuring just about everything around them. Now the trees were thick charcoal smudges in a grey landscape, and he was having to really work to break ground for Wembley to walk in, following behind him.

"No, we're not lost. Don't worry, eh? I'll get us back, safe and sound." Even if his hat was pulled down all the way and his arms wrapped around his front for some small modicum of additional warmth. He would get them back. He would not fail Wembley. Not now, not ever.

"I know you will!" Wembley assured him. He absolutely knew that, but... It was the meantime he was worried about. The cold meantime. He sighed. "But I sure wish I'd brought my mittens..."

Despite everything he snorted through his nose, laughing a bit as he replied. "Yeah. Me too."

He flinched as a strong wind buffeted them, and he held a hand to his hat to keep it in place. As it settled, he looked over his shoulder. "How you holding up, Wembley?"

Wembley didn't answer straightaway, because he didn't like the answer he had to offer. But after a moment, he looked down and admitted, "I'm getting kind of sleepy, Gobo."

It was the darkened sky doing it to him, he knew that. He also knew that falling asleep in the snow wouldn't end well. But he (literally, physically) shook it off, glancing at Gobo. "What about you? Are you okay?"

He was quiet, save for the sound of his trudging through the snow. Sleepy. He knew firsthand how susceptible Wembley was to darkness, the sort that suffocated you from all sides, and judging by how the forest was starting to surround them, somewhere behind already thick stormclouds the sun was setting. They'd have to find shelter, and soon.

As for his answer? Well, he delayed that a bit too. His answer was no better than Wembley's, but... His friend had been honest. How could he be any different?

"I can't feel my tail, or the end of my nose." Or the lower half of his legs, honestly it was only each step that told him they hadn't magically fallen off.

Under different circumstances, Wembley would've reacted with urgent alarm, and panic... But he was just so tired; all he could really manage was a gasp.

"Gobo, that's not good... What are we going to do?"

"Let me think." Step. Step. Step. "If... if we can find shelter, we'll wait out the storm. Keep your eyes peeled for anything that looks likely."

"Yeah, we'll wait out the storm," Wembley said with a nod. "I'll keep a lookout."

Easier said than done with this snow, of course, but he looked around all the same. There had to be someplace for them to take shelter, right? But he wasn't seeing much that was promising. On the contrary, what he could make out was less than reassuring, because hadn't they already passed that tree with the hollow at its base?

...Wait.

"Gobo! GoboGoboGoboGoboGobo!"

Gobo stopped, daring to hope. Wembley was only excited like that when something really important had happened. He turned to look, and sharply gasped when he saw what he was pointing at.

"Wembley! Great, you did it!" Oh he could kiss him-! Er. Out of elation, of course. Turning in the path, he made a way over to the tree, leading Wembley to it and inside. Though it was out in the rest of the forest, the hollow was warm compared to the outer, and it was a total windbreak no matter how much the storm beat against it. Gobo managed a few steps in before he all but collapsed, catching himself on the wall. He hung there a moment, then bent one leg under him and then the other, falling into a seat like a marionette with clipped strings.

"Alright. We'll be okay, we'll stay here until morning, and then I'll scout out and try to find our way home."

Once he was far enough into the hollow not to land in (much) snow, Wembley let himself fall right to the ground, though not without a sigh of, "I'm okay." He didn't want Gobo to be worried about him.

He crawled over near Gobo, sleep threatening to take him with every bit of motion... But he wasn't going to let it. Because, despite not wanting Gobo to have to worry over him, he was definitely worried about Gobo. He had seen the way he'd stumbled down, and he didn't like it. Not one bit.

Another thing he didn't like? The phrase 'I'll scout out.' He shook his head feebly. "We'll scout out, Gobo."

"No, you get some rest, Wembley." Now that he wasn't walking, he was noticing how much he was shivering. Had it been that bad before? "It'll be fine, you're out of the snow and someplace warmer. I'll keep an eye out in case someone finds us... and then in the morning, I'll go looking for a way out. Maybe the storm didn't completely wipe out our path."

He shook his head again, with more conviction this time around. It was a good thing he'd gotten better at disagreeing with others without stressing over it too much, because he didn't agree with this at all.

"Gobo, you're not going anywhere without me." He was stammering, due to the cold, but he still managed to put a great deal of force behind those words. "And if you're staying up, so am I. We'll both keep an eye out. Together."

Edited 2019-11-23 21:53 (UTC)

Gobo looked at Wembley, and he just didn't have it in him to disagree. Not only because he was exhausted, but because it was Wembley. There was something about that admission that warmed him, even as his body was cold to the core.

"Sounds good to me..." He managed a tired smile, though little else as he let his head droop, dully watching the storm outside.

Gobo needed to get sleep. Should he tell him to...? He should. Right? Could he handle all of this alone?

Maybe he couldn't. But he had to try.

Not that Gobo would let him, but if he could be clever enough... Ah, maybe that would do the trick. "Gobo..." Wembley sat up, just enough to lean against him. He wrapped his arms around Gobo's shoulders, and cuddled him close.

♫ Cold moon,
Lonely as can be
Sailing where the starlight fades to blue... ♪

Edited 2019-11-23 22:13 (UTC)

♫ Don't you
Sometimes feel like me
Wish the friends you dream about are true... ♪

Gobo had reacted automatically, adding his voice to Wembley's, the moon lullaby as ingrained into him as any other song from so long ago. He wrapped an arm around him in kind, holding him against him, that faint warmth feeling so good right now.

♫ And they would sail away with you
Sail away with you... ♪

Wembley shouldn't have been surprised when Gobo joined him in song, but... It wasn't what he'd intended. He needed to stay up, to wait for someone to come - someone had to come along. But it was also nice... He remembered the day they'd met Jingles and his friends, the day he'd figured out the missing piece to a puzzle he'd been working on for ages, even though he'd never realized until then. After Gobo had sang, he'd said... "Hey, maybe next time we can do something together, eh?"

Now was as good a time as any.

♫ Some day,
You may tumble down,
Sad because your light is nearly through. ♪

His breath hitched a bit at that. He was starting to feel afraid, now, and that line hit too close to the situation at hand. But he was close to Gobo... So he couldn't truly be sad. He pushed on.

♫ Moon stay,
I will search around,
Climb until your light is bright as new. ♪

♫ And then I'll sail away with you
Sail away with you ♪

Something was different about those lyrics this time. Maybe it was what he'd figured out, what he'd been holding down. It was Wembley, it would be different. Maybe he didn't even really- feel for him that way, was just confusing it with other developments in his life. But maybe it didn't matter. Certainly right now it didn't. And even if it did, the fatigue closing around him was making it difficult to think of why. So, as his voice started to falter and sleep started to drag him down, he simply huddled a bit closer and slid his own snout under Wembley's in an incredibly close gesture, mouths just barely touching.

No. Nothing else mattered, just that it was the two of them...

♫ Sail away with you... ♪

He managed one, maybe two more repeats, and then he was asleep.

Edited 2019-11-23 22:37 (UTC)

While Wembley realized what Gobo had done, just before drifting off, he hadn't realized... How he'd reacted. He'd just kept singing, at first, until the first of the tears spilled over and rolled down his cheek. And he wasn't crying because he was scared. He was crying because, even with the end feeling so close, he was perfectly content.

He pressed a quick, feather-light kiss to Gobo's cheek, then nestled in with his head against Gobo's chest before he fell asleep, as well.

Honestly, he hadn't been expecting to wake up, but he did, to the sound of a rather familiar voice calling his and Gobo's names. How...?

"Scrooge?" he breathed out, softly. He crawled away from Gobo, and called out: "Scrooge!"

Edited 2019-11-23 22:53 (UTC)

Scrooge had realized some time ago that there were Fraggles out here. Back home watching the storm, he saw the news that it was expected to get worse as night fell, and so he'd gone out to make sure windows were shuttered, plants protected, and that everything was fastened down that could be, with his natural Ice magic giving him some protection from the cold. It was in doing so that he noticed a few footprints protected from the wind in front of the Fraggle Hole, and a rapidly disappearing trail heading off into the woods. Realizing with some horror what it'd meant, he hastened inside only to tell them he was going off to look, fearing the Fraggles lost- or worst.

Once out in the forest, he thanked his history for giving him something to track, even as the blizzard obliterated it ahead of him. When even he started to get lost, he paused only briefly before going to his next idea. Ice magic came naturally to him, and more of his past gave him better experience at it, but it would be the Dark that would- hopefully -save them before it was too late. He only hoped they were connected to the ground somewhere... Summoning up the shadows, his eyes dark pinpricks of light in a midnight forest, he sent a pulse of energy out through the very shadows of the landscape. Somewhere, hopefully, he would pick up something, a familiar connection that his magic could track and pinprick on, shadows he would know well-

There! It was fleeting, but it was enough to give him direction. He plunged off through the snow, sending out another pulse every now and again to check where he was going. When he got close enough, when he could practically feel their shadows with his hands, he shouted out above the wail of the wind.

"GOBO!! WEMBLEY!!"

He paused to listen, then shouted again. Was inhaling for a third time when he heard a weedy voice reply, and his next exclamation was born out of sick relief. "Wembley!" Seeing their shelter now, he made his way for it, calling up his magic to force the snow away ahead of him, away from that broken trunk.

Once he reached it, he knelt to look inside. Two Fraggles accounted for, though he didn't like the bleary way they were both looking at him. He held his hands out, gesturing them forward, though as soon as he could he pulled them both to him and held them tightly, tucking them under his beak and away from the wind.

"It's alright boys, it's alright. You're safe now."

Was this really happening? Wembley wasn't entirely convinced he wasn't dreaming, or possibly seeing things. But he'd take it, real or not, because he felt so warm and so safe. He wormed his arms around Scrooge's neck... He'd done so much for them already, and he kept doing more.

"Hiya, Uncle Scrooge. Thanks for coming."

Gobo had been stirred from sleep more by Wembley's movement than he had hearing Scrooge's shout. He knew he should be surprised, but the deep fatigue was still clouding his senses, and he mirrored Wembley more than made any actions of his own.

"Thanks, Uncle Scrooge..."

"Of course, laddies." He moved back just enough to undo his outer coat, wrapping it around them both as best he could as he scooped them up, holding them close. Rising with them, he started along his own path back to the house.

"Let's get you inside and warm."

Though still tired, and still very, very cold, Wembley's focus quickly shifted to Gobo. He was unusually calm... No, calm wasn't the word for it. He wasn't well, and Wembley realized they weren't quite in the clear yet.

He looked over to him, concerned and caring all at once. "Stay with us, Gobo, okay?"

"Stay with us..."

It was quiet, and honestly rather Wembley of him, repeating the last thing someone said. But while that was part of Wembley's wembling, in Gobo it was something more serious. He instinctively burrowed a bit more into the warmth of Scrooge's coat, tucking a spread poofball of a tail up around his own body.

"No, no, Gobo, you gotta..." He had to what? Wembley wasn't sure of much beyond that he didn't like this. It was worse than being in the tree had been, because this- This wasn't his Gobo. Now, finally, he felt fear, and he made a strangled sound of distress, too nervous to otherwise alert Scrooge to Gobo's condition.

Scrooge, thankfully, was already aware. It was hard to miss the shivering of someone so tight against his body, and he knew the Fraggle well enough to worry about the same signs Wembley did. When he heard that soft whine, he tucked them a bit tighter and came to a stop.

"I'm going to get you home quickly. Gobo- he'll be fine, if there's one thing I know a lot about it's surviving a snowstorm." He tilted his head enough to look at Wembley specifically, hopefully catch his eye. "What I'm goin' to do... it may be frightening, but it's still me." He started walking forward again and, faintly on the ground behind him, the edges of his shadow frizzled. "It's magic, and it'll get you home quicker. So don't worry. I've got you."

His steps quickened and Wembley may be aware of a feeling of change rippling over Scrooge, though he didn't seem to actually shift anything, save for the color of the depths of his eyes to a shining gold. Then there was a strange sound behind him as ethereal wings formed, and with it other lights of magic sparked around him- hazy horns above his head, a great tail stretched behind him, claws around his hands and feet. The wings flapped, wispy enough to pass through the trees but solid enough to still lift him and his precious cargo off the ground. The rest of the trip back would be in the air.

"Wow!"

It was certainly a shock, but there was a somewhat familiar feeling to that ripple of change... Magic. And magic was good, so far as Wembley knew, so though this was alarming, it wasn't exactly frightening, after all. Plus, they'd be home faster this way. And if Scrooge said Gobo would be fine... Well... He was right, wasn't he?

He had to be.

Gobo half stirred at the change and as they took flight, though he didn't have any significant reaction of his own, itself still worrying. He was only faintly aware of the trip back to the manor, of being received by the others and set up between a blanket and a low-set heating pad. This was to bring him back from the brink slowly, to prevent shock, and Wembley likewise set up beside him.

From there it was a confusing while for the Fraggle, the true time spent unclear in a sea of foggy images and distant voices, the occasional clear dose of warm liquid, then back into unconsciousness. When he finally roused into lucidity it was light outside, and quiet; the storm had gone. He looked up and around them, recognizing the manor, then let his head sink back with a soft groan.

...Then almost immediately sit back up, looking around him in panic.

"Wembley?? Wembley-!!"

Wembley had fallen halfway-asleep a few times, but he couldn't stay asleep, because he needed to know Gobo was really, truly okay. Of course, the last of those few times coincided with Gobo properly waking, himself.

But when he heard Gobo say his name, he just couldn't sit up fast enough - once he did so, he leaned against Gobo. "I'm here. I'm always here."

Edited 2019-11-24 00:49 (UTC)

He wrapped his arms around him in the same moment, squeezing him tightly. A rush of emotions all fought for dominance: relief that he was okay, that they were out of danger; anger at himself for taking the risks he did; hurt, for having put Wembley in danger again; and affection at that lean, at his presence.

He could hardly talk, his voice caught in his throat, and he only shook his head slightly as he embraced him, body trembling now and again.

While the hug itself wasn't a surprise, the intensity of it sort of was, and Wembley was quick to hold Gobo in return.

"It's okay, Gobo. It's okay. We're safe now."

"W-Wembley, I-..."

He leaned back to look at him, his eyes wet, and suddenly he knew what he wanted to say.

"...I love you. I didn't- want to say it because that doesn't make anything.. any easier, but..." He sighed, leaning forward until he could rest his head against Wembley's shoulder, arms falling down loosely behind him; submissive and understated. "...I don't want something like that to happen again without me having gotten that out."

Edited 2019-11-24 01:01 (UTC)

He breathed in sharply, speechless for a moment where he could just nod, and then...

"Nothing's easy, Gobo. At least, not for me," he giggled. A pause, and he reached over to take Gobo's hands in his own. "Well... Most things aren't. This is. It's not, but it is - what I mean is, I love you, too."

He kissed Gobo's cheek.

"We'll figure it out. We all will."

Although... He suspected that maybe they already had, that something deep in each of five hearts had always known how it felt. Now their minds just needed to catch up... It wouldn't be a bad thing. Maybe a little tricky, but never bad.

His head rose and he looked at Wembley in surprise, then smiled and nodded, tucking him a bit closer.

"...Yeah. We will."

Though, as happy as he was, there was something else that needed to be cleared.

"Wembley, I'm... I'm sorry. I should've never gone out there when the snow was so bad, and then it got worse and.." He looked at him again. "We almost died. We would have! if.. if Uncle Scrooge hadn't shown up when he did. I..." His voice faltered and he looked away, the rest of his sentence unsaid but, with someone as close to him as Wembley, likely heard anyway.

I messed everything up again.

"It... It..."

He wasn't sure how to phrase this next part without being dishonest. It wasn't okay, what had happened, but... It was? How could he explain? Slowly, gently, Wembley leaned away, shaking his head.

"I'm not upset with you. I said I wanted to explore with you, and I meant it - and I still do! No matter what we were to each other, I knew I wanted that. I've always known that part. It's... One of the only things I can really be sure about." He gave Gobo's hands a squeeze. "No matter what happens, I'm always going to be with you, because, well, I believe in you. Even when you make a mistake. Even when you don't believe in you."

He was already looking down, which was good because when the tears came, shaking his shoulders, his head didn't have far to drop. He grasped Wembley's hands in return, holding on until he was able to take a steadying breath, and when he looked up his eyes were still wet, but he was smiling.

"R..right... And I'm gonna always be with you too, Wembley. You were the first person to believe in me, and because of you- I've got all the others, too."

Wembley smiled, and he threw his arms around Gobo's neck. "I hope you know how happy you make me," he whispered, tucking his head against Gobo's chest. "'Cause you make me so happy."

He was quiet for a moment or two, just feeling the rise and fall as Gobo breathed, and then - quite abruptly - he sat up. "Oh, um, Gobo... Did you know you... I mean, last night, we... A-And I'd like to..."

Asking for a kiss should not have been this hard.

Gobo sat back when Wembley did, and he tilted his head a little bit, giving him a curious glance.

"Honestly, last night's kind of a blur, sorry Wembley. What happened...?"

"Oh, it's okay! It really is, you, uh, had just..." He kept twining and un-twining his fingers, before he took a deep breath and let his hands relax. A nervous and sheepish laugh, then, "You kissed me."

His eyes widened a bit, then he laughed gently, suddenly a bit nervous, hands drumming in his lap.

"I did?"

"Yeah... Oh, it was nice, of course! It made things... Really okay, even when they weren't, you know? Like, um, no matter what happened... I felt like I wouldn't mind."

He ruffled his own hair with a laugh. "That probably sounds silly, huh?"

Gobo watched Wembley, kneading his lap a little. The idea of it... it does sound nice, and he must've agreed last night if he'd done it, even without remembering. ...That might've made his confession a moment ago moot, but no point wondering over that now, they were past it and he knew Wembley was okay with everything.

So, without any pause and thus with his typical forwardness, he- albeit gently -took Wembley by the front of his shirt and pulled him into another kiss, this one full on and lingering.

Wembley inhaled sharply through his nose, taken by surprise at first, but... Yes, he could get used to this. Absolutely. He giggled once they parted, and this time, it was Gobo's hair he reached up to muss.

"Thanks, Gobo."

He laughed softly, half-heartedly pushing Wembley's hand back but with a fond smile all the same.

"Yeah. Sure, Wembs."

There was a moment of silence that followed, but it didn't last long before Bridge peeked from around the corner, spotting the two on the couch.

"Hey, guys," he said. "How're you doing?"

Wembley turned to look at Bridge with a smile. "I think we're doing a lot better. Hi."

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Now I know you're my true north, 'cause I am lost in the woods.

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