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a-drifting-mannequin · 2 days ago

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Discoveries

Fandom: Once Upon a Witchlight (Legends of Avantris)

Pairing: Gricko Grimgrin/Morning Frost; Grimmorning

(Some of our today's inspiration: @royhasissues; @crowliphale (vaguely))

Please don't read if you don't feel interested, I'm just letting anyone who reads this know where I get my ideas

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Summary: A series of stories of Gricko discovering things about Frost and how those said things affect him!

~~~~

Gricko is a druid, of course. It's obvious through his actions of making flowers bloom and trees grow, or by the way he carves little statuettes of nature's powerful spirits.

Not only that, he's sort of an expert in monsters and beasties alike. Maybe that's why he's able to take care of Hootsie so well.

While having a sufficient knowledge of many different animals, he never had questioned himself much about Frost or Kremy.

He never questioned Kremy for reasons that he had stated himself many times before. The gator is secretive about his personal life, past as well as humor, fashion sense and physical anatomy.

For Frost, however, the goblin never actually thought of asking. He had been his best friend for a long time, even before they met Kremy and Gideon. A druid and a sorcerer, walking along side together with an owl bear squeezed between them. They looked like a nice pair, and for a fact, they were.

It was around midnight, if he recalled correctly. The night was as peaceful as it could get, sleeping in the woods and all. Branches danced in the wind, dead leaves falling from its fingers as it moved.

Everyone had their own tent for that night, but because they were very near the next town, Kremy had the idea of splitting everyone into little groups. Him and Gideon, Gricko and Frost, and Torbek gets to sleep alone if he really wants to.

When it was too hot to bear being inside his bedroll, Gricko had decided to just sleep on top of it with Hootsie draped over him.

Suddenly, a flickering light of one of the lamps started to illuminate the tent he shared with Frost. Gricko had just woken up from a rather weird dream when he heard Frost mumbling some kind of chant, like a prayer.

Not feeling awake enough to make his presence known to the tabaxi, Gricko just lie there, drifting between consciousness and sleep in a comfortable manner. The chanting continue, never seem to cease while he's still awake.

Is Frost making some kind of prayer to whoever he worships? But from what he could recall correctly, Frost never had anyone to worship in the first place. Even on the path of righteousness, like he always claim to be, Frost could be a little chaotic and take Kremy's side for fun.

Feeling like he had enough strength to just take a peek at what Frost is doing, Gricko got on his elbows and peered over to Frost over Hootsie's mount of feathers.

There sat the tabaxi in all his glory. Usually he would be covered in his robes, but today seems to have a surprise in store for the goblin who was unfortunately awake at that time.

Instead of being face to face with smooth green fabric or the thin material of an undershirt, he was faced with orange fur covered in black stripes, some trailing up to his neck and around his torso. The underside of his arms is covered in white fur instead of orange like the rest of his body, the black stripes still coming around and hugging his arms.

For a tiger and sort of humanoid, Gricko could definitely say that Frost looked defined, like how Gideon would look but slimmer.

Had Frost been that hot to just strip down to his bare dignity? He only ever had seen Frost this bare when Chuckles came back and took his clothes away. He rather keep those images that had burned into his mind far away from his fantasies and dreams.

Gricko could feel blood rushing to his face and a little down further than his abdomen, but he refuse to acknowledge the feeling. He shouldn't have thoughts like this about his best friend, and watching your friend without his knowledge was and still is complete indecency, not to mention very creepy.

Now deciding that he had a good enough view and had stared a while too long, Gricko faked a groan as if he just woke up and faked struggle to get out from under his owl bear daughter.

Frost's ears perked up, immediately noticing the noise and scrambling to pull his tank top over for some decency, turning over to the struggling goblin with masked calmness.

"Oh, Gricko, I didn't realize you were awake already." Frost said calmly, though Gricko's mind says otherwise.

"Yeah, heard somethin and that kinda rouse me awake." Gricko lied, eyes trailing down the rather toned tabaxi, eyes lingering just a bit on his chest after turning over to face the wall of the tent.

Frost hummed and sighed mentally. Gricko, on the other hand, wish that he could've gotten a better view if Frost just happens to grab at the wrong shirt and didn't have time to pull it on.

The silence between them was thick and awkward, unspoken questions hung in the air, curiosity drowning Gricko and affecting his sleep. Frost didn't know what to say either, eyes focused on the flickering flame of the lamp for a while to long that dark spots started to form in the corner of his eyes.

"I knew you were awake," Frost spoke up eventually, eyes glancing behind him to see the goblin getting out from under Hootsie. There was a look of guilt and shame on his face, his cheeks dust in a light pink out of embarrassment.

"I didn't mean to, alright? I was just curious." His voice was hushed, eyes averting away from Frost's stare, hands tangling in his daughter's feathers.

In all his years, and now at this age, Gricko didn't get why he's acting like a little kid getting caught staying up late out in the garden. He felt like he was about to confess to his crush. It was a normal thing, at this point, for a grown man like him to want like how Gideon would usually be. He did it openly, too, like how Gideon often would. But in the presence of Frost, he could bear to tone it down a notch, made sure his friend was comfortable.

Frost, after all, was the youngest of the krew if Hootsie was out of the question. For a young tabaxi, he isn't like the rest. The others would be pretty open and nice, they've encountered a few already and they were very open to conversation. Not like Frost.

"If you are curious, please do ask next time." Frost offered, his voice soft and quiet, eyes searching. Gricko gave him a small nod and stared back down at his hands.

Maybe he should ask next time instead of being a creep.

~~~~

"Frost, stop stalling, we gotta go now! " Kremy shouted back at the tabaxi, a hand coming up to hold his hat down.

Frost grunted back in response, letting go of his barriers to dash and catch up with his friends. Gricko was standing right beside Gideon, eyes wild and full of worry, waiting for Kremy and Frost to catch up. No one is being left behind.

They should've never decided to do this. They should've never entertain the thought of doing it in the first place!

Gold and precious jewels shoved into bags and pockets clumsily, feet slipping against stairs and beautifully tiled floors as they desperately ran and tried to find an exit. Furious metal footsteps chased them down corridors and well furnished hallways, knocking over any type of display that might get in their way.

Gideon's hair burst into flames from adrenaline, licking up and around his horns. Any sweat that happened to form immediately evaporated into the air from his intense heat. Gricko had a burlap sack over his shoulder, carrying it in a manner similar to a flour sack, but instead of flour there were gold.

Kremy carried his own, but most of them were already carried by Gideon who oh so generously offered to carry it for his boss. In the pockets of his nice jacket were all types of rare and beautiful gemstones, add in a few more gold and all of this might seem worth it. Frost breaths were coming in short and labored, his eyes narrowed and just as intense as Kremy's, using his magic to at least crush some of the guard's minds while Kremy ran in front of them looking for a way out.

"Kremy, they're gaining on us!" Gideon shouted, huffing and trying to readjust the sacks in his arms without stopping or slowing down.

Kremy cursed quietly in front of them, then coming to a halt so abruptly that it caused everyone else behind him to either almost fall on their face or pile up on each other on the floor. Gricko was one of the many to actually fall face first, an audible wet cracking noise was heard between all of them.

"Kremy, what in the nine hells are you doing?!" Frost screamed furiously, his face betraying his sense of calmness and collective personality.

Gideon was shocked for a moment at Frost raising his voice to Kremy, kneeling down to host Gricko on his shoulder. The alligator didn't respond. He raise his cane to the wall in front of them, charging up his Eldritch Blast before the wall was blasted into millions of pieces in front of the krew.

"Now go! Don't just stand there and stare!" Kremy commanded, picking up his fair share of their stolen goods and making a run for it. Frost doesn't know how far they'll make before the guards catch up to them, but he didn't hesitate.

Picking up whatever that had fallen on the floor with mace hands, Frost dashes after the rest with his heart drumming in his ears.

An hour of running later, the group finally settled down at a clearing. The metal footsteps stopped following them, a furious voice shouting orders for them to fan out in the town instead of the forest that they ducked into.

Gideon groaned and dropped all the gold onto the forest floor, lowering Gricko down by a rock before collapsing himself. His soot smeared shirt was now covered in small patches of blood, there were tears here and there on it and on his pants.

Gricko's nose was slightly swollen and definitely broken, blood trickling down to his lips. Not much damage was done on him considering he was small enough to maneuver around easily. Kremy's suit was dirty and wrinkled, his hat partly burned in one corner due to Gideon's hair igniting so suddenly.

Frost was bent over, hands on his knees and breathing heavily. Heists usually wouldn't turn out this way, usually more quiet and less having to run for their lives. When it does happen, however, that's when they managed to escape with more goods than they could carry.

"Well, that's was a tough one fellas." Gricko said, his voice sounding weird due to his broken nose.

Pulling a bananya out his pack, Gricko started to chew away at it until all their attention was diverted to a noise coming from Frost. The tabaxi was still bent over, but his hands gripped harder at his pants and his whole posture seem to be shaking slightly.

Kremy worried that he might have pressured the calm natured sorcerer and that might have forced him into some state of shock. Gideon was just preparing himself mentally for any vile insults that Frost might throw at Kremy while Gricko didn't know what he should expect.

Eventually, Frost lift himself up from bending over with hands on his knees to reveal a bright smile built on adrenaline.

Gricko nearly dropped his bananya seeing Frost smile for one of the first times in his life. I mean, Gricko was sure that Frost smiled plenty before, just that he had never seen it or even catch a glimpse of it.

Everyone else seemed equally shocked at the sight. Soon, Frost started to chuckle quietly before bursting into a good natured laughter, his paws coming up to somewhat cover his ever growing smile.

"I- what or who are you laughing at?" Kremy questioned immediately, his clawed hand gripping the skull on his cane tighter as this might be a clone that was swapped out for the real Frost during the chase. Gideon, as protective as ever, took a step forward to put himself in front of his boss.

Gricko, with his nose now healed, slowly approaching Frost with caution that both Gideon and Kremy shared. Frost stopped laughing after a good few seconds, his laughter becoming something more similar to soft chuckles before stopping completely.

The goblin that stood beside him reached up and patted his arm twice, still very hesitant of what his next actions might be. The tabaxi looked over and smiled down softly at him, making the goblin feel something inside that he wasn't sure what to put it as. His eyes didn't seemed glazed over nor did any of his physical appearance had any fault.

"My deepest apologies, I didn't mean to burst out like that." Frost said, his calmness returning to him but the smile never seem to disappear.

Kremy sighed in relief and squeezed Gideon's arm for a bit more reassurance, earning a deep chuckle from the man beside him.

~~~~

"Yeah? You want this one girl?" Gricko said, looking down at his daughter and ruffling her feathers.

She nodded excitedly, looking at her father with puppy dog eyes just to convince him to buy it. Of course he'll buy it, Gricko would buy almost anything for Hootsie if she really wanted it. Either way, these were just a few bows and friendship bracelets so why not?

The other guys had split from him to go find their own stalls or vendors to buy from. Around the shop he was in, stores were filled with beautiful garments, some specialising in certain species while some are just for all species to buy.

Gricko was currently standing in what you could call an accessory shop. Small display case of necklaces and bracelets covered in expensive gemstones shining beautifully off the many lights that surround them.

Gricko by now has finished is shopping, mostly buying things for Hootsie while he look for things that would suit someone like him. Nothing of interest caught his eye, as he was most content in his own fashion style with not much to add to it.

"C'mon Hootsie, let's go pay for these and we can go find your uncles, yeah?" One would usually never asks a child's opinion on leaving shops or not even if the adult had decided so, but Gricko would because he wants his daughter to know she still has choices even if her father made most of them.

At the counter stood a very bored looking tabaxi. Gricko guesses that they might be a korat but he wasn't sure. There are lots of cats with grey fur anyways.

"Hello my good lady, I would like to pay for these!" Gricko greeted the tabaxi woman cheerfully, going on his tip toe in order to place the items on the counter.

She perked up and turned her attention back to her shirt customer, immediately calculating the item's prices. Though, something else caught her attention.

For a goblin, he smells awfully similar to a tabaxi. None of her kind walked in here for the past hour, and it was strange for a goblin to smell like one.

Her curiosity perked up, subtly scanning the goblin with her eyes while she pretended like she was still packaging his items. The owl bear next to the goblin seem to pick up her inspection, quickly giving her a suspicious look.

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask," She started, giving Gricko an apologetic smile. The druid just nodded, prepare to hear her question regardless of how ridiculous it is. "Did anyone ever tell ya that ya smell like a tabaxi?"

Gricko was confused at the question, tilting his head slightly to one side, both out of confusion and to look at Hootsie.

"Uh, I don't think so, ma'am." Gricko answered, giving her a skeptical look while reaching out to grab the items he purchased.

The goblin knew that some animals mark their territory with a scent that he's sure him and Gideon can't smell. They also do that to mark mates, just so others would know to not give any advances. And the only tabaxi they ever knew was Frost.

Gricko wasn't sure about what she meant by him smelling like one. For a certain fact, Frost doesn't hold hands or get close to a lot of the guys and that means him as well.

Gricko and the tabaxi woman stood and shared a moment of awkwardness, the silence stretching on more than necessary. The customers around them gave them curious glances, some whispering amongst themselves about the awkward pair at the front.

Gricko didn't know how to rescue himself from this situation. He was usually the conversation starter, but he didn't know how to completely end it.

Sometimes, it would just be Kremy and Frost pulling him and Gideon away from conversations to get back to the task at hand. But, right now, the guys were far away from him. Frost was probably doing regular shopping, Kremy and Gideon are most definitely robbing people on the other side of town, and Gricko was stuck here.

Luckily, Gricko didn't have time wait any longer for Frost bursted through the door. His face was expressionless, eyes focuses yet wandering. His eyes landed on the tabaxi lady behind the counter, and on habit, he lowered his head for a brief moment as to greet her. Hootsie let out a happy little hoot seeing her uncle and started to walk around in circles around his legs.

"Gricko, I'm sorry to disturb your conversation with this lady here but we need to go." Frost said, his face staying expressionless but his voice sounded breathless and hurried, as if someone was rushing him to get Gricko as soon as possible.

And, it was safe to assume that it had to be Kremy.

Gricko nodded, holding his stuff close to him and dashing after his mate, leaving the door of the shop swinging with repeated chimes of the bell above.

Before he went though, he saw the woman's mouth formed something similar to a quiet "oh", followed by a nod. Gricko hoped it was nothing bad.

After picking up Kremy and Gideon who were both laughing and carrying lots of jewelry and fancy clothing, they settled down in their temporary living place. Luckily, Kremy manageed to shake off most of the guards, though Frost suggested to move towns immediately after tonight.

"Hey, Kremy?" Gricko called to the gator, his voice wavering with a bit of nervousness. Or was it fear? He wasn't sure.

Said gator was cooking up a simply meal of what Frost was able to pick up at the market before he rammed into him bodily, pockets stuffed with gold and a stumbling fire genasi behind him. "You need something?" Kremy answered, sounding rather uninterested in what the goblin might ask.

"Do tabaxi scent mark like regular cats?"

The question was odd, and it didn't seem very appropriate to ask about it. I mean, scent marking is kind of private, right?

Kremy stopped storing the pot, gray eyes seeming a little distant as if he didn't heard Gricko's question correctly. The goblin patiently waits for an answer, hands reaching anything on his body to hold onto for self security.

"Yes, I'm sure they do." Kremy finally answered, voice maintaining its calmness.

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A/n: I FINALLY FINISHED THIS!! After what seems like forever, I hope you all enough this! (No, I didn't have ao3 account. Wish I did but I'm not sure what I'll do on there)

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