They wasted no time in getting off the boat. All four of them were a bit wobbly-legged from Captain Crazy's phenomenal boating skills.

"Bye boys!" Captain Crazy called, waving to them from the wheel as the boat backed into the harbor, slowly fading into mist. "Have a nice life!"

Douxie waved back half-heartedly. "Bye! Thanks for the ride!"

"Don't mention it! And hey, give little miss fortune my best!" The boat disappeared.

Douxie looked at Carter. "Who in the ever living hell is "little miss fortune"?"

Carter shrugged. "Absolutely no idea. I'm pretty sure that guy is halfway out of his mind."

The wizard snickered. "I honest to gods thought he might try to kill us."

Carter nodded. "I'm sure he's murdered at least one person before."

"Oh at least."

"Are they always like this?" Fenris asked Archie.

Archie sighed. "Sometimes worse." He settled on the wolf's back. "Carter, Douxie. Can we go home?"

"Yes, yeah." Douxie wrapped his arm around Carter's waist as they walked. "I really need a shower."
"Yep you smell really bad."

Douxie gasped in mock offense. "You're horrible."

"And yet you love me anyway." Carter gave him a cheeky smile.

"Mhm," Douxie hummed and moved in for a kiss.

Carter blocked him. "Public space."

Douxie groaned and rolled his eyes. "I hate that."

"Me too." Carter tapped his nose. "I love you very much, though, Blue."

Douxie smiled. "I love you too, Sunshine."

"Let's go." Archie groaned.

"Sorry, sorry." Douxie apologized, grabbing Carter's hand as they walked. He looked at him. "So how do you feel? Better?"

Carter gave him a sideways smile. "A little bit, yes. Definitely less impulsive. And," he gestured to Fenris who was trotting along up ahead with Archie still on his back. "I made a new friend."

"Mhm," Douxie nodded. He hunkered down in his coat a little, trying to stay warm. "So, how badly do you think this is going to mess up the universe now that Fenris is free?"

"Eh," Carter shrugged. "We kinda made a deal."

He raised a brow. "A deal?"

"Yep." He stuck his hand in his pocket. Presumably to keep his fingers from freezing off. It was cold. "Single combat. If he won, he'd get to eat me, which he was going to do anyway. If I won I broke him free and made him promise not to trigger the end of the world. I won. We're bonded now."

"So…," Douxie poked his side. "You have a familiar now?"

Carter thought about it. "In a way, yeah. Probably not the exact same thing, but yeah. Close."

"Very impressive, love. You tamed an ancient beast who's supposed to end the world." He gave him a smile. "Super cool. Kind of sexy."

Carter laughed. "You think everything I do is sexy."

Douxie smirked. "I do." His eyes flickered to his lips, and he had to restrain himself from kissing him. He sighed heavily and looked away. "Dammit, why do you have to be so perfect?" He muttered.

"What was that, Blue?" Carter asked, squeezing his hand.

"I want to kiss you."

"Oh." Carter smirked. "You're gonna have to wait."

"I know."

Carter chuckled. "You're adorable."

Douxie sighed again. "You're not helping."

Carter smiled. "I'm helping plenty."

When they got back to the cabin, Fenris immediately did a lap around the area. Checking for "weak spots" he said. Carter was pretty sure he just liked being able to run around freely.

Archie and Fenris stayed outside to lay in the sun. Douxie and Carter headed inside to get cleaned up and to rest.

"Hey, you okay?" Douxie asked, watching Carter roll his wrist with a pained expression.

"Yeah. Just pretty sure I sprained it during the fight with Fenris." Carter said with a slight grimace. He hadn't noticed how much it hurt until the adrenaline had worn off.

Douxie reached forward, gently taking his hand. He lightly squeezed his wrist. Carter flinched, hissing in pain. "Sorry," Douxie gently held the injured wrist, using his free hand to levitate a roll of pressure bandages towards them. "Feels more like a break."

Carter pursed his lips. "Great."

"Hey, you'll be fine." Douxie said. "I just need to set it and wrap it and you'll be fine."

Carter watched him, smiling lightly. "You sound experienced in this sort of thing."

Douxie chuckled. "Nearly nine centuries of breaking bones, love. I'm practically an expert."

Carter snorted. "Clumsy much?"

"Eh, more accident prone." Douxie smiled, running a finger over Carter's wrist. He closed his eyes, letting his magic find the break. He could feel the bones shifting back into place with ease. Carter sucked in a breath as Douxie ran his hand down his arm before opening his eyes. "Better?"

"Yeah." Carter said in a small voice, face a little red.

Douxie gently held his hand in place as he wrapped his wrist, being as careful as possible. He tightened the wrap to make sure the bones would stay put. It was a light break, and Carter should be fine in a week or two. "There we go. Just try not to move it too much."

"Doctor's orders?" Carter teased.

Douxie laughed. "Sure."

Carter looked at him for a while, gaze flickering to his lips, then back to his eyes. Douxie got the hint and leaned forward to kiss him. Carter deepened the kiss, digging his good hand into Douxie's shirt to pull him closer. Douxie gently cupped the sides of his face, humming lightly as their lips moved together.

They parted for a moment, breaths mixing, lips hovering close.

"I love you," Carter whispered.

Douxie let out a breath as Carter's thumb gently rubbed against his jaw. "I love you too, darling."

Carter smiled softly as Douxie's hand gently drifted down his torso and slipped under his shirt. "Keep kissing me."

"Absolutely." Douxie whispered and slotted their lips together again.

Carter moaned into the kiss as Douxie pushed him against the bed and straddled his waist. Douxie kissed him a little harder, digging his hand into Carter's hair, pulling him closer. He gently traced tiny circles against Carter's skin as they kissed. Douxie didn't want to stop kissing him. He craved everything about this. The way Carter's soft lips felt moving against his, Carter's cute little sighs, and how he was wrapping his arms around Douxie's shoulders to pull him closer. Douxie definitely wanted to get closer.

He quickly nipped Carter's lower lip before ducking his head down to kiss his neck. Douxie smiled to himself when his partner let out a soft breath and tilted his head back.

"How much time do you think we have until they come back inside?" He asked, still kissing Carter's neck.

Carter took a moment to respond, brain a little fuzzy from how Douxie was kissing him. He opened his eyes and glanced at the window. "If it doesn't start raining?" He murmured. "An hour or two."

Douxie hummed, kissing down his jawline. "Fantastic." He gently kissed his cheek. "Do you want to keep going?"

Carter met his gaze, a playful glint in his eyes. "If you stop I'm going to smother you with a pillow."

Douxie laughed and kissed him again. "I'll take that as a no."

Their lips met again. Douxie hummed into the kiss as Carter's fingers threaded through his hair. He slipped a hand under Douxie's shirt and kissed him a little harder.

I am the luckiest wizard in the world. Douxie thought giddily, drawing him a little closer.

"I feel like it's getting worse." Carter signed, hand shaking. It was a few weeks after the most terrifying boat ride of their lives. "It's like there's something out there trying to warn me."

Douxie pursed his lips, gently rubbing Carter's still healing wrist. "About what?"

Carter sighed. "I'm not sure. I feel like it's the calm before the storm. When you're just sitting there, waiting with bated breath for the lightning to strike."

"Hm," Douxie nodded, thinking. He met Carter's gaze. "Poetic."

Carter scoffed, lightly hitting his chest. "You're an idiot."

Douxie laughed. "Just trying to lighten the mood, love."

Carter smiled softly. "I appreciate that. But this is kind of serious."

Douxie nodded. "Alright." He looked off to the side, thinking. "What do you want to do about it?"

"I'm not sure," Carter admitted. "I'm not sure what we can do."

"Hey," Douxie gently turned his face towards him. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together. Okay?"

Carter smiled. "Okay."