We sat in silence for the next few minutes and when I found that the Luggage was staring at me I looked at Rincewind for a moment. "Would the Luggage like a sandwich?" I asked him and the Luggage wandered over to me, sitting at my feet before it turned its gaze towards me.
"It does eat." Rincewind began which was all the confirmation I needed and I dropped the sandwich at my feet to see the Luggage snatch it out of thin air and I must have jerked in my seat because I heard a very quiet chuckle coming from Rincewind's direction.
"I wasn't expecting that okay?" I grumbled as I stared at the Luggage who stood back, watching me and I sighed. "Would you like another one? I can always make more. I barely eat anyway." I asked it, tossing another one towards the Luggage who grabbed this sandwich in midair before it wandered away and I let out a breath. "Sentient luggage. Who would have thought?"
"It follows me everywhere but you never get used to it." Rincewind commented, watching with a thin smile as I stared at my empty fingers. With a shrug I watched as Rincewind reached across intending on grabbing a sandwich, his third, when he grimaced. I heard him let out a slow breath I turned in time to catch him rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Rincewind, what's wrong?" I asked, mildly concerned and he just shrugged trying to ignore the throbbing of his temple. "Well I'm just trying to help you. I did fix your broken nose after all." I muttered, slightly put off by his attitude towards my healing.
"In my world only men can be wizards." Rincewind commented, rubbing at his nose with the fingers of his right hand. I raised an eyebrow at him and he coughed. "I mean women can use magic but they're not allowed to enrol at the Unseen Academy."
"What does that have to do with anything? Anyway you're a wizard aren't you? Can you just magic your headache away?" I pointed out, feeling a little more sympathetic when he winced again.
"I...can't." Rincewind mumbled and I blinked as he started to climb from the couch until his head throbbed, causing him to quickly sit back with a pained grimace.
"Wait so you're a wizard who can't use magic? What kind of a wizard are you exactly?" I commented, regretting those words straight away when he frowned at me. Noting the eyes narrowed in my direction and the way he was now gritting his teeth I shrugged. "Sorry. Touchy subject I'm sure." I added in the hope he'd forgive me though why I cared if he did or not was anyone's guess.
"Just forget it would you?" Rincewind groaned, holding both palms against his head in the hope that that would prevent his head from splitting open.
"Look I can't actually heal your headache with my powers, don't ask me why exactly, but I could mix you something up. How does that sound?" I offered taking pity on the wizard who closed his eyes against the pain. "I'll be right back." I added, patting his knee before I climbed from the couch.
"Take...your time. I'm not going anywhere." Rincewind groaned, silently wondering why he had a splitting headache now and not before. When even trying to think caused his headache to worsen he gave up, keeping his eyes closed in the hope it would make him feel a little better.
As I hurried around the kitchen gathering ingredients to treat what was obviously a migraine, and not just a headache as Rincewind thought, I could feel something close to guilt at not treating him sooner.
Not that it's my fault he ran straight into a wall. I wonder if he does that sort of thing on a regular bases? Also how can he call himself a wizard and not know how to cast magic? I mean I'm technically dead and yet I'm about to use healing magic.
Still nursing his migraine, Rincewind opened one eye to see me digging around in one of the kitchen cupboards and he frowned.
Wish she would stop dawdling and make that potion already. My head feels like it wants to vacate my neck and I for once wouldn't mind letting it if it means getting rid of this migraine.
I had almost finished gathering everything I needed to make the remedy when I remembered I was missing one ingredient and I frowned, looking at the bowl in my hands.
I cleared my throat, about to suggest that I go out and find what I needed until Rincewind groaned clutching his head between his hands. Softening and not wanting the wizard to remain in pain when he didn't need to I grabbed the only substitute that I could think of before I rushed over to the counter. As quickly as I could I mixed everything together, pouring water into the bowl until I had made a purple liquid. Pouring it into a glass I rushed back to Rincewind's side.
Rincewind cracked open his eyes when he felt the couch shift slightly and he blinked as I held out a small glass containing something purple. Which should have concerned him until his head throbbed again and he winced, snatching the glass from my outstretched fingers before he swallowed the entire contents of the glass.
"So..it should make you feel better soon." I promised, taking the empty glass from his hand when he pushed i towards me. "I think I remembered the right ingredients but I did have to substitute one since I'm all out of..." I trailed off when he stared at me both eyes wide and I coughed. "It won't make any difference I promise. At least it shouldn't." I added a little quieter and Rincewind slowly blinked, apparently having heard every word.
"It shouldn't?!" He yelled, just about leaping from the couch before he started to pace forgetting all about his migraine in the process. Which was a victory in my favor though as he wandered back and forth I noticed that his face, mostly his cheeks were beginning to turn a brilliant pink and I frowned slightly. Not having noticed my unease, too busy being angry with me I suppose, Rincewind continued to pace only pausing when I cleared my throat.
"First you drag me here and now you might have poisoned me? What kind of healer do you call yourself?" He complained and I snorted, crossing my arms against my chest. "I might be a failed wizard, not that that's any of your business, but..."He trailed off for a few seconds and when I caught him staring straight ahead I started to climb from the couch. "Where was I again?" He asked, turning his attention back to me and I blinked at his red cheeks and the blank stare he had.
"You were blaming me for all of your problems?" I told him and he nodded, starting to pace again only to stumble and he stopped looking down at his feet with a vaguely amused grin. "Hum. Now my feet don't want to listen to me. I wonder what else will ignore my instructions next." He muttered to himself, not really noticing that he had now gone from stumbling over his own feet to weaving somewhat drunkenly across the carpet. "My headache's gone away." He actually sang, only slightly off-key causing me to frown at him, looking over at the Luggage for help.
"What exactly did I give him? Even if I changed one little ingredient it shouldn't do this to him...at least I don't think so." I asked the Luggage who just silently watched me and I raised an eyebrow as Rincewind stumbled around the room. With a grin plastered across his face I stared at him, concerned as he wandered around now slightly cross-eyed and was he actually humming? That couldn't be good.
"I only gave you the medicine because you said you had a splitting headache. Had I known it would have this effect on you I would have told you to just sleep it off." I told Rincewind who, finally having remembered I was in the room, staggered towards me with a lopsided grin. He managed a few steps under his own power before he tripped on his robe and I dashed forward to catch him trying to keep looking worried and not giggle at the silly grin he had.
"That was fun! I'm actually having fun. I never get to have any fun. I'm always running away or getting chased by something that wants to eat me or kill me or..." He wheezed and I rolled my eyes, getting an arm around his shoulders despite his best efforts at slipping free before I started to drag him towards my room. "Where are we going?" He slurred and I sighed, placing an open palm against the small of his back when he tried to pull away.
"My bedroom and before you get any funny ideas I wanted you need to lie down and sleep this off. Preferably before you fall." I told him and his eyebrows knotted together, trying very hard to think. The effect actually made him look kind of cute, his cheeks red as he struggled to walk and think at the same time. "You could at least help me here, Rincewind." I sighed and he frowned looking slightly offended as he tried to put one foot in front of the other.
"But I am helping." He slurred, taking a step the length of both of us which only succeeded in making him wobble. Giving up on the wizard being any help at all I helped him back to my room. As soon as we reached my bedroom I propped him up against the wall hoping that he would stay put until I could open the door. He stayed put, weaving slightly on the spot until I unlocked the door and as the door swung open he decided that he could manage a few steps on his own. Only to immediately fall ending up face first on the floor.
Shaking my head I knelt beside him as he lay there. "Ow." He muttered and I sighed, helping him back onto his feet. More or less anyway and as I dragged him towards my bed he started to chuckle and I rolled my eyes towards the ceiling, somehow managing to get him to sit on the bed.
Rincewind immediately fell backwards and I raised an eyebrow as he stared up at me, finding his lack of balance funny for some reason as he now had a grin on his face.
"You really need to lie down, Rincewind and sleep this off. Wait here and I'll get you a glass of water from the kitchen." I suggested, leaning over him before I carefully wrapped an arm around his shoulders. As soon as I helped Rincewind sit he tilted to one side and I blinked as he leaned against my right shoulder, still very red-faced and with a slight hiccup.
"Rincewind, do you think you'll be alright until I get back with some water?" I asked, worried about leaving him alone as he hiccuped at my shoulder. "I'll be right back." I promised, unsure as to what I should do.
"Y...yes. Yes! I feel great! What kind of medicine was that and can I have some more? It tasted like mint and I think my headache's gone away though now I have the hiccups for some strange reason." He hiccupped and I raised an eyebrow at him not quite as convinced he was acting like his usual self especially when he buried his nose in my neck.
"You smell nice..like mint but sweeter." He muttered, letting out another hiccup as he did. Surprised by this unexpected, at least from him of all people, sign of affection I didn't move until he started to nuzzle my neck.
"That's all well and good but you should be sleeping that medicine off. Now just lie there and behave yourself while I go and get that glass of water for you." I finally managed to stammer, my mind whirling at how close he was and how much I was enjoying this.
Still leaning against me I heard another hiccup and then silence and I let out a breath, thinking that maybe he'd finally fallen asleep and that I could escape.
I thought I was safe until I felt a pair of slightly hotter than normal lips brush the base of my neck and I let out a gasp which did nothing to deter Rincewind instead convincing him that I was enjoying this and wanted him to continue.
"Wait a second, Rincewind. I should be the voice of reason right now. The medicine's clearly having some unexpected side effects on you and I really don't think this is wise." I protested once I managed to get both my mouth and my mind to work in tandem, even though I was unable to think of a good reason as to why I shouldn't be letting the wizard get this close to me.
I really should have pulled away but as he slowly kissed and nuzzled my neck and throat I felt a little lightheaded myself, turning my head slightly when he stroked the tips of my fingers with his own, burying his face in my neck as he did.
Do I really want this to end? He's really quite attractive once you get past the moping and the shabby clothes and the constant complaining. I mean who am I to question why he's attracted to me? I suppose even though I am technically dead he still finds me attractive so that is a positive in my book. Never had a guy get this close without making some excuse to keep their distance from me when they notice my green skin.
"I like you you know." Rincewind said from somewhere close to my right ear this time and I turned my head enough to see him weaving on the spot. "I just never could come out and say it."
"That's alright, Rincewind. I do like you too but shouldn't we be having this conversation when you're not drunk?" Besides we barely know each other." I pointed out and he shook his head, making him fall forwards from his spot on my bed until I pressed my hand to his shoulder to steady him.
"That's the problem! I can't get out what I want to say out usually but now that I feel rather..." He trailed off staring at me then the wall in silence. "Drunk I can say what I want." He finished after a full minute, chewing his lower lip in the process. "It is very liberating." He agreed with a lopsided smile.
"But I'm worried you might say or do something you might regret when you sober up." I told him and he stared at me, two blue eyes looking into mine. "Please stop looking at me like that whose those puppy-dog eyes."
"But I like you and I barely have any friends who would be this nice to me when I'm not feeling well. Even though I only had a headache you cared enough about me to cure me." He insisted, burying his face in my neck before I could move. "I can count my friends on one hand, one finger really and that makes me sad."
"What about the Luggage?" I suggested as the Luggage sat at the foot of the bed having heard its name being mentioned. "It likes you and I'm sure you have other friends at the Unseen University." I said to Rincewind who now had his face buried in the base of my neck again. I tried to ignore the warm feeling in my stomach at being called one of his only friends.
I also tried very desperately to ignore the other warm feeling I had in my lower regions when he nuzzled my neck again, making me seriously consider helping him get even closer to me.. "Well there is Twoflower. He was nice to me when I was his tour guide but then he left." Rincewind trailed off, thinking hard before he drew in a shaky breath. "But you are...even nicer and...very attractive. You try to help me even when I constantly complain about being stuck here in your world. I shouldn't be so mean to you when you're really very nice."
"Rincewind, you are not annoying." I told him and he brightened, giving my fingers a squeeze as we sat there facing each other. "You can sort of be a pain but it's not your fault. You're in a strange world and you're probably homesick." I supplied and he coughed, shifting even closer until he was leaning against me.
"See? Even then you still try and help me get back to Discworld. You are kind and thoughtful and...and I would go as far to say that you are pretty." He stammered, his head down slightly. Shocked at his words I didn't move until he raised his head and when he leaned forward, taking this as a sign, I froze when he kissed me full on the lips.
It took me at least five seconds to unfreeze until Rincewind finally felt me kiss him back, even sliding my hand under his hat to tangle my fingers in his red hair.
Of course fate being the way it was for the pair of us, mostly Rincewind on this occasion, he could feel his eyelids growing heavily and finding that his head now felt like it had been replaced by a brick he broke off the kiss before I wanted him to. When he rested his head against mine, hoping that that would relieve his weariness, I heard him yawn.
"You need to rest." I said, silently cursing whatever god decided that now was a great time to make him sleepy when I heard his breathing growing heavy and this time when I pushed him back onto the bed he didn't resist. Now lying on his back I maneuvered his legs until they were both resting on the bed, moving to the base of his legs before I tugged off his boots. I had just set them down on the floor when I heard a faint sigh and as I raised my head he'd already closed his eyes.
I returned to my bedroom sometime later to find Rincewind sitting up on the bed, rubbing at his eyes with the knuckles on his right hand. He looked up with eyes still half closed as I carried the tray of toast and tea over to him and he yawned, stretching his arms over his head as I set breakfast on the bedside table. "Good morning, Rincewind." I greeted him, unable to stop myself from staring at his uncovered head and he grunted in response, watching with a slight frown as I started to pour him some tea.
Rincewind could feel several question floating around in his mind so he snatched at the one that came close enough to grab. "Why did I wake up in your bed?" He asked, taking the teacup that I offered him.
"Well the medicine I gave you for your headache made you drowsy and since my bed was a lot more comfortable than the couch I thought..." I stopped talking when he took a sip of the tea, wincing at how hot it was when it burned his tongue before he set the cup back down. "Is something the matter, Rincewind? Other than you burning your tongue of course."
"I have the strangest feeling that I had done something I shouldn't have but I cannot remember what." Rincewind muttered after a pause and I just smiled at him, sitting beside him on the bed before I blew on my own tea.
"Then it must not have been very important." I replied and he gave me a one-armed shrug, sipping at his tea as we sat side by side. As he reached for one of the sandwiches I had just made his hand froze and as his eyes widened I could see him pale. "Rincewind, everything alright?" I asked, concerned until he turned his head slowly turned fixing me with what can only be described as a deer caught in the headlights expression.
"I tried to kiss you didn't I?" He asked and when I nodded, unable to think of an appropriate response he groaned rubbing at the bridge of his nose with his free hand.