clear as glass | KOTLC

Tam and Keefe ✧ 2

But as of now... he needed another option. And he was pretty sure Sophie and the Vackers had retreated for the night.

He flipped his imparter out of his pocket. "Show me Sophie Foster."

No answer.

"Show me Fitz Vacker."

The imparter's connection cut off within a few seconds.

"Show me Biana Vacker."

The imparter stayed dim.

He sighs, tucking the metal gadget into his concealed cape pocket. He sheepishly rubbed a hand at the back of his nape, offering Tam a nervous, crooked smile. "So, funny thing, I need a place to stay, so..." he purses his lips, "do you have a spare room you'd be willing to give?"

Tam bites his lips, before turning to him and nodding. "Sure, but let me hail Tiergan first."

He shoves his hands into his pocket. "Yeah, alright."

Tam turned to pace under the tangerine glow of the lantern, which still shone bright as usual in the midst of shadows and nightfall. Keefe moves to give him privacy, leaning back on the lamppost as he watches. He sees Tiergan's face pop up almost immediately, and watches the slight movement of Tam's lips. His heart skips a beat.

Tam nods, and tucks the metal square into his sleeve as he shuts it. He pulls a pathfinder out of his neckline, and Keefe didn't even realize that Tiergan had given him one. He extends a hand, and it takes a couple of moments of staring at it before Keefe realizes that he should probably take it.

He reaches an arm out, allowing Tam to intertwine their fingers as he raises the pathfinder to the light. Keefe's heart hammered, and he could feel the underlying emotions that clumped up right at Tam's fingertips. It was warm and icy cold at the same time, uplifting, but heavier than a corpse.

Tam's emotions always had a strange intensity, and there was an undeniable jolt in his body as their fingertips touched. But even so, he wrung their fingers tighter, chasing that strange knot of tangled, conflicted feelings, because under it all, he could feel a rush of warmth and adrenaline, and his body felt like it was addicted to that heat and rush. Despite the nausea that came with weaving their hands, he clung on tighter, because even the flicker of contact from Tam had his heart racing and thoughts scrambling until nothing was on his mind but Tam.

He was absolutely smitten, and he wondered how he was going to get out of this mess now.

His concentration nearly faltered as the light whisked them away, and he hoped Tam didn't notice as their feet landed on soft, damp sand, surrounded by waves of sea and salt.

The main structure itself was as grand as any other elvin home, but something about it was more modern and cozy, from its tall, intricately detailed pillars and large, one-way windows bordered with metal black rods. Tam tugged at his arm, and Keefe followed his steps through half-lidded eyes as they winded up a spiral staircase.