Taking his time out to stretch. Salem came fully prepared for what was about to happen. His staff was nearby but held for safekeeping. He had his standard belt and vest. His pants this time were a short blue material that matched his hair. He was both functional and stylish. The fairy in him could never truly give up on beauty and style. It was the same as being unalive or poofed.

Salem finished his stretches and tried not to get jittery. He was thrilled to be participating in the events in Hosenka. You can say a lot of things about Blue Pegasus but they knew how to party. If it was not for the fact that Salem was in Paradise Dawn for so long. He may have switched guilds just for the sparkles. Like the guild really knew how to put on a show. Compared to keeping up his duties and protecting the desolate north. The nature was more abundant but the activities were a killer on his social life.

Getting up he cooled himself off from the hot sun with his magic. All he had to do was wait for his partner and for the event to show up. He was glad he managed to wrangle someone in to help. If not this event would have gone downhill a lot faster for himself.

WC: 225

Alaric was a bit thrown back when Salem approached him with the idea that the two of them partner for a cooking contest. He had never really cooked for Salem and as far as he recalled, the two of them never did discuss if either of them were good cooks. Alaric had traveled to Hosenka, a city he’d never been to, all to cook with his little fairy. He had thrown on something simple. They were gonna get hot and dirty so why bother getting too fancy? He opted to wear an older t-shirt that was a faded grey color with some sort of graphic that had washed away to nothing more than a simple star that had lost its shine. His pants were baggy navy ball shorts and probably a bit more broken in than he would normally wear in public.

He was a bit nervous. Not to be around Salem but to be around all these people. He wasn’t expecting a crowd like this. There were so many humans and other creatures from all over. It wasn’t just Blue Pegasus or Fairy Tail that were here, people from non-mage guilds had come to partake. It was quite the festival. He pushed past the crowds and tried to find his way to Salem.

After a few moments, he finally picked up the scent. Like a hound dog, Alaric started to ignore those around him and forced his way along the scent’s path. Eventually, he found himself looking at a fairy that was so put together it hurt his own pride. Like, did Alaric need to be standing by this man? He was so graceful and looked like he was made for the center of attention. While Alaric looked like he had just woken up. He approached Salem with a bit of hesitancy. “Ah, hey Salem.” Normally Alaric felt more confident in himself but today it seems that confidence had stayed at home.

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“There you are love~” Salem was enthusiastic in his return greeting. The wereman was fun to be around and could even bring some excitement to this competition. Sometimes Salem did think ‘if he had a tail, would it wag?’ It was not a serious thought but it was there nonetheless. It was just the excitement in the air that was getting to him.

Salem admired the look Alaric had on. It was so much more natural. Compared to the polish and try hard that Salem put in. The fae had to admit that the wolfman was so handsome in a more real way. He had no doubt that when set in motion, his companion may start to develop his own fan club.

If it were not for the fact that Salem was looking at him. He may have missed the signs that something was up. He came closer and bent over, as if to try and put his hands on the man's cheeks to get him to look up at him. “What’s wrong? Nervous? Upset? I will not know if you do not tell me?” Those fae genes were kicking in. When he wanted to he would display that straightforwardness to find out what he wanted to.


WC: 207 TWC: 432

Salem’s face of pure joy did bring comfort to Alaric. His nerves were still there but they were warming up to the scenario he found himself in. He glanced around at the crowd, noting that none of the people there were even looking at him. It made him a bit more relaxed about it all but still, he would rather not be in such a large crowd. The noise and smells were almost overwhelming for somebody like him. Lately, he’d noticed his senses were much more acute than normal. He wasn’t sure why but in a situation like this, it was a burden more than a blessing.

It must have been a Fae thing, Salem was able to pick up right away that something was amiss with Alaric. Alaric slid a hand behind his head and scratched at his hair to be more nonchalant. “Ah, umm yea I guess.” His body turned again to look at the crowd. While nobody paid him any mind, in his head they were all thinking about how a freak like him could be allowed to roam the streets as he pleases. Trauma doesn’t seem to fade overnight. He turned back to Salem and locked eyes with him. “Crowds and me don’t mix. Or, I should say, humans and me don’t mix.”


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Looking to make sure his partner relaxed a little. Salem felt a little better when he did. The little fairy can get competitive at times but he was always concerned about the people he viewed as his. He was the type that enjoyed making sure his things were in the best of conditions. So when he noticed a hint of perkiness he was able to breath easily.

“Your focus should not be on them. Let me worry about them. I just want to eat the food you make. All you have to do is cook. Would be best for you to get your supplies ready. The event should start soon. Feel free to go full beast since I want to win. I will have your back.”

Salem meant that with his entire being. He wanted to win and would not hesitate to do so. It was his main goal and he needed it. He was giving Alaric a chance to show off. As a flame mage he should have a better control of flame, Salem wanted to believe the food would be bursting with flavor. When Alaric had his gear and stuff set it would look odd compared to some of the other contestants. To the ones working in pairs or groups, they had a similar idea as Salem.

“When it starts, get to cooking. We will make it up the mountain in no time.” Salem said it with confidence even if what he was about to do was highly experimental to say the least. Nor did he even know if Alaric could cook. He had faith in his healing abilities to keep anyone going or alive if he could not. From his hard work and confidence, Salem thought they would place even if the food lacked.



WC: 297    TWC: 729

Alaric looked at Salem as he spoke those words. He glanced back over his shoulder one more time before finding the resolve to drown out the crowds. Salem had given him what he needed, a safe space. He balled his fist tightly and gave a firm nod. “You’re right. I just need to focus. Fuck the rest.” He took a deep inhale, allowing his chest to fully expand. As he exhaled he walked past Salem and towards their station. It was nothing too grand, Alaric had used a cruder workspace before. This was much nicer than what he was used to. Out on the road, he was lucky to have more than two pans going at once. He gathered some of the wood logs and tossed them into the pit. If they were going to BBQ, he needed to get the heat going. With a snap of his fingers, a small burst appeared in the center of the pile. A flame sparked. One more snap and the entirety of the logs would be roaring to life.

He slipped on the apron that was hanging up and started to go through all his stock. “Hey Salem, can you get me a basin of water going? Go ahead and get some vinegar too and measure. I’ll get to work on the meat. It’s gonna take a bit of time to get this nice and smoked. We’ll have to keep an eye on the temps. “ As Salem headed off to get some of the base ingredients for the sauce together, Alaric’s attention shifted to the large ice chest. There were several different cuts of meat inside but his gaze went quickly to the venison ribs. Pork or beef were traditional with ribs but venison was a viable option too. One that Alaric could appreciate. They were leaner than the other two but there was still plenty of fat.

He took the ribs out and brought them to the table. He began to sharpen his knife while looking over the meat. More fat than I would have thought. I’m gonna need to trim that off or it will kill the flavor. He thought to himself. Slowly, he began. Slivers of meat slid off the hunks one by one. After several minutes of intense concentration, Alaric had shaved most of the excess fat off one set of the ribs. As he brought himself up to admire his work, he noticed the crowd once again.

People were looking at him. They were looking at everybody but he felt as if their eyes were only on him. Darting looks made him feel uneasy. The venison was a bad choice. No way these people will like the more gaming style of ribs. These were city folk, not hunters. He put the knife down and turned his back to the crowd, facing the cold box. He stood there staring at the other meat, afraid to pick a different option. The clock was ticking. If he didn’t have his meat in the pit soon, it would not have enough time to fully cook. Alaric was paralyzed.


WC 524 | TWC 1073

Salem placed his hand on his stomach. He was getting that nervous familiar feeling back. He had learned that humans grow a specific species of butterflies in their stomachs. They feed off of nervousness and become active when the body releases those chemicals. Apparently, when the human relaxes they return to hibernation. It was an interesting factoid that Salem learned about humanity. His current experience was telling him the creatures were active.

He took a deep breath to try and calm them down. When Alaric became a bit more ready he felt nervous. The Aquatic one had faith in his mate. Until the guy started giving him directions to help cook. It was supposed to be a team effort. It was supposed to be cooking and climbing, not a one or the other deal.

“Sure. I can do that as well.”

The Fairy Godfather was kinda glad he was decent at multitasking. This would be the chance for him to help out his mate, and showcase his magical prowess. Life was just too hard for people with such amazing abilities as himself.

The race was announced to start and that was when he went into action. One hand Salem started to help with the cooking. He pointed downwards at the basin. Causing water to form and fill it up. His water had a green tint to it from the abundant nature present in it. It did not cause any damage (if he did not want it to) but it was great in nutrition and value. He made sure to add in the vinegar like he was asked.

That took about 30 seconds of his concentration. The next bit of magic was a lot more complex so Salem wanted to make sure he could get it done. He started by making a water trail to outline their specific area. Including their grill, supplies, the fire, and all the necessary things. He did that with a finger. Then he separated 3 quarters of a meter of the top soil and such they were working on. Making sure it did not touch the fire for the pit he was using.

Salem dug his arms underneath towards the mountain. The edge of it shot out ropes of sticky water that clung to it. Making a lift the soil, and all of the group started to move. All of it was attached making them travel on a platform. Salem started slowly to make sure they were stable and keep Alaric from disturbance for his cooking. In a moment after Salem waved his hand to create a transparent dome around them with some holes at the top. It could keep the other competitors out and keep the air semi flowing. The overall ability was an interesting feet of magic.

“Anything else you need darling?”

The fae was making sure not to neglect his man. He started controlling the spell with one hand. The other one was free to cast some other magics if needed. If Salem was any weaker in his magic control this spell would have taken up a lot more of his concentration. He was still slightly focused on his task at hand; he would not notice if his habibi was stressed. Salem was fighting back small beads of sweat and the mana consumption from this spell cast.




WC: 554    TWC: 1,283

Alaric’s pulse quickened as he stared into the cold box. His hands gripped the edges tightly, knuckles whitening from the pressure. He knew the clock was ticking, and the meat needed to be in the pit. The feeling of eyes on him, the crowd’s murmurs, and the unspoken judgments played tricks on his mind. He took a deep breath, trying to focus on the task at hand. Suddenly, the sounds around him grew muffled as his senses zeroed in on Salem’s voice “Anything else you need, darling?” Salem’s calm and confident tone cut through Alaric’s anxiety like a knife through butter. He turned his head to see Salem working his magic, quite literally, as a dome formed around them and their station began to rise. It was an impressive feat, showcasing Salem’s immense magical prowess. Seeing his partner’s determination and control brought a sense of calm to Alaric. If Salem could manage such a complex spell while still offering support, then Alaric could focus on what he was good at, cooking.

“No, that’s great, Salem,” Alaric replied, mustering a smile. “Thanks for setting this up. I’ll get back to the meat.” With renewed resolve, Alaric returned to the venison ribs. He knew he had to make a decision and stick with it. Trusting his instincts, he removed the knife and resumed trimming the fat. The precise, repetitive motion helped to center his thoughts. He worked methodically, ensuring each cut was clean. The clock was ticking and he did not have time to spare with self-doubt and worry. Salem was doing his part, it was damn time Alaric did the same.

Once the ribs were prepped, Alaric seasoned them with a blend of spices he’d prepared earlier. The aroma of garlic, paprika, and a hint of cayenne filled the air, mingling with the smoky scent of the fire. He placed the ribs on the grill, the sizzling sound providing a satisfying affirmation of progress. Alaric adjusted the flames, ensuring they were at the perfect temperature for slow cooking. He leaned down and gave a hefty whiff with his nose. The blend of spices warmed his chest. A smile formed as he exhaled. “It’s going to be hard not to eat these myself once they’re done. Maybe we can check out some of the food vendors after this?” He glanced at Salem, hoping the water Fae would honor him with time outside the competition.

Alaric turned his attention to the side dishes as the ribs began to smoke. He retrieved a variety of vegetables from the ice chest, bell peppers, zucchini, and red onions. He began to chop them with precision, creating a colorful medley to accompany the ribs. Despite the initial nerves, Alaric found himself slipping into a rhythm. Cooking had always been a form of solace for him. Salem’s encouragement and presence only gave his mind more peace than it was normally used to. For a moment, he forgot that they had been steadily ascending the rocky mountain. It felt like it was just the two of them.

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“I hope you save some for the judges at least. If you eat it all now, I would still wanna try your cooking later.”

Salem had a lot of faults and his sensibility when it came to Alaric could be considered one. He would not care if his wolf gave him a dead squirrel cooked in a poisonous reduction. The Fairy Godfather would simply eat it because of who gave it to him. He did not want to waste time sweating the little things.

“But I will be more than happy to check out the various food vendors as well. Hopefully they have something nourishing.” Salem was trying to say in a happy tone. Trying to keep the stress of what he was doing out of his voice.

Was water considered wet by itself? If a water Fae was said to represent water, then the answer would be yes. Salem was starting to sweat from the strain of moving them up the moment. The dome was not the best when it came to moving but it was something. Salem wished he could have just grabbed Alaric and flew up. Except they would have lost because no one would have been able to cook, and Salem refused to outright throw a game. He was feeling driven to play and at least have fun with it. Like it was an emotion of life that forced others to go with it.

*Boom*

The sound of a blast hitting the water dome he made rang out. He was amused at the mage blasting away at him. Salem thought it was great to have the guy waste his energy in such a trivial pursuit. He could waste time letting his shields take the brunt but it would be better to take an opponent out. Salem was not in the mood to be a sitting duck. It would also be harder for him to take on multiple people if they decided to gang up on him. The overthinker even considered how the distractions could get to Alaric and effect the taste of the meal. He was such a busy man that put in so much effort.

“Water in the hole!”

Salem believed fire in the hole was not appropriate for him to say. So he used water as the only sort of warning as he blasted away. The fae always aimed for the function over pure brute. His beam was not his usual healing magic. The mage used a supplementary spell aimed at the mountain that connected the other team's platform. It was a knockback spell that disconnected the platform. Like how Salem was doing the other team was traveling the same. Instead of aiming like he did they aimed for his magic. Not that it would have made much of a difference to him.

“Have a nice trip!” Salem gave a malicious smile as the people tumbled down. He was not gonna do anything to pad the fall. They should have something up their sleeve for that. A rumble went off in the dome. Salem was not sure about the source till he turned to see it.



WC: 522    TWC: 1,805

Alaric blushed as he looked back towards the meat. “Yeah, the vendors all looked pretty good too. I smelled some good caramel corn too. “ He said in a bashful tone trying to avoid eye contact with the Fae. It was fun this experience. Alaric was not really sure he was going to ever find himself agreeing to something like this again but it was fun for the time being. He never thought being wrapped up in a bubble of water on the side of a mountain was going to be in his life’s cards but here he was.

Alaric was focused, almost too focused. It was when a sudden boom occurred that he became hyper-alert to the world around them. It was foolish to think that he and Salem were in this tango alone. Of course, there were others here trying to win the competition. Salem’s barrier held but one glance at his friend and Alaric could see the stress on the man’s face. “Salem, you got this?” He asked nervously. Falling from a mountain with a whole smoker on top of him was not how he pictured his death.

Salem held steady. Okay, no need to worry. Salem has this under control. Just focus Alaric. Focus. His internal monologue trying to reassure him that his task was to just cook. He wasn’t meant to engage in combat. He shouldn’t lash out and take offense here. He needed to make sure that when they got to the top there was a nice cook meal ready to be judged.

Alaric went back to the food making sure the veggies did not become overcooked and soggy. The meat was starting to smell good. If they didn’t somehow get knocked off the mountain, they would have a real chance at this dish winning. At least that was what Alaric believed. Salem yelled out an odd phrase and soon the pounding sounds against his dome had stopped. Alaric looked up and noticed that the pair had somehow secured a lead. “Great job Salem.”

As they made it to the top he let out a sigh of relief. “Geez. That was nerve-wracking.” He patted Salem on the back as they handed in their dish to be judged. Based on their performance in the climb and the dish it was no surprise to hear that they had won first place. Alaric would give Salem a congratulatory squeeze out of excitement. It was a great day after all. He was ready to cut loose and head down to the festival to see what else they could do, now they had a lot more jewels in their pockets to spend.

-exit

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Salem gave himself a cheer from his hard work. He was so preoccupied with the moving and such he did not even hear Alaric earlier. The only thing that made him notice his man was cooking was the sizzling scent of meat. Salem was not the biggest of carnivores but the scent titillated his appetite. It had set him off so much that the rumbling that was starting in the domain was coming from his own stomach. The Fairy Godfather was embarrassed and hungry. It was a relief that they made it to the top of the mountain, with a thrilling lead at that.

“It was nerve wracking but it was also very sad. I had thought that I would at least get to try the dish before you handed it in. You made it smell very good.” Salem pouted as if he was having a small tantrum. The likes of which would not be quelled. Until they got the first place prize. It was enough to calm him down and put a smile on his face. That and he was now able to fulfill the rest of his thought process. Exploring the place with Alaric and getting a good meal into his belly. Using the prize money in question to have his way.


WC: 214    TWC: 2,019

[Exit]