Scandinavian Heartstrings, in Drop D.

Chapter 9.1 Rooftop confessions

Skwisgaar's lungs burned with laboured breath as he pushed himself up the last flight of stairs toward the highest windows of Mordhaus. He half crawled, half fell, through the dwarf sized opening and tumbled onto the external landing.

Toki sat on the edge of the Dragon's snout looking out toward the city nestled at the foot of the mountain. The humidity made the city lights sparkle like polished gemstones, as if the Dragon's hoard had slid from under it to settle in the valley below. The smoke billowing from its mouth guttered and swayed as the storm winds played with it. Soot clawed at Skwisgaar's throat and lungs as he panted, causing him to splutter on all fours like a choking dog. Toki turned toward the sound and their eyes locked. Skwisgaar's limbs were weak and spent, even holding his own weight was a challenge. The wooden cladding sloped away on either side to resemble the shape of the legendary monster's face; one misplaced footstep and he could easily fall over the edge. He rolled back onto his haunches to steady himself as he caught his breath.

"What... the fuck... are you doing... up here?" He forced out between inhales, "Quit being a dildo and come inside." Toki's glare could have punched a hole right through the mountain side and Skwisgaar physically recoiled. "It's just, well you only got out, what? Two days ago? And, the fellas, they're worried about you, so..." He let the words fall clumsily from his lips. "Look, just come inside. You know, before the storm hits?" Toki held his gaze as the thunder spoke for him, rolling menacingly around the hills. He then turned away to refocus on the city scape below.

Skwisgaar forced himself to venture away from his safety zone and out along the Dragon's nose, but the wind made each step even more unsteady than his shaking knees alone. A sudden gust pushed him back and Skwisgaar momentarily lost his footing. He teetered on the spot, catching a glimpse over the side as he stabilised. The distance between himself and the ground became unsettlingly clear and the paralysing quills of vertigo pierced every part of his body. He stood motionless, not even breathing before he threw his dignity into the volatile wind and dropped again to steady himself against the floor.

"Damn it, Toki!" Skwisgaar's arms were shaking as he pressed his fingertips down hard for grip. "If you want to brood or daydream or whatever-the-fuck-it-is you're doing up here, then fine, but you're going to do it from a window. A closed window. Inside." The wooden scales of Mordhaus moaned and creaked as they twisted with the drop in air pressure.