Burning Ice & Freezing Fire

Escape!?

It worked...

It actually worked!

Robbie realizes that...when he feels his stomach turn.

And it turns...because the airship does the same.

The felf groans lowly. He forgot how sensitive he still reacts on this rocking...

Carefully he ends the ventilating kiss and searches his boyfriend's eyes. He doesn't look well...at all. But he forces a small smile on his lips. The felf shortly, lovingly strokes his cheek, then he sits up and looks around. All three elves are knocked out. Nine in the chair with the book in his lap, one guard is lying on the floor of the kitchen part of the room and the other one is hanging unconsciously in the cockpit.

"Well, he should definitely not be flying anymore..." murmurs Robbie more to himself to fight his nervousness, then he notices the small apple on the ground, grabs it and helps Sportacus to sit up before holding him the fruit "Here. This might help you to get back some color in your face, Sportapale..."

The hero accepts the food with a weak, thankful smile but protests feebly "...But...the door... I have to..."

"Oh, leave that to me for once..." the felf grabs the screwdriver and shifts over to the door. While working on the lock he explains with a light blush "I need to keep myself busy otherwise I'll get sick... We need to replace the pilot..."

"...and to land," Sportacus nods while slowly chewing on the apple and when his boyfriend gives him a short look he adds "Don't worry. I can do that. Really."

"Good."

The lock gives in and Robbie can sense that the magic barrier of it is already gone as well. Probably because all three of the people who usually keep it upright are knocked out on their magic energy level. Something that isn't the case when they're just asleep...

Carefully he crawls out of the cage. Thereby he has to ignore the fear of the power of the crystal by reminding himself that Nine can't control it anymore either...

Sportacus follows him while he's still eating the apple. He's still pale but he pulls himself together. "We should lock them in the cage."

"Good idea," the felf nods but immediately cuts the hero's attempt to walk over to the unconscious elf in the cockpit off "Let me handle this. You need your strength for flying this thing!"

"...Okay... But...be careful. Don't hurt yourself..." pleads Sportacus lowly and looks away. He hates feeling this dazzled and weak... And he has to take a small bite of the apple every few minutes because otherwise he can feel his eyelids growing heavy in the first signs of a sneaky sugar meltdown.

Silently he watches Robbie pull the guard away and drag him to the cage, then he takes his place in the cockpit.

After a few seconds he announces "We can't land."

"What?" the felf is already busy getting the second guard into the cage and is glad that his stomach is slowly recovering already "Why not?"

"We're flying above water. The sea I guess..."

"Oh, just great... So... What direction now? Home? Or..." Robbie can't help the light shiver running down his spine. Sportacus doesn't need to see him to hear his fear "What kind of question is that even? It's about time we get back where we both truly belong!"

"And then we'll send these...not so blue elves off again. Alone!" carefully the inventor removes the crystal from Nine's pocket with a tissue and puts it in the nearest closet.

"Exactly!" Sportacus laughs lowly, weakly and turns the ship around. The thought of finally getting Robbie into safety again gives him new strength.

Strength that he'll need.

Because what Robbie isn't aware of is a decision the hero just made.

The decision not to tell his boyfriend about the red substance, slowly but steadily running out of his nose...