Chapter Text
It had been hard to get here, okay? First, Tarvis had tried to kill them. Then, Devan’s grandmother appeared and tried to kill them. Then dragons appeared and tried to kill them.
There was even a brief moment where Devan tried to kill her. But then Dren started crying and then Devan started crying and then they started hugging. Murder doesn’t count if everyone’s crying.
But it had been worth it! Because now they were here, some sunny island in the Ozmit, renting a cabin and spending evenings taking long walks on the beach. It was nice and quiet and remote. Sometimes, under the light of the moon, Devan would press her mouth against hers. And it was like everything in the world was quiet and still. Like their love was the only thing keeping the world moving.
So yeah, Dren was pretty much loving her remote island get away.
…until it got much less remote.
First, the cabin next to them got rented. It was another lesbian couple, a red-headed half-elf named Keyleth and blonde gnome called Pike. They seemed nice and very enthusiastic to meet Devan and Dren. It was hard, sometimes, talking to new people. So much of her life had to be edited to make sure the Clasp didn’t figure out where they were. But she was pretty sure that their new neighbors were keeping things too. Once Dren asked how their garden looked so nice after they’d only been there for a week and Keyleth squeaked and ran away. Pike, left standing there, just smiled.
But they were pretty nice! And every so often they'd be drinking tea or doing each others hair in the window and wave to Dren and Devan. Part of Dren kind of wanted to get closer to the pair. They seemed sweet. She floated the idea of giving them a haiku to Devan who just gave her a fondly exasperated look.
Dren beamed. No one at the Clasp ever gave her haikus fond looks.
But after the first set of neighbors, things escalated. They got more neighbors. A human who introduced herself as Allura and another halfling, Kima came to the island. Dren was pretty sure Kima was a very different sort of halfling than Dren and Devan. For starters, Kima’s biceps were twice as large as Dren and Devan’s put together. These neighbors spent less time on gardens and more time doing… other things.
Dren and Devan would walk outside and find the new new neighbors outside together. Allura would be reading a book, turning the pages without using her hands. Kima would have a greatsword of similar height to herself and furiously swing it while screaming. Sometimes, they noticed Dren and Devan staring and waved. Most of the time, they were absorbed in reading and/or decapitating invisible enemies.
Dren and Devan were both a little a bit afraid of the couple. Possibly more of the human than the halfling.
Speaking of rational fear, their other neighbors were also clearly frightened of them as well. When they first ran across each other. Keyleth’s eyes went as wide as saucers, Pike started pointing, and all parties paled. Without a word, both couples very quickly went back to their respective cabins. Dren and Devan just stared out the window.
Occasionally, they saw Kima and Pike lifting heavy things together and talking. So maybe afraid wasn’t the right word. But Dren didn’t necessarily love having fighters and mages next to her. Where were the poets, goddammit.
But, fine, new equilibrium. Dren could adjust. Then things got ridiculous. A freaking pirate ship anchored itself off its shore. Devan grabbed her hand as they walked outside. If it was the Clasp, Devan and Dren had nowhere to run. Dren would face death bravely, clutching her lover, prepared to screw over those bastards one last time.
Eventually, a row boat manned by a pretty dark-skinned woman and a half-elf with feathers on the bay came across shore. Jauntily, the half-elf stepped off. “Hello, lovely to meet you. I’m Vex’ahlia, I just need some shore time to let my…”
At this point, Dren and Devan’s neighbors had stepped out and started openly staring.
“Vex…?” Keyleth started “Why are you here? And a pirate?”
Vex carefully put a hand on her companion's sholders, quietly leaning into her space. Oh, Dren thought Ohhhh. “Keyleth, we’re not pirates. Darlings, may I introduce you to the dashing Captain Adella. Adella, dear, this island we were going to let Trinket on apparently has some of my friends already on it. That’s Kima, Allura, Pike, and Keyleth.”
“Oh, is Keyleth the one—”
“Yes, which is why you shouldn’t be offended about the irate-pay thing.”
The discussion then turned to bears (?) and dragons (??) and being really gay and avoiding responsibility (okay, that one Dren understood.) But for the most part, the conversation was incomprehensible.
Dren? Devan messaged in her head What’s going on?
I’m not sure. But I think we accidently founded crazy lesbian island.
I’m glad that I get to be on crazy lesbian island with you.
Yeah. Me too.