"So what's your guys' world like?" Vauer glances at Julias, who has been way more welcoming than Adriel.

"We do stuff during the day and sleep at night," Julias begins. "We all look more or less the same, there's no unusual characteristics defining us."

"So what powers do you guys have?"

"None." Julias shrugs.

"What do you mean, none?" Vauer stops, causing Adriel and Julias to stop, a complaint falling from the former's lips. "How'd you get here if you have no powers?"

"We have no clue and we'd like to get back as soon as possible so if you could resume walking that'd be great." Adriel shoves Vauer forward with his foot.

"Don't be a dick!" Julias smacks Adriel's arm, glaring at him. "What's wrong with you?"

Adriel gestures angrily towards Vauer. Julias rolls his eyes and walks forward.

"Really?"

"You're an asshole, Adriel."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Well that would be a lot of things, where do you want me to start?"

"Are you sure you two aren't a couple?" Vauer turns around and glances between Adriel and Julias. "You act like an old married couple."

"This douchebag is my mortal enemy." Julias jabs his thumb towards Adriel, who replies by smacking his hand. "Ow."

"I know that didn't hurt you dick."

"No, it totally hurt." Julias nods. "Hurt very much."

"Shut up or I'll punch you."

"Because me shutting up has ever stopped you before?"

"And punching you has never made you shut up, so we both get what we want." Adriel grins. "I get to punch you and you get to jabber on like a dumbass."

Julias pulls his arm back and slams his fist into Adriel's shoulder. Adriel winces, stumbling sideways a few steps while holding his shoulder.

"Fucking hell!" he shouts. "That hurt you asshole!"

"Good!"

"What the fuck was it for?"

"For calling me a dumbass!"

"Oh, you've gotta- are you serious right now?" Adriel grabs Julias's shoulders, digging his fingers into his skin. "We're traveling with someone we might not be able to trust, in a world we know nothing about full of magical monsters and you think it's the best idea to hurt me."

Julias grabs Adriel's wrists and easily pulls his hands off of him, shoving him backward.

"I have one rule," he hisses, holding up an index finger. "One. Don't call me stupid. That's it! It's not that hard to fucking follow!"

"And you decide that an appropriate punishment is punching me? What's wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not the one who thinks calling people stupid is just a joke!" Julias bites the tip of his tongue, keeping the tears in his eyes at bay. "It's not! You're an asshole and you need to learn to respect other people!"

"I respect those who respect me, and you don't!"

"I respect people who don't cross my boundaries!"

"Wow, I called you stupid! Get over it you fucking idiot!"

Julias shoves Adriel as hard as he can, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"I said don't call me stupid," he growls. Adriel looks up, eyes wide, and watches Julias walk over to Vauer.

"Shouldn't we-"

"He'll catch up." Julias storms away, hands clenching his coat. Adriel slowly clambers to his feet.

"Wait." He jogs over to the duo, resting a hand on Julias's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not." Julias shoves his hand away. "Don't fucking touch me."

"If we're going to work together to-"

"You think we're working together?" Julias whirls around, corners of his mouth pulled down. "The hell is wrong with you? We're not working together. I'm working with Vauer and you're doing everything on your own."

"Julias, that's a bit harsh." Vauer grabs Julias's arm. Adriel watches as Julias's eyes widen and then he's ripping Vauer's hand away.

"Adriel?"

"We're working together," Adriel insists, dropping Vauer's hand. "We were brought here together, we're leaving together. Yell at me all you want. I'm not leaving your side until we're home."

"Ow." Vauer rubs his wrist. "That hurt."

"Good!" Adriel snaps. "Don't touch him again."

"Wow, possessive much?" Julias rolls his eyes. "He's helping us, not trying to kill us. Are you capable of being nice or is that an issue for you?"

Adriel reaches out and pokes Julias's left wrist. Julias sucks in a breath, eyes widening in pain.

"Now I'll be nice." Adriel nods, grinning when Julias flips him off.

"No, I'm pretty sure that's impossible for you."

"It's not, I promise."

"It is, I promise."

"Can we please get moving?" Vauer begs, grabbing Adriel's arm. Adriel immediately yanks his arm out of Vauer's hold.

"Don't touch me, don't touch Julias," he orders. "Got it?"

"Yeah, got it."

"Vauer's right, we need to move." Julias signals Adriel to follow him. "Let's go, asshole."

"You ever think about writing a poem?"

"Why, because I speak so eloquently?"

"No, because you'd suck and should never consider it."

"I'll have you know I'm actually pretty good at poetry."

"Let me guess." Adriel clears his throat a few times, falling in step with Julias. "Roses are red, violets are blue, you hate me and I fucking hate you."

"No, I'm significantly better than you are." Julias shoves Adriel's shoulder lightly. "Sunlight through the windows, dust hovering, the smell of fresh cut grass. I'd find today perfect, but just last night, my heart was shattered like glass."

"You're alright.," Adriel remarks. "Just alright though."

"Mhm."

"Got any others?"

"And here you said I was just alright." Julias looks at Adriel, a gotcha! expression on his face.

"So I like poetry." Adriel shrugs. "Sue me."

"I plan to. I only have one other one memorized."

"I think you're a fantastic poet!" Vauer jumps in, weaseling his way between Julias and Adriel. Julias coughs, a smirk crossing his face.

"My next poem," he announces dramatically. "Two fair men lie in water warm and slow, as brothers are they joined heart to heart, but Cupid hath not struck them with his bow, lest that be thought, they sit five feet apart."

"That is the-"

"That was so beautiful," Vauer declares. Adriel looks at Vauer for about a second before glancing at Julias and bursting into laughter.

"Sorry, Vauer, that was a joke." Julias coughs, disguising a laugh, as he pats Vauer's shoulder.

"So that's not a poem?"

"No, it's most definitely a joke I got from the internet."

"Do you have an actual poem that you'd like to share?" Adriel pokes Julias's shoulder. "One that isn't a joke?"

"I do, but it's better written down than read aloud. I don't suppose you have a piece of paper and a pencil on you?"

"What's the internet?" Vauer wonders. Julias snaps, pointing at Vauer as he looks at Adriel.

"Knew I was missing something!"

"Yeah, a-" Adriel slams his mouth shut, rolling his eyes. "Did you just forget we were in a fantasy world? There's no technology here!"

"The internet is something that has all the knowledge in the world," Julias explains, glancing at Vauer. "It's like taking every book to ever exist and putting it into one easily-accessible book."

"That's so cool!"

Adriel laughs. "You're the most refreshing person I've ever met."

"Ouch." Julias presses a hand to his chest, feigning hurt. "You wound me."

"I will punch you."

"And if you do then you'll be all alone with Mr. Refreshing," Julias replies. The color drains from Adriel's face as the thought of being alone with Vauer flits through his head.

"I take back my words, I won't punch you."

Julias laughs loudly, eyes closed in pure pleasure. Adriel watches him calm down silently, heart aching when Julias's grin slips into a simple smile.

"We should probably take a break sometime soon," Julias says, looking at Vauer. "Are there any good spots for us to do so?"

"There's a clearing a bit up ahead," Vauer offers. "We can rest there for a bit before continuing."

"Sounds good to me."

Question of the chapter: who's better, Adriel or Julias? Why?