A Twist of Fate

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Mallin only smiled at Cryon's request, nodding along though he hadn't thought of worrying about money until the king mentioned it. "You'll have to tell me what size and what colors." It would be a longer trip back, if the man chose something bigger than, say, a chicken, as he would have to strap it to his back and moving too quickly might crack it, but he wouldn't deny Cryon anything the man wanted. Having a piece of Arcturus in the castle might be nice, like two worlds coming together in harmony in his new life.

When Cryon stood, Mallin blinked in surprise and did the same only once Nima was on his feet, giving a short bow in return. "I'm so glad I could come and see you." The Mage said, taking Nima's hand in both of his in a warm embrace, a bit of humor in his voice. "I promise I won't wait so long to visit again this time." He hoped to stay right in this place, where he could perhaps meet more old friends that wouldn't shy away from him, and he could piece together the beginnings of a good life here.

He waved as they walked out, smiling as they went and sighing softly and contentedly once they were back outside. "Do you need to go back so soon?" Mallin asked as they got back to their horses, giving his a gentle pet as before and vaulting up onto her back. "I'd thought we were going to go and see Sylvia again. I can go on my own if you've too many things to do." He offered it freely, and with a warm tone that held no foul thoughts. It wouldn't bother him if Cryon needed to go, or if he simply didn't wish to be in the house of such a sick person again. Mallin could manage on his own, as he'd done for years now. He just couldn't skip over a healing session when the woman was so weak. She needed him.
 
"Till next time," Cryon said to Nima in a soft farewell before leaving the room and heading outside to their horses. The guards were already there, waitting patiently just in case either of them needed their help, but the King wasn't worried about that. He cast his gaze to the mage with a small look of worry, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth, "No, I'll go with you to Sylvia. It's not a problem if I stay out of the room."

"Are you alright?" The King asked after a moment, realizing he hadn't asked even once today. It brought shame to his chest, knowing that even though he was concerned for his friend, he never really voiced it out loud, and he was worried about his friend and hoped that the meeting with Nima hadn't shaken him up in anyway,

When they got on their horses, he quietly ordered the guards to move further on ahead, watching as they traveled several feet away from the King and the mage. It would give them time to talk with neither of the guards listening in, and it allowed Cryon to walk closer with his horse next to Mallin's.
 
Mallin wasn't so sure that Cryon would be okay being in Sylvia's house, but he didn't deny the man, just nodding and letting the matter be for now. Perhaps some other time he would press the matter, when Sylvia's mother was less in need of him. As it was, he let Cryon wave the guards away and did his best not to frown at the action, just letting his horse walk close to Cryon's and waiting for the man to speak. It was such a simple question, for so much fuss, and Mallin had to wonder what lay behind it.

"All right?" The Mage repeated, and smiled reassuringly after. "I'm just fine. . ." He looked at where his own hands held the reigns and shook his head. "It was a relief, seeing Nima." He said softer. "The nerves will go away. . ." He'd been wound so tightly before they went that suddenly being reassured that everything was fine had left him feeling a little weak and shaky. It was nothing too troublesome, though, and he didn't want to let it stop him from doing what was necessary, despite not wanting to worry his friend either.

"Why?" Mallin asked next, smiling again as if there might be a joke somewhere hidden in his friend's worry. "Do I look frightful?" He hadn't thought he'd looked worried about things any more than usual, and he had regained his strength from the day before so he doubted he'd gone pale. "I promise to be more careful this time."
 
Cryon watched Malkin carefully as he spoke, frowning a little bit as his friend seemed to be just fine. Was he just imagining things now? "I was just worried." Cryon finally said, his voice soft and a bit distracted as he looked at the reigns helps tightly in his grip. When did he start holding on so tightly?

Slowly, he released the reigns from his death grip and let them hang in his hand like he was supposed to before turning his eyes back to Mallin, giving him a small smile. "You seemed troubled by something. I was afraid Nima or I had said of did something that bothered you. You can tell me if we did." He offered, allowing his shoulders just to relax a little bit. He never wanted the mage to be uncomfortable, even if that meant changing some part of himself to help accomplish it.

(This is short, sorry. I'm on my phone cause my computer won't connect to the internet)
 
((Aw, that sucks :( I hate when that happens))

Ah, so that was it. Mallin had thought he wasn't so obvious, but he supposed he was underestimating his dear friend, or overestimating his own abilities. "It's not you. . ." The Mage said softly after a moment, an almost sad sort of sag in his expression, his eyes on the back of the mare's head a they went. "At least, it's not anything that's your fault. It's nothing to worry yourself over." He gave a small, humorless sort of smile, glancing over at his friend again. "I was just thinking too much." He had a bad habit of that.

"Truthfully," the Mage continued after a moment, "There is a feeling of . . . not being left out, really, but . . . when we are around people like Nima that you've known for so long, that I remember but have been away from, I sometimes feel as if I only exist alongside you, not with you. As if we're apart still." He shook his head, unsure how to word it right, and gave a rueful sort of smile. "The reality is that not everyone will see me as you do. Every time I meet someone, whether I knew them before or not, I'll always be left waiting, trying to figure out how I should behave, if they've seen me absolved of blame or will hate me still, even if only because I was born with magic. . . It's frightening. . . But it's just how things will be. I knew coming home wouldn't be simple." He gave a small shrug, with no reassuring words for his friend. The truth was that he was likely going to be very uncomfortable for a very long time, and there was no changing it. "I can only exist in the circumstances I have left to me, and adapt as best I can. I hope only to have the strength to change the things I can, and to endure what I can't."
 
Cryon's softened as Mallin explained what was on his mind, his brows furrowing in concern as he tipped his head at his friend, taking in a deep breath and reaching out, squeezing Mallin's hand in comfort for just a moment. "Mallin, I'm sorry that everything is not perfect. How I wish that it was and that we could spend our days catching up on the time we have lost, but I'm glad that you are here now and even if there are people who won't accept you for who you are..." Cryon paused, looking down at their connected hands with a sad sort of sigh leaving his throat. "I'll accept you no matter what happens. That's all I can give you, but I hope that will be enough."

He released Mallin's hand and returned his to the reigns of his horse, looking down at the mane of the beast with a quiet guilt on his face. "If it gets to be too much, I can understand if you want to leave. I know you are more accepted in Arcturus than here, and that they respect you for what you do. I won't make it hard on you, if you'd think that you'd rather stick to what you are comfortable with." He finally said, his hands clenching the reigns tighter until his knuckles turned white. He didn't want Mallin to leave, but he would most certainly not make him stay if he was unhappy.

"Sire, we arrived at Miss Silvia's house." One of the guards said, pulling him out of his stupor. He hadn't even realized that the horses had stopped moving, and his adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed before nodding, swinging his leg over and getting off his horse. He looked at Mallin, and even with the pain that went through his heart, he smiled before motioning him towards the door to their duty.
 
Mallin hadn't quite noticed how close their horses were together before Cryon took his hand while they rode. He had a feeling that his own problems were only making things harder for his friend, which made him feel a bit worse about it but there wasn't much he could do. For now he only squeezed Cryon's hand back and tried not to seem as if he were offended when his dear friend talked too much. He was speaking nonsense now. Mallin had come all this way - he wasn't going anywhere.

"Nothing is ever perfect." The Mage said with a little shake of his head. "If there is something in the world that is perfect, I don't think anyone has ever found it, and certainly not the two of us. . . I have been through much, in my time away, as you have. I would like to think that I'm stronger now. And we're together again, so I don't have to struggle alone. I want to tell you how much just having you with me does to make things feel better, but I don't think I have the words." Not any that wouldn't come across strangely, or perhaps too affectionately, though he wasn't sure that was possible. He had to wary of the desire to drag his friend closer and kiss him, or saying anything that might alude to it. Everything would be ruined then.

"I won't run away this time." Mallin said more firmly. "I came home because I wanted to come home, and I won't be deterred so easily." It wouldn't have been the first time he encountered hate, or strife, and though he didn't want to make his friend feel worse by saying it, it wouldn't be the last by far. He had come through his struggles as a teen, and would just have to hope his experience would keep him from sinking into that kind of depressive mania again.

When Cryon dismounted, Mallin followed, giving the man's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he went past and knocked quietly on the door. There was no use delaying things. The quicker they were done here, the quicker Cryon could be away from a place that made him uncomfortable. "Good morning, Sylvia." Mallin said with a small smile when she opened the door, giving a slight bow in way of greeting - it was a habit he wouldn't kick for a long time yet. "Is it all right if we come in?"
 
Despite the worry that Cryon still had fluttering his chest and clenching his throat, he believed Mallin. He knew that his friend was here to stay for as long as he possibly could, and it made the King feel a bit weak in the knees at the thought that the mage had given up something that was by no means perfect, but better than the uncertainty of returning to a place where he was once hated. It filled Cryon with a sense of pride at his friend's bravery, and he only wished that they were alone so he could hug him and tell him exactly how much his words actually meant to him.

Yet, he remained silent as Mallin knocked on the door, letting his emotions play on his face in the brief moment his friend's back was turned, while Sylvia answered mere moments later. She looked surprised by Mallin's brow, but smiled and gave him a small look of warm concern. "Good morning to you too and of course you can." She said, taking a step to the side to allow room through the doorway. "I did not expect to see you back again today. I figured you would still be resting from your....ordeal with yesterday's session. Are you feeling alright, Mallin?"

As they walked in, the room smelled empty compared to last time, nothing cooking or simmering on the stove or spit. All there was an hollow feeling house, the smell of lavender a bit stronger than before as it wafted from the hallway. Cryon took it better this time, expecting it now and bracing himself. Only his hands gave a little tremor at the smell, and he took a deep breath in through his mouth, and out through his nose, calming himself in the way that his tutor had taught him years ago. The guards gave the place a wary look as they came inside, but said nothing and kept their stone eyed watch on everyone in the room.
 
Sylvia's greeting was a bitter reminder of his own failings, but Mallin couldn't and wouldn't fault her for it. Instead he only smiled, nodding respectfully to her and stepping past to followed her into the house. "I'm quite all right, Sylvia, thank you. I do apologize for worrying you, and for forgetting to mention that I would be coming back. I only needed some time to rest and recuperate. Something like this requires frequent visits, so I do hope it's all right if I keep coming back in the mornings." If there was a better time for her he would return then, but daily visits would be best at first. He wouldn't know for how long until they actually reached the point that he could stop.

After a pause, Mallin shook his head to dispel the unpleasant thoughts and turned to smile at Sylvia again. "If you could, I'm sure our friends would like some water. I'll just go by myself, if that's all right." When he had her permission to move through her house without being watched over, he gave Cryon another short, reassuring pat on his way by and walked back down the hall to where the sick woman stayed. Really, the request had only been to give everyone something else to think of for a moment.

He was more careful this time. As he healed he was careful to monitor his own strength, and to keep track of just what kind of exchange happened between light and dark, between himself and the poor woman before him. Twenty minutes or so had passed before he finally stood again, and did so carefully with assistance from the chair he'd sat in. He was a little wobbly on his feet as he made his way to the door, using a wall for balance on his way out, but he smiled a little when he saw Cryon again, knowing the man was probably worried he'd hurt himself again.

"I'm all right." He said softly. "Tired, and a bit dizzy, but I'm all right." Lying would only make things worse, and his symptoms were light, as he'd kept an eye on himself, so he saw no reason to give platitudes. He would be just fine for the ride home, and then he would sit while Cryon worked and would be fine in a matter of hours.
 
"No, mornings are quite alright." Sylvia responded, brushing her hair as it curled around her face. Her cheeks were a bit red as she nodded at Mallin's request, standing and moving over to the cabinet to where cups were sitting, pulling them down. One of the guards got up to help as she filled them with water, and she smiled at him as she handed out the drinks, tipping her head at Cryon before motioning for them to sit down.

"I thank you both again for doing this." Sylvia said, her eyes focused on the hallway just in case the mage needed help again. Cryon nodded, taking a drink from the water and letting the slightly wooden tang of it wash away the lavender that hung around his tongue. Carefully, he swallowed, glancing at the grain of the table and listening carefully for any noise that could be cause for concern.

"I'll make sure to let Mallin know." Cryon said, his voice soft and almost sullen as the time ticked by. He had nothing to say, nothing to distract him except to listen as the time slowly ticked by. It seemed like forever, but he knew it was only a short time before he saw Mallin enter the kitchen, standing before he even had the chance to control that sudden surge of emotion and moving over to him, his eyes furrowing in worry.

"Do you want to sit down for a minute and collect yourself or do you want to get back to the castle so you can rest there?" Cryon asked after he heard what Mallin said, his chest beating a bit harsh in his chest. He just wanted to be sure the mage was alright, even if his words were stronger than last time and he seemed more steady. He barely heard the movement of the guards or Sylvia behind him, his mind focused on one person, and one person alone.
 
Mallin put a hand on Cryon's shoulder for balance when the man came close, doing his best to just be reassuring and focus on not wobbling. He had to take a moment to assess himself, though, when his friend asked what he wanted, and to think of what the journey home entailed. He would be able to get up onto his horse, he was relatively sure, and staying balanced should be all right if he just let the others lead and didn't try to steer much. The mare was docile and nice to him, so he had to conclude it would be all right.

"Let's just return home." He said softly, nodding a little and rubbing at his eyes to fight back the weariness. "You have a letter to draft. I'll be all right if you give me a little help up." He said the last bit with a small smile, not wanting anyone to worry. It was just a precaution, in case getting up onto the horse's back made him feel lightheaded.

"You're taking good care of her." Mallin said gently to Sylvia, turning to her for a moment. "I'll come back tomorrow morning, all right? Until then." He gave a slight bow in way of goodbye and felt a bit better when it didn't immediately make the unsteady dizziness worse. If he was careful he would be fine.

When they walked out he did still use Cryon's shoulder, if only to be close to the man. Seeing his friend get up and rush to him made him feel both good and bad, warm at the prospect of having someone that cared for him so much and yet guilty for making that person worry. He had to step hard on the little part of him that wondered if Cryon might feel the urge to kiss him too, as the dark haired man helped him stay balanced as he got onto the mare's back. Once up, Mallin was all right and said as much, gently waving off concerns.

"I'll just follow you." He said. "I don't think steering on my own would go well."
 
"Alright Mallin. I'm glad you're okay." Cryon said, the relief in his voice prominent as he rested his hand on Mallin's a moment before moving it away. He waved the guards ahead and gave a small smile to Sylvia in farewell as the mage spoke to her. She bowed politely, her eyes filled with gratitude as she dipped her head to Mallin, looking between both of them.

"Of course Mallin, that would be fine. Thank you for helping her so much." Sylvia said before heading down the hallway to check on her mother. Cryon took that time to help lead Mallin out, squeezing him gently around the waist and taking in a small breath at the warmth. He just wanted to stay there forever, to just keep Mallin in his arms, but he needed to get him back to rest.

"I'll stay close, just in case you need help guiding." Cryon said in response, resting his hand on Mallin's leg and looking up at him with a small smile, his fingers lingering for just a moment before he removed them before it looked too suspicious. He walked over to his own horse and hiked himself up, pulling the beast to walk just a little bit in front of the mare, making it easier to guide her as needed. The guards got on their own horses and they began the short trek back to the castle.

When they got back, Cryon hopped down and hurried over to Mallin's side, holding out his hand to his friend with a soft smile. "Let's get you inside." He said warmly, his head tipped slightly to the side at his friend.

(When do you think the romance should start?)
 
((I don't even know, dude XD I want to say before the wedding so Mallin's 'death' is more dramatic, but one of them is going to have to work up the courage to say or do something and they're both afraid of ruining everything so I dunno if that's feasible))


Mallin only needed help with balancing on his way up and as he got settled onto the mare's back. He did his best to wave away Cryon's concerns without seeming as if he were belittling the man, or dismissing his concern entirely - the Mage only wanted his friend not to worry so much and make himself sick over it. The way Cryon held him made him feel warm inside, in a friendly manner but also something more chastely intimate. Still, he did appreciate the caution in having the mare follow another horse so closely, given pulling more than a little on the reigns felt more like making himself lean than the horse.

The journey back to the castle felt long, but thankfully was uneventful. Unfortunately, that did also give Mallin more time to dwell on his treacherous mind's thoughts towards his friends, and how the touches that lingered for so welcome and at the same time not helping one bit. It was dangerous, the knife's edge he walked, and he wasn't sure yet which way he was supposed to lean.

When Cryon rushed over to him Mallin only smiled gently and made no moves to get down before the man was next to him. "I'm all right, I promise," he said gently, taking Cryon's hand to help himself down until he was back in his feet and steady. For a second or two too long, he couldn't make himself let go. "We can settle in your study. I'll sit nearby while you draft your letter, all right?"
 
(Ugh, poor shy babies XD I ship them so much. I want to draw them.)

"I'll always worry." Cryon said, staring at their momentarily linked hands with a small smile. Mallin's skin was cool, but at the same time, the heat that rose from his flesh was so inviting that the King didn't want to let go. Yet, he did and patted the mare in thanks before placing a gentle hand on the mage's back, just using the guiding gesture as an excuse to touch him more.

"That sounds nice. It's boring drafting a letter on your own." Cryon commented as they climbed those few steps that led to the entrance of the castle. From there, he deflected the offers by the servants as they passed by, leading Mallin gently on down the left hallway, his fingers shifting just the littlest bit to feel the muscles in his friend's back moving with each step. He took a small suck of air, moving his hand from his friend's back and blushing a little bit at the heat stirring in his chest. Instead of looking at Mallin, he opened the door to the study, a room smaller than most in the castle, with a large desk and even a table with a few chairs if they had visitors while he was working in this area.

"Sort of dreary, but it's quiet." The king explained as he pulled back one of the curtains and let some light in, even cracking the window so the room would get fresh air. It was true. The room was one of the quietest, especially being further away from the main traffic of the workers living at the castle. He turned to Mallin and smiled, walking over and grabbing one of the chairs, dragging it to beside the desk so the mage could be close. He crossed over to his own seat, sitting on the surface with a sigh and patting the empty chair beside him before he shuffled around for his writing supplies.
 
((You should XD I wish I had the patience to learn how to draw haha
I also apologize for previous typos I've only just noticed. I type things out on my iPad a lot and sometimes autocorrect does things I don't realize it's doing before I post))

Mallin didn't wonder much at the way Cryon's hand lingered as his did, but he moved with the gentle touch at the small of his back as if he weren't even fully noticing it yet. As they walked the moment drew on, though, and the Mage did look at his once or twice to see that Cryon was refusing to look back. It made Mallin feel flustered, but he did his best not to let himself look uncomfortable - the problem wasn't that he was uncomfortable, only that he was too comfortable. How could he even say that to anyone, explain the way he welcomed any contact with his dearest friend and sometimes wanted more? He couldn't. That was the problem, he supposed.

When they reached the study, Mallin took a moment to recover, a space on his back feeling cold where Cryon's hand had been as the man moved about. "It's a perfectly good room." The Mage said with a little smile, trying not to let the confusing things in his head take away the light air that was usually between them. "I don't think you realize that many rooms in this place are bigger than Eide's home as a whole. As long as there is sunlight, I don't mind."

It was cooler in this place, where the sun didn't reach so well, but he was fine in the clothes he had for now and settled in the chair his friend brought over for him. "Thank you." Mallin murmured softly, automatically but gratefully, and settled in to wait as Cryon worked on his letter. "Have you a full idea of what you'd like to write?" He asked, curious and wanting to try not to think about what had happened on the way to this quiet room with just the two of them in it. "I don't know how much I can help, but I would like to if I can."
 
(XD I'll probably do it now that I've thought about it. Hopefully it turns out good.
It's fine XD I've probably made more typos than I can count)

"What was it like living with Elde? Did you enjoy it?" Cryon asked as he finally found the right parchment, smoothing it out on the table before getting his writing tool and well of ink. He sat back, thinking for a moment and letting his eyes wander over to his friend, studying his face as he thought of the best way to write it and come off as threatening enough, but also peaceful enough.

"I think I have the basics of it down. All I need is to make the writing more formal sounding than what it is in my head." The King said, setting his elbow on the desk for leverage before dipping his pen into the well and beginning to write a few words onto the parchment, stopping for a moment and watching the ink sink into the paper. "It shouldn't be too hard, so I don't think I would need any help."

After a moment of silence, Cryon looked over at Mallin and gave him a small smile. "If you are still tired from Sylvia's, you can lean on me for a little bit. It won't bother my writing or anything." He offered, looking back down so he wouldn't embarrass the mage or himself from the blush that was trying to make its way to his face. He wanted Mallin to touch him, and the thought of it made him shiver and focus more on his writing in an attempt to distract himself from the truth.
 
Mallin, surprisingly, had to think about that question for a long pause. "It wasn't . . ." He stopped again, shaking his head and clearly trying to think of the words. "It wasn't peaceful." He said finally, deciding to stay with his words, and for a moment didn't press on, watching the way Cryon got out his quill and ink and looked at Mallin himself like he was waiting for an answer, or just thinking of what he would say next.

It was surprising, at first, but Mallin only nodded a little and moved his chair a bit closer, waiting for Cryon to be settled in a position to write and eventually just laying his head on the man's shoulder. "When Eide found me," he continued quietly then, settled and feeling a bit better about the old memories now that they were in contact with each other, "he didn't take me in. I wasn't even in the same town that you found me in. He was passing through, and I was begging, so he promised me a hot meal if I would show him my magic." He'd been starving already by then, weak and filthy and sunk low in attempts to just survive, begging or even stealing when he could bear to make himself do it. Back then he had still been traveling as far as he could, running as if the guard was still on his tail. Maybe it had been.

"I found my way to him purely by accident." Mallin continued after a pause for thought. "When I stumbled into his town, nearer the castle, he found me again and told me that he would put me to work." The Mage had only been thirteen then, hardly surviving, miserable, and desperate as ever, constantly afraid of being found. "I didn't know what he meant then, but he fed me and gave me a roof to sleep under, and put me to work." He gave a soft breath of laughter, shaking his head at the thought of it all. "He drove me so hard it knocked me out, more than once. But I got stronger as I kept at it every day, and when I could provide the whole town with water for at least the morning rounds all on my own, he started to teach me magic. I was almost 16 before we actually started to get along. Eide is a . . . gruff person. Difficult to please and difficult to understand. Things only changed between us when i was strong enough to truly be taught and . . ." He closed a hand over one of his arms as if his tattoos weren't covered, a faint burn of shame in his cheeks. "And that happened. . ." Something about Mallin being in so much distress that he dug a knife into his own arms had softened Eide rather than convinced the man that he was worthless. But he didn't want to speak much of it, lest Cryon worry and get distracted.
 
Cryon started writing as he listened to Mallin tell his story, the words forming on their own as he focused on the soft lulling of the mage's voice and the warmth and slight tickle of his hair brushing against his neck. What started as a stiff letter to the rival kingdom slowed to a halt as his lettering grew slower and slower as he focused only on Mallin's words, his brows furrowing as his story only seemed to get sadder and sadder with each passing moment.

The King honestly didn't know what to say to the mage and he let his pen rest on the paper, though it did not move. He turned his head just a little bit, his cheek coming in contact with the strands of the mage's hair as he watched him speak, his hand sliding over his arm. Cryon set down the pen, chewing on his lip as he slowly let his hand follow Mallin's, resting on top of it in comfort as he laid his head on top of Mallin's.

"I'm so sorry." Was all Cryon said, and he felt like that was the only thing he could say. What else could he do when Mallin revealed such a dark and desperate part of his past? He could see his best friend as a child, starving and barely able to hang on. It clumped in the King's throat and he took in a shaky breath, squeezing the mage's hand just a little stronger before releasing it.

He moved out from under Mallin's head, but instead he turned halfway in his chair, pulling the mage closer and into his arms. He might not be able to voice how he could never forgive himself for what had happened, but this was something that would always speak more words than he ever could. His fingers tangled in his friend's hair and he buried his nose in the crook of Mallin's neck, holding him close as he cursed at all the pain that the mage must have been feeling right now, wishing he could take it all away.
 
((Dang, you responded right as I went to a couple stores and to get a haircut XD I'm back now))

Mallin did see as Cryon's writing slowed and stopped, despite his vision being most.y unfocused as he got lost in old memories. He wasn't sure what to do about it at first and didn't really get s chance to respond, realizing that he had said things that were upsetting despite not trying to. He never wanted Cryon to feel bad about what had happened in their time apart. Cryon had been through his own struggles, losing his family and being forced to act as king when he was just a boy, and Mallin knew that if anyone was at fault it was himself. They had both agreed not to place blame on each other, thus far, and he had hoped to keep it that way.

"You don't have to be sorry." Mallin said, softly but with feeling. "It isn't your fault." He slipped a little as Cryon pulled away and picked his head up sluggishly, looking at where the other man's hand covered over his. For a moment part of him thought Cryon might actually kiss him, a moment that was both hopeful and terrifying, but being pulled closer and held tight was almost as good. Better, perhaps, as it didnt seem hugging was going to ruin their relationship or make Cryon hate him. If anything, the king initiated more than Mallin himself.

As Cryon held him close, Mallin pressed his head down into the man's shoulder and just breathed, one arm going around his friend's back, the other hand clinging to the front of his shirt. "I wish telling you wouldn't make you so sad." He murmured faintly, and managed a small smile despite knowing the other man wouldn't see it. "It wasn't so bad, after all that. . . I like working, and Eide helped me get stronger, showed me how to use and control my magic. He - He lost people, and it made him bitter, but he wasn't so bad." The man had still filled water for the town, mostly because he was paid for it, Mallin thought, but there was also some sort of deal between the older Mage and the king of Arcturus, something that kept the Mage in that town so close to the castle. Even if he hadn't helped people for free, he had still showed Mallin how to do it and the younger Mage was quick to give of himself when he could. Things could have been much worse. 'Not so bad' just sounded better.
 
(No problem. I was painting anyways XD did you have fun?)

"Maybe there will come a day when we could talk about it freely, without feeling any pain, but for right now, I'm more relieved than I've ever been to have you beside me, no matter the pain." Cryon admitted, squeezing his friend just a little bit tighter. He could feel his heart beginning to pick up underneath Mallin's palm, and despite the slight panic that went off in his head about getting away before the mage could realize, he didn't move. He was tired of having to stay away from Mallin in public, and he'd rather be damned than do it when they were alone.

Could I kiss you? His hands trembled just the slightest bit as he took in a breath at that thought that crossed his mind, yet, he found himself wishing he could just say it out loud, or that Mallin could read minds so he would know what he wanted. But, he couldn't risk it, not when he had just got the mage back. For now, and probably forever, he was resigned to feel the longing in his heart for his friend, the feelings finally peeking out their heads in a manner that the King was finally understanding.

Slowly, almost as if he were handling a fragile vase, he pulled out of the hug, every muscle he had screaming for more as he forced a shaky smile on his lips at his friend, his hands lingering on the mage's biceps just so he didn't have to let go yet. "If you ever need to tell me anything, Mal, don't hesitate. Even if it's painful, we'll get through it together, okay?" Cryon said, his eyes darting to Mallin's lips for just a second before they cast their gaze back to Mallin's eyes.
 
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