Deception

Though he didn't want the other freaking out at all, it was probably best for him to get it out of his system before he went in the bath to relax him, physically and emotionally. That didn't mean it was easy to watch Neotoma frantically babble, especially when he slipped into a language Themus had no knowledge of and therefore couldn't assist in quashing his fears or anxieties. Instead, he hesitated awkwardly by the bathroom door as the other dealt with his thoughts, his own awkwardness exacerbated immediately when the halfling began to get undressed.

He knew that he would probably be present when Neotoma took his bath, just to make sure he didn't accidentally turn on the taps to the lava and burn himself in the process, but he decided that he could manage to cope with that if he averted his gaze and gave Neotoma the privacy he needed until he was under the water and his modesty maintained. He didn't exactly think Neotoma would remove the tank top brazenly without requiring Themus to glance away, which only made the demon grow awkward as he had to force himself to glance down at the floor. He didn't really want to look away, but staring felt rude and he didn't want to ruin the blossoming friendship they seemed to be developing, however irked he was that it seemed destined to remain a friendship.

"I-- I'll go and get the soup started while you undress, it'd be rude for me to stay when you need the privacy, Neotoma. I'll be back, though. I suppose I'd better keep you company in here, in case-- I don't know. It's a big bath and... accidents can happen."
 
"You don't need to spend time with me as I bathe... but it would be nice," he admitted with a bashful blush. He patiently waited until Themus had left. He happily slipped into the bath, an audible sigh of relief easily being heard from the bathroom. He was practically swimming, gripping the sides of the tub tight to avoid slipping in, but it was fantastic. It would only be fleeting but to be able to relax for a little was nice.

"I'm ready, if you want to talk!" He called once nestled in and daring to go as far as dipping into the hot water and pushing his hair back. His messy, puffy purple hair being slicked back only made him resemble his mother more. He rested his head on his shoulder with a sigh in content as he enjoyed the steam, the feeling that resembled the oasis he would go to as a child,
 
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The demon had little time to think as the other made himself comfortable in the bath, using the few minutes to get the soup started whilst trying to figure things out in his head. Just because he was certain they were just friends didn't mean he was happy about it. Sure, making friends wasn't that easy for him and he was grateful for Neotoma having taken the time to break through the walls he put up, but he also felt he had been open enough about his feelings for the halfling to be aware of them - and the fact nothing had happened, not even a follow-up conversation about how he felt, was only an indication that his feelings were one-sided.

He took the fact that Neotoma had barely flinched when getting undressed as evidence that they were just friends and he was comfortable enough in their friendship to do that without thinking anything would happen as a result. He also took into account that Lysander had been interested in the halfling and that that was where the other's feelings lied; with the King rather than with him, in spite of the drama currently going on.

He had to force himself not to hold any resentment or disappointment on his expression when he made his way back to the bathroom, smiling to himself at how ludicrously big the tub seemed to be with Neotoma in it.

"...Are you relaxed enough? There are these petals that we put in our baths, they're supposed to ease our muscles and relax us, but-- I mean, I don't want to risk it if they're harmful to other species. I need to do my research into how flora in my kingdom might affect non-demonic species, so until I do, it's best to leave that. Fortunately, I think the soup won't kill you. It'll be spicy, but most our food is, I'm sure you know that by now."
 
"Oh, that sounds lovely!" He gushed, cheeks flushed as he sank a bit further into the water. While Themus was assuming he had no interest, Neotoma had always had issues for showing affection and, in turn, unaware of how to tell when someone had feelings in return. He had always felt like an outsider when he hadn't ever experienced a halfling as noticeable as him (other than his siblings now that he met them). Lysander has to practically yell at him to get his point across so it was obvious that he would be just as oblivious.

"I'd be willing to learn, yeah? I think it would be interesting to see how it reacted to my skin. My health isn't important when I could be focusing on my work, really - I never thought about that, to be honest. I've just been writing down what everything is, recording it - never considered the effects the flora would have on other people. Lysander is lucky to have someone as smart as you, you know that?" He praised as he leaned over the tub, his claws tapping against it to calm down. "I know Lysander plans on conquering my home but like I said, I'd love to be able to take you to Harenae. Maybe you'd have a better experience, huh?"
 
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"...I'd love to see your hometown. I know I'd appreciate the culture more than Lysander, at least. That's not to belittle his, ah... appreciation of Harenae and other kingdoms, but if he truly cared about preserving the lands, he wouldn't be taking them over under his command. I imagine he'll take every treasure available to him at any cost, even if he destroys natural sites and-- I'm not a fan of the conquest, clearly," he murmured, feeling himself grow heated at the topic. He had once been on board with the plan, like everyone at the meeting when Lysander first broke news of what he wanted to do, but he had completely changed his view once Neotoma arrived and open his mind up to the possibilities of research available to him through travel and exploration. That would be all but impossible when the conquest occurred, not only because of the destruction guaranteed to other kingdoms, but because of the dreadful impression any demon would have elsewhere outside Ignis.

If the opinion of them now was low, he knew it would only deteriorate once Lysander was revealed as a liar who had no intention of being cooperative.

He rooted up in the cupboard about the sink for one of the many containers of petals he used for his baths. He didn't really want to risk hurting Neotoma, but he knew better than anyone that research brought with it certain risks. With a smile, he carefully scattered the black petals into the bath, watching in satisfaction as they seemed to sizzle and steam the moment they hit the water.

"They'll disintegrate into the water and-- well, hopefully you'll reap the benefits. Just, ah-- tell me if you feel a burning or stinging sensation, Neotoma. I've never tested these on anyone not from Ignis."
 
"Okay, I will," he reassured as he watched the other, his eyes never seeming to leave the other's gaze until they landed on him. It was all beyond fascinating to him as he watched, the fact that these petals were just something that was routine in a demon's everyday life was so strange, yet it wasn't beyond believable - which was strange in itself for the fact that he had gone so many years believing demons were evil and hellbent on destruction. They liked destruction, sure, at least their King did, but there was more than just violence and that was something he had struggled to get out of his mind.

"So does every demon have these? Flowers don't typically grown in Harenae, but we do have really lovely plants. While our environments are similar, it's clear that your kingdom is a bit more humid than mine. I don't find the heat all that bad but I know for sure that the humidity might agitate my mother's skin. That's the benefit of being a halfling, yeah? I don't mind heat but I also can stand humidity. As I've said, the only Kingdom I've been unable to really live in has been Pruina and that's because of the cold, not to mention having homes in the side of a canyon can be hard to navigate, especially when it's hard to move period. I had a lovely bartender in Pruina lend me some furs but it still wasn't enough, I thought I was going to die there most nights, but... looks like I get to die in Ignis instead, huh?"
 
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"You aren't going to die here, at least not any time soon. Lysander's little tantrum will come to an end soon and... you can return to your post as his adviser, I imagine. Maybe he won't trust you as much, maybe you won't be invited to parties or stand a chance at being one of his regular lovers, and I doubt he'll want you helping him become a parent, but-- he won't kill you," he reassured quietly as he took a seat at the chair in the corner of the bathroom, often using it as a makeshift table when he wanted to drink wine in the bath or place a book down without risking the pages getting wet and ruined. He still awkwardly averted his gaze from the halfling when the realisation he was naked beneath the now steamy water continued to pop up in his thoughts, his frown deepening when the blush made its way to his face.

He could blame it on the heat in the bathroom, but he couldn't blame his awkwardness and his distraction on the warmth.

"Most demons tend to use them, yes. Especially in our teenage years when we start really growing; it helps with growth pains. I remember I grew a foot in a week when I was 15, it was agony. The petals helped a lot. I... did a lot of growing when I was younger, obviously," he smiled quietly, setting his hands on his knees and maintaining a rigid posture, afraid that if he relaxed too much he would make his feelings for the other too obvious and he didn't really want to go over how he felt again when he remembered how badly his confessions had gone down last time he attempted it.

"Mind you, I'm only 22. Some of our kind can keep growing until our mid-twenties. I might... I don't know, I might grow some more. My Dad was pretty tall, my mother was even taller than him, so... who knows. It wouldn't surprise me if I went through another growth spurt, it'd be just my luck to endure that all over again."
 
"That's terrifying. A week? That's - I can't imagine that," he admitted bluntly with wide eyes of disbelief. "Lamias tends to be y'all, too, if they use their tail. It's usually a defenseless mechanism, to get onto the end of their tails, so I've been around taller people my whole life. Being half elf doesn't really help my whole height situation, huh? That's why my mother would call me her, ah- " he murmured, trying to formulate the right words. He had a pretty consistent flow for speaking another, practically unknown language but there were still some things he struggled with, so taking a little longer to process the one specific word while using almost all of the others was impressive nonetheless, even if he wasn't perfect.

"Mouse. My mother would call me her little mouse, because I'm so much smaller than her. It's a nickname that I still really like, I will be honest," he declared after a clear moment of focus before his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. He remembered being teased for the nickname and it led to a handful of teasings but he still adored the nickname nonetheless, his fondness evident by his growing smile. focusing on that rather than the blatant admission of never being a parent, or being kicked out entirely. He wanted to believe and say that everything was going to be fine but he didn't believe it deep down, his lips pursing as it soured the moment.
 
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"Little mouse? That's... incredibly sweet. Very affectionate too, obviously. Your mother sounds like a lovely woman, Neotoma. I won't tell you what nicknames my mother had for me and Imogen - they weren't very affectionate, though. My mother wasn't particularly... motherly. It's why Lysander is so close to Imogen and I - we'd spend our childhood together in place of family time," he drawled casually, so used to explaining that his parents had been sub-par that he barely even considered the emotional effect the upbringing had had on him and Imogen - he had often suffered at the hands of his mother, whilst his sister was a target for his father to abuse. His only friend was Lysander who had a comparably shit upbringing so he never really examined how bad he had had it.

Not that he wanted to, either. He wanted to spend his time with Neotoma in the right way, not getting into deep conversations about a past he'd rather continue to ignore.

"...Look, please don't get upset about, ah... Lysander. For all I know, he might welcome you back and... proceed with his romantic interest in you. It wouldn't surprise me, you've lovely and he's... he tends to do what I least expect him to do. He's ridiculously annoying like that. Perhaps he'll swoop you back into his inner circle and you can live happily ever after with him, I don't know anything. Other than the fact you won't get killed; I can say for certain that that won't happen," he reassured quickly, forcing a smile in case his words, attempting to be comforting, had had the wrong, undesired effect. The fear he had only made things awkward or uncomfortable again made him stand abruptly and place the chair back in the corner of the room in the effort to make an exit.

"I'll go and focus on the soup, it'd be a shame if it burned-- and you don't seem to be in danger of those petals so... I'm sure you're safe enough, Neotoma. And you'll want your privacy, won't you? I... suppose you don't want me lingering around here when you're trying to take a bath."
 
"I- oh, ah," he replied meekly, getting up a bit in surprise. He had thought their conversation had been going swimmingly, even with the small hiccup of diverging into past trauma. It was a whole can of worms he knew probably would never get discussed by either brother or sister, so he was more than happy to start up again with positive conversation.

Neotoma blushed at the compliment, no matter how fleeting it was, and was ready to speak but being cut off was a bit frustrating. He didn't have time to connect and form the proper words before Themus was out the door and focusing on the soup. He sank into the tub until the water was right above his chin. He chose to say nothing instead of hurrying after the other, both from the fact that he didn't want to be naked and for the fact that he didn't know what he would say when he did. It was unhealthy to not be able to express emotions and a part of him knew that, so the whole situation felt wrong.

"Tell me before it's ready so I can help set," he called in response finally with his eyes looking forward.
 
Only when he reached the kitchen did he allow himself to relax... even if that also forced him to acknowledge how he had ruined the enjoyable conversation and probably did himself a detriment in trying to maintain a steady friendship with the halfling. In an ideal world, he would have confessed there and then that he had feelings he wanted to act upon, though doubts often filled his mind every time he tried to take things further with the other - mostly the fact that Lysander had got in with Neotoma first. For all his faults, even Themus would admit that the King was a more attractive prospect for a romantic engagement, if only obviously for the fact he was a king.

Though it never struck Themus as fair that every crush he developed on someone would be ruined when Lysander saw and swooped in first before the physician had a chance to make his feelings clear. He had a steady girlfriend he loved and yet thought it perfectly appropriate to not just flirt with the crushes Themus had, but go as far as to have sex with them irrespective of his best friend's feelings. The same would probably end up happening with Neotoma if he consigned himself to losing out to Lysander again, which he had done countless times in the past. He didn't want to, not when Neotoma was actually someone he had grown to know as a person rather than simply admire from afar, so however strange the feeling was for him, he moved back to the bathroom before he could stop himself and cleared his throat.

"...I like you and I know that you and Lysander have a... thing, but you need to at least consider that maybe he's... not your only option, Neotoma. I like you and-- and we have a lot in common. I'm also not in a relationship with someone else, and I'm certainly not casually having sex with others either. I... am aware he propositioned you regarding this surrogacy thing, but it's not something you have to do. We could-- travel instead, enjoy researching together, or... or whatever. I want to get out of Ignis, and I could go alone, but I know I'd like to go with you," he declared slowly, his body posture rigid and his jaw clenched tight in preparation of a rejection - the sooner he put up his guards again, the less emotionally wrought he would appear when he received the rejection he was all but certain of.

"I don't want to be here when the war kicks off, I don't want to be involved in it. Lysander has always taken me for granted and mistreated me, and my sister barely defends me, so I have no reason to stay here. There are other physicians that can take my place. I... I've decided that I want to leave and I'm extending an invite to you if you want to come."
 
"You - really?" He blurted, the pause due to him registering the words. As often as Lysander praised him, his insecurities outruled the praise almost every time and he kept to the idea of being loved by anyone on a romantic level being ridiculous. To have Themus open up and offer himself was far from something he expected, Neotoma sinking into the water a bit more to hide his blush. His black eyes avoided the other, knowing that if he looked at him he would surely grow lightheaded from the blood rushing to his cheeks, and the last thing he wanted was to pass out in what was essentially a pool.

"I don't - you aren't joking, right? This isn't a cruel prank?" He confirmed meekly. "You aren't doing this just to toss me back to Lysander for him to kill me? That would be horrible. I - if you aren't joking, I would love to. I would love to show you the other kingdoms and... and you could help me in finding things I might have missed. We would be hanged if we were caught, though, Themus. Are you really willing to risk that for me?" He asked, voice croaking as his eyes began to water.

He had feelings for Lysander but he was assuming the worst, that his head would be on a platter soon. He was willing to die but the idea of dragging Themus with him selfishly felt wrong. He had feelings for Themus as well, even if those feelings hadn't really been thought upon much, and it was all just a bit too overstimulating. "It would be fun, perhaps you could explain to my mother that demons aren't as bad as she thinks they are, after what happened with Lysander."
 
Though the silence was expected when he had dropped the offer to him so abruptly, out of nowhere, it only made the demon grow nervous as he waited for the reply. Even when it came, he couldn't find much happiness in the words when it became almost abundantly clear to him that the other held far stronger feelings for Lysander. That was also expected, Themus painfully aware his entire life of Lysander's ability to draw in most people like a moth to a flame, but it did sting a little that he put his feelings out and still had to accept that Neotoma, as of right now, didn't feel as attracted to him as he did the King, even with the threat of execution lying over the halfling's head.

He also felt ridiculously guilty for speaking up, growing concerned that he had selfishly opened up and overwhelmed someone who had already been through so much. Neotoma needed to relax and recuperate from the day's shock; not be forced to take into account the fact he had two men who wanted to be with him. And even if he did get his head around the idea and agreed to head out on the trip, Themus was almost consigned to dooming himself, forcing himself to believe that he would always be the second -and much less attractive- option.

"...It'll be fun, I promise. Abandoning the kingdom and my work would be punishable by death, even Imogen couldn't save me from treason like that, but I'm well aware of the risk, I just need to leave regardless of it and make sure I'm never caught. I'd rather risk it and die knowing I tried, than stay here hating myself for not trying at all," he smiled, his posture remaining stiff and rigid as he let his eyes flicker to the ceiling as his mind whirled with crashing thoughts. He already knew what he was going to do, however hard it was - he was going to leave and start afresh elsewhere, albeit without Neotoma. Despite having offered him, he regretted it the instant he realised he was fighting for his affections against Lysander, and he didn't want to head off on the new adventure being constantly reminded that he was probably the second, 'safe' option - and nor did he want to deal with the reality that he had imposed certain death on Neotoma for abandoning his role to Ignis. As of right now, the threat of execution was just that, a threat. Leaving his post and journeying outside of Ignis would be certain death and dragging him along was cruelly selfish.

It was why he opted to leave without him, waiting up all night until the halfling was sound asleep in bed before gathering just a few of his vital supplies and leaving the kingdom, knowing that, morally, he couldn't stay and be involved in the plans for conquest and war. Though he didn't tell anyone of Neotoma's location, Lysander had eventually discovered Themus' secret home through a series of searches throughout the centre of the kingdom, taking the search on by himself when night arrived. It would be early in the morning before he actually found the home, realising immediately that Themus had lived there and withheld the knowledge of its existence for whatever reasoning. That didn't bother him too much, but seeing he had gathered up his belongings and left did infuriate him for obvious reasons, assuming that Neotoma had been at his side during the escape.

Spotting the halfling curled up in the bed, therefore, was a surprise to the demon, who unceremoniously gave the other a nudge to stir him - hard enough to wake him, but hopefully light enough not to cause any serious bruising. Fortunately for Neotoma, the anger he had for him had died down somewhat, replaced with relief in that moment to see he hadn't fled town and bestowed certain execution on himself.

"...I want you to get out of bed, get dressed into something that actually fits you and head back home with me. We need to talk and I'd rather do it somewhere I feel comfortable, where I can have a nice breakfast; not this fucking bare cottage. Themus has clearly left, which is... upsetting, not to mention f-fucking idiotic, but... well, you can explain all of that to me, can't you? So chop chop, let's go. I don't want to have to drag you there, Neo."
 
Perhaps Neotoma wasn't very good at expressing his emotions and how genuinely excited he was about the idea of traveling again was, and he clearly wasn't skilled in reading what Themus was feeling because he was more than eager to taste the homemade food of Ignis and while the cottage was no castle, it felt cozy nonetheless. He wanted to revel in it, enjoying the silence he saw as comfort when apparently Themus saw it as tension. He had eagerly written down the effects - or lack thereof - the flowers had on his skin outside of a blue tint from the heat with wide eyes and he enjoyed the warm blankets he was given rather than sleeping in a cell on stone.

He didn't have much with him to begin with so he only really needed to grab his confiscated things before leaving, returning to anywhere else alongside someone who finally shared his interests. That apparently didn't work out, initially protesting the nudge until he felt it get harder, sitting up quickly and scrambling out of the bed, searching for anything in the cottage that could act as a possible weapon to defend himself. He had magical abilities but it wasn't like he realized that in the moment, now holding up a broom as an attempt to give himself some comfort.

"I-I - Themus left?" He whispered, peering around the room in horror. It only made the halfling shake in fear, eyes watery and lip quivering. He knew it all had been some sick set up for him to look even worse in front of Lysander, not some promise for a better life. Now he was in even deeper trouble and the King could say that they just wanted to talk but he knew it was a lie to make him vulnerable and embarrass him or something.
 
The sight of the broom did make the demon snort in disbelief, finding the action mostly cute but also a tad pathetic. It didn't distract him from noticing how scared Neotoma was, however, and he knew he was probably the reason for that. Sure, he felt he had a valid reason to be angry and to threaten execution when the other had been a literal spy, getting close to him just to hand over vital information that could have ruined everything... but now he had calmed down, he was at least willing to listen to Neotoma. He never wanted to hurt him, certainly not put him under the guillotine, but anger had obviously overruled more rational thoughts.

"Put the broom down, we both know it's useless against me - and it's entirely useless in this situation because I have no interest in hurting you. You deserved a little punishment for the small thing of, you know, deceiving me for the entirety of our friendship, but I've... calmed down enough to listen to your story. I can guarantee that you won't be hurt or killed, is that enough reassurance for you?" He continued as he absently eyed the stray clothing around the floor Themus had declined to take with him, picking up an old shirt with a faint frown. Themus' decision to flee was obviously a crime, having abandoned his post without considerable warning, but he could barely focus on the consequences of the choice when the emotional side of losing his best friend like this was far too prominent in his mind. Themus had been at his side since they were children, with Imogen making up their trio, and to know that Themus had felt it necessary to run away rather than open up to him was crushing.

Not that he could allow himself to breakdown about it now, quickly tossing the shirt aside with another smile to the halfling.

"Oh god, you aren't holding a grudge because I put you in the cells, are you? May i remind you that you worked for that bitch in Pruina? I don't think either of us have covered ourselves in glory recently, just-- let's talk it out and hopefully we can get back to a good place. I'm willing to trust you again, I think I've made it clear that I value your input. And I do need a new royal physician now Themus has pathetically abandoned me and his sister, so you're welcome to take the job if our talk goes well."
 
Neotoma didn't speak for a good moment, instead focusing on wiping his oncoming tears away. He knew he probably looked pathetic but he felt pathetic. He felt betrayed by a man he felt he could trust and was left to face a man who had threatened his life. Lysander could say that he wasn't going to hurt him all he wanted but that didn't mean he believed him, especially with poor translation in his moment of anxiety. Blood was pounding in his ears and he felt faint, so just taking a moment to try and ground himself. He didn't feel comfortable just standing in front of the other, vulnerable, but what else was he going to do?

"Themus isn't pathetic," he eventually managed to choke out, sniffling. "He's a scientist and - I am too. I-I don't want to be involved with this war, I just wanted to finish m-my research. I didn't mean to get into all of this, I just needed a way into Ignis so I could study everything and now someone I saw as my friend has left me behind and - I'm scared," he admitted meekly, having dropped the broom by now to focus on clear his face.
 
"Oh, I disagree. He could have talked to me, hm? But he would rather put the death penalty to his name and flee. That's pathetic. He didn't even tell me you were here; had me running about the town at all hours of the night looking for you. So that's pathetic. But no matter, he's made his choice. I'd offer you a choice but I can't really trust you, can I? I don't know that you'd keep quiet if you did leave, so until the war has started, you'll have to stay here - but like I said, you can work alongside me, research, do whatever you want. It isn't a punishment and I'm not the bad guy - I didn't fucking lie or deceive you, let's remember that you're the one who hurt me first, Neotoma," he reminded sternly, inevitably growing irked by the other. The tears weren't necessarily irritating, but the demon definitely found the overall scene grating. He was trying to be patient and understand that threatening the other's life probably ruined the friendship - but he refused to accept that he was the one to really blame for their downturn.

Not when Neotoma had been a spy who could have ruined all his plans. That, he figured, was where everything had gone wrong for them. The fact he was even willing to forgive him for it when most would have been killed for a deception of that size already was huge, so he at least expected to be forgiven for his overly harsh reaction to the news.

"...Without trying to scare you again, I really do need you to get a fucking move on, Neo. Do you think I'm not hurting right now? Don't you think I want to get upset about Themus? Sure I do, but the guy abandoned us and that's that. End of. No need to cry about it longer than necessary. Regardless how you think about me right now, I'm your friend and we'll work through all of this. Assuming you won't go backstabbing me again anytime soon, anyway."
 
His fear was replaced with anger - granted, he wouldn't admit to it. He wanted as little conflict as possible, especially when he felt so emotionally and physically tired. His muscles ached from stress and he could feel a headache begin to pound hard, so defying the other would only make him feel worse. His only response was a horribly feigned smile as headed to the bathroom, grabbing his old clothes despite enjoying the oversized shirt - loose clothing was traditional in Harenae and the undershirt and underwear he was wearing before weren't particularly comfortable.

"Let's just go," he murmured as he gripped his clothes tight to his chest. He avoided meeting eyes with the King to keep his growing anger down in fear of snapping at him. He already had the threat of execution hanging over his head and he doubted that yelling at the other wouldn't just upset Lysander again and make his death certain.

"I need - I need to think about it, the physician job. I don't think I would be the appropriate physician when I hardly know anything about demon anatomy. That... I know some herbal remedies but thats with flora outside of Ignis, and I'd im - if I'm not allowed to leave until after the war begins, I won't be able to really help your lover," he explained slowly.
 
"You'll be working alongside someone, obviously. What do you take me for, an idiot? Think about it, of course - but you'll be working for me regardless. I still need an adviser who knows about the other kingdoms and you fit the role marvellously," the demon smiled as he took in the surroundings of the secret home just once more before making an exit. He could gather up a few of Themus' belongings for sentimental purposes but he declined to do so out of anger. He couldn't just ignore the years of close friendship he had built up, but he also had to acknowledge the crime and irresponsibility Themus had committed and shown through his abandonment of Ignis. It was punishable by death and the less he thought of Themus as a friend, the easier it would be to have him sent to his death if he did make the idiotic decision to return and accept that fate.

"Your anger is hardly subtle. Why you're angry at me is stupid, but go for it. I didn't betray or deceive you, but hey, I'm the bad guy. Demons are tarnished with that shit regardless, so I'm used to it, even if I've done nothing wrong. If anything, I'm sparing you and risking myself judgement if the news makes it out to my people that I spared someone for a crime others have been killed for - but go on hating me, you'll get bored eventually. We both know you like me too much to stay mad at me," he arrogantly drawled as he shut the door behind them both, deciding not to waste time trying to be subtle or gentle - he knew the other harboured feelings for him and he was banking on that to repair the broken friendship.

"...I suppose you were planning to run off with Themus, which I find pathetic, but I'm glad you stayed here. Sure, he rushed off without you but still, you'll realise that that's for the best in the long run. So fucking cheer up, your energy is really dragging my mood down, Neo."
 
"I don't care if my energy is 'bringing you down'. I-I'm frustrated that you keep mentioning what my original intentions of coming to Ignis was, because I've tried to explain that I lied to the Queen of Pruina and... and I didn't tell her anything. I risk my life to help you a-and Themus, only to have my life threatened for trying to keep everyone happy. I'm just -" he paused, taking a deep breath to calm himself down and keep from getting any angrier and ultimately in more trouble.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry - I'm just... nothing I say is good," he decided with a frown, his claws tapping together anxiously. He could feel himself grow smaller than he already was. He wanted to yell at the King, explain to him why everything was ridiculous, but he knew to keep to himself. He was already in hot water and while he wasn't always the best at reading the room, per say, he knew to keep his mouth shut and he knew that this was the best time to use that skill.
 
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