Deception

"I'm not going to teach you ballroom dancing right now, it's not the right music or the right atmosphere. I'll teach you back at Ignis, hm? For when I throw a ball, so you can show off in front of all my fancy friends. Right now, we're just going to... I don't know, dance. It's not that hard, is it? Maybe I'm an idiot because... you know, you just move along to it. Don't overthink it; ignore everyone. Focus on me if you want," he smiled as he retrieved his new drink and took a hefty swig. For all the insults he had made about the strength of the alcohol in Harenae, he was happily downing pint after pint of the strongest alcohol they had. It was nowhere near what he was used to, but it was sweet and refreshing, which, along with the buzz it was giving him, was enjoyable.

Flashing a grin at the lamias nearby who were casting glances in their direction, he didn't hesitate to start moving a little to the music. He naturally had attention on him because he was a demon, so dancing and enjoying himself while people glanced across didn't make much of a difference. If people were going to stare, regardless of what he did, he figured he may as well have fun - and the more he got into the music, and the drunker he became, the more he began to unwind and have fun.

"Come on, dance. Like, you probably have some good moves, Neo!" He shouted over the traditional music that had grown louder over the last few minutes, inching closer to the halfling to take his hands and help him move a little, smiling wide as he did so. "See? You're doing it, it's not that hard. Just... let loose, fuck what people think. We'll have fun; it'll be a good memory to look back on."
 
"That's implying you'll remember any of this. You're chugging that down pretty quickly," the halfling noted with a chuckle, though it could barely be heard over the loud music that began to play. Most lamias danced with their full bodies, swaying as their tails seemed to curl and twist along with them. Not having that lower ability, he wanted desperately to mimic the movements of the lamia women who easily outnumbered the men. He, in contrast, stepped a bit in an attempt to join along without looking like a total fool in front of Lysander.

He looked down at his feet - that of which he wanted to abandon his sandals and instead just take in the cool stone floor. The door to the tavern kept a good amount of the heat out but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy a chance of chill. He hesitated, instead simply smiling and obediently following the moves he saw the demon perform casually.

"You're amazing, Lysander," he admitted. "You're so confident, it's... foreign to me, I guess."
 
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"I think it's worthwhile being like you sometimes though; being cautious and observing a situation before jumping into it. I need to learn how to do that, I get myself mixed up in shit I don't need to. But you also need to relax and... just realise that everyone here is having a good time. We're not the odd ones out, dancing alone; that'd be fucking awkward. Everyone's dancing, yeah? It's fun, Neotoma. People are watching us, sure, but probably because they're jealous of how fucking great we are at dancing," he grinned, stopping only temporarily to take another sip of his drink when his habit of downing it had been called out. He didn't particularly mind if he got wasted that night. He enjoyed his alcohol but there were nights were he wisely didn't drink, so he could focus on business or enjoy a party without waking up the next day forgetting most of its events.

This night, however, was one he wanted to remember as just having had a good time, even if most of the details might be lost to the alcohol. He wanted to at least remember the feeling and recall that he had spent the night drinking, dancing and having fun with someone he was growing to like a lot.

"Hey, you're not a bad dancer; you're better than you give yourself credit for," he called above the music, beaming brightly as he observed the lamias and the way they danced. It wasn't something he was able to copy or recreate himself - though he was confident in his own moves that he didn't feel envious of them. "Seriously, you've got some good moves in you, Neo. You're not stiff or rigid; that's good."
 
"I- thank you," he replied, desperate to be heard over the loud music despite his notoriously quiet voice. Taking both of Lysander's hands, his bashful smile only grew as he shyly avoided the other's eyes in fear of growing gushy and cheesy. His clawed fingers entwined with the demon's, he couldn't help but fall for the King, pushing the fact that the very same man was planning to take over his home.

"I'm really trying," he admitted with a nervous laugh, his eyes now locking on the alcohol the other seemed to swing back casually. "I told you, I'm not very hip and good at music. I can't even play the k'nalei, the easiest instrument in Harenaen culture. I've got no rhythm, I can admit that," he continued, some of his words getting lost to the sound.
 
It was fair to say that Lysander had probably underestimated the severity of the alcohol he was chugging back without hesitation. He was able to tolerate large amounts of alcohol but the alcohol content of a local speciality he was unused to had resulted in him growing far more inebriated than he ordinarily would have wanted to grow. In spite of the warnings he had been given about its strength, the genuinely delightful taste and the strong buzz it was giving him left those warnings falling on deaf ears.

He wasn't a bad, rowdy or aggressive drunk, being more humorous, loud and giggly than anything else; a factor that became obvious when he seemed to burst into laughter every now and then over very little. His laughter did cease long enough for him to take in the other's words, even if the loud music and his preoccupation in dancing made those words last little more than a second in his head before they were disregarded instantly.

"Hey, I'll be honest, it sucks that you don't want to, like... how do you say this nicely? Have sex with me, I guess. That's better than saying that I'm disappointed you don't want to fuck, right?" He blurted with the same bright smile, leaning against the bar breathlessly once the fast-paced music finally died down to be replaced with something a little more relaxed. "i'd have made my move by now otherwise; I won't try to, I respect your decision and your space and all that. It's just disappointing because I like you and you know how eager I am to have a child, and-- I-I think I'm going to throw up," he interrupted, a hand now pressed over his mouth in the realisation he would just spew everywhere if it wasn't. "Fuck-- help, would you? I don't want to throw up over you, Neotoma."
 
"Oh, I mean - I think I need some time to think -" he began to reply, catching his own breath though didn't seem to care about his dizziness once seeing Lysander so ill. Neotoma quickly took his hand, leading him as carefully as he could to entryway to avoid being vomited on by the demon, knowing that their height would only make that be more likely than he thought. It was a bit dramatic but he was becoming buzzed himself, the fact that he took a good step back once managing to get the King stable against the wall.

"Are you alright? I thought demons can - fuck, what's it called? Ah - handle their alcohol?" He commented, taking in passing Harenaens with anxious smiles. "I've been told that you'll feel better once you get sick, so should I get something to make you get ill?" He nervously babbled, taking the King's hand while still staying a good distance. He preferred his nomadic travels but he had always felt empathetic for others, having told his mother that he wanted to be a medic when he was younger. His fascination for recording history and science was stronger than his need to care for others but that didn't mean he didn't feel those heartstrings plucked at seeing Lysander so ill.
 
"Hey, hey, hey - don't slander my entire species like that! Call us assholes, say we're too violent, even make fun of how tall we are; I can handle that. I'll agree with it. But don't suggest we can't handle our alcohol as well as I'm telling you we can-- we're fucking experts at it-- me throwing up shouldn't make you think or feel any differently," he laughed teasingly; a mood which ended the instant he doubled over and threw up on the ground, his hands held over his head against the wall to steady himself. He was well aware that he had consumed far too much alcohol and this was inevitably the consequence which would leave him with a bad hangover; a regrettable instance when he wanted to make the best second impression he could to Neotoma's mother in the morning over breakfast.

Groaning in agony and dealing with a migraine was hardly the best impression to give her, however inevitable it was now.

"I-- urgh-- want to go to bed, Neo. I need to lie down," he slurred as he moved away from the wall, only stepping forward when the world around him had stopped spinning before his eyes. "Hey-- hey, you're a real gem, you know? I don't care what Imogen says, she can be bitchy sometimes; you're amazing."
 
"Oh, ah, thank you," he replied quietly, his cheeks flushing as he carefully helped Lysander walk by wrapping an arm around his waist. He used his own steadiness to maneuver their way back into the bar and carefully up the stairs to the inn section, nervously glancing behind him to make sure that neither of them had been hurt somehow like falling down the stairs. He could make a salve in the morning to help them all with their injuries but the ideal situation was to just avoid getting hurt altogether, obviously.

Having paid at the bar, he had slipped their key into the pouch he kept close to his side. He rummaged through the bag anxiously, letting out an audible sigh of relief when founding both it and their room. The contents of the room were simple, including the essentials like a bed, a chair, and a desk. It was all they needed, in the nomad's eyes, so he felt more than happy to lead Lysander to the bed and help him lie down, going as far as to tilt him a bit over the bed. He had stayed in inns like this before and he knew well enough that getting the bed covered in vomit would only charge them extra. Since Lysander's money wasn't usable literally anywhere else other than his own kingdom, Neotoma was the sole provider for everything and that wouldn't last forever.
 
Being a King who literally lived in a castle and had experienced nothing but luxury his entire life, the sight of a small room above an Inn, and decorated plainly and simply with only the bare essentials primarily present might not have appealed to him. However, it was more than obvious that Lysander was hardly the typical royal in both his casual appearance and his behaviour. He was the first to admit that he adored luxury, but he had also spent a lot of time crashing in Imogen's tiny bedroom at her childhood home without once complaining about the lack of grandeur.

Thus, the room really didn't bother him, simply glad to have the comfort of a bed and a little warmth. He stretched out instantly, only curling up again when it became apparent that his large frame, when fully extended, dwarfed the bed entirely; a fact that made him smirk to himself in drunken amusement.

"Come and lay down with me, then. You said we'd cuddle. And I'm not gonna vomit on you," he promised as he shuffled back a little. He took up most of the room on the bed, naturally, though the little room left for Neotoma didn't appear too big of an issue if the aim was to spend the night cuddling. "...I know I'm taking up the room, Neo, but I can sleep on the floor if you'd prefer, yeah? I'd rather cuddle, but I'm not gonna pressure you."
 
"No, no, the bed sounds nice," he admitted, only moving from his tense stance when he was certain Lysander was okay. He hadn't even noticed the size difference until the King mentioned, the sight only making him snort and nervously giggle. Taking off a few of his layers, he rested them neatly beside the bed before adjusting himself beside the demon. He took in Lysander, his blush only deepening, before squirming a bit to take up as much space as he could.

"I've never slept with someone like this before, I'm not used to it," he admitted, facing away to be the little spoon in the cuddle. "It gets pretty cold at night in Harenae so this will be nice, you know? My kind don't do well in the cold, so having some extra warmth would be really nice," he explained, a part of him knowing Lysander probably didn't care what he was saying. It didn't take a genius to realize that the other was completely out of it so he couldn't expect him to understand anything as complicated as the difference from cold and warm blooded creatures.
 
"You've never cuddled up with anyone before? Fuck, Neo. That's so sad. You're breaking my heart right now, man," he groaned in genuine disbelief, struggling to understand why this was Neotoma's first real experience doing anything even slightly romantic in nature. Even in his drunken state, he was wise enough not to push the point further and question Neo's lack of intimacy in his life, fully aware that it was his business and nothing to do with him.

Smartly, he stopped even pondering it and instead moved to wrap his arms around the halfling's waist. Demons naturally exuded warmth, more so than any other creature, so cuddling at least had a purpose for them other than the evident romantic aspect Lysander wasn't shy to admit to.

"This is nice, right?" He whispered as he rested his head back down on the pillow, a soft sigh escaping at how comfortable he surprisingly was, despite being curled up on a bed that was evidently too small for him. "It's cute, really. So long as I don't thrash about in my sleep; Imogen says I do that a lot."
 
"I'm not looking forward to it," he replied with a nervous chuckle, happily nestling into the embrace with a small smile hidden by his arm. "I mean, it's not a big surprise. I've gone most of my life alone in some sense, whether its through simply living in the woods or isolating myself from people to focus on my work. My whole adult life up to this point has been to map out and track every kingdom, I've focused all of my energy on that and I've had no real time to do anything else, you know? Since coming to Ingis, it's... been good because I've managed to slow down a bit, you know? Ugh- I'm sorry, I'm babbling. You probably don't even care about all of this, you're too drunk and horny," he murmured, his smile fading.

There were plenty of moments in his journey were he stopped to really analyze whether what he was doing was actually worth it or not. Who was going to listen to some strange halfling son of a practically invisible worker? He had spent almost all of his life to his goal and now that it was coming to a close, who would he tell? The existentialism came with the alcohol, he assumed, and tried not to linger on it too much. Instead he dared to rest his head on one of the demon's arm, more than happy to embrace their closeness.
 
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"You're doing valuable work for me, you don't need to rush around the kingdoms for a while. You shouldn't sacrifice your social life, Neotoma, you're a really likeable person; you should settle in Ignis for awhile and make some friends and... well, I appreciate you; you bring a lot to my little team back home. Your work with Themus is particularly important and valuable and-- your accent is fucking adorable, you know?" The drunken King slurred, unable to maintain the same train of thought when he was as attracted to the other as he was, and with alcohol coursing through his veins, he had nothing to really prevent himself from making that attraction obvious.

"You're my friend, anyway. And Themus', and Imogen will grow to like you. She's sick, you know? She isn't in the mood at the moment to befriend anyone new, but give it time," he drawled as he let his eyes shut, unable to keep them open when he was as tired as he was, despite him making the large effort to continue the conversation with his adviser. It felt like they were making some progress in their friendship, and definitely when it came to the romantic aspect of things, and dropping to sleep and cutting such progress short wasn't ideal.

"...You like Themus, right? I know he fancies you. You're far more attractive than you realise you are - both because of your appearance and your personality. You don't give yourself enough credit, hon."
 
"Oh, stop, you're making me blush," he replied, his voice muffled by his hands as he bashfully covered his face. He had fantasized about something as intimate as this once or twice in his travels; being wrapped up and warm by some handsome creature, doing something as simple as enjoying their space with each other. It was easy to forget that Lysander wasn't actually single, though he did cringe a bit every time Imogen was mentioned and the guilt that followed didn't do much to cheer him up.

"W-Well, I - really? You think so?" He whispered, one eye peeking out between his fingers. "I know this isn't true but I never found my accent to be all that interesting. It must be, the Harenaen language uses different - hm... pronunciation? I don't think that's right. As for Themus, I think it's more likely that we simply have a mutual fascination with science and potion making, right? I... I find it hard to get out of the headspace that anyone would find me remotely interesting, I suppose. Everything has pointed to that so far, after all. You've all been so nice to me and everything, it... I don't know, I'm babbling. You should sleep, Lysander, as do i."
 
"Oh, he likes you. He's so asocial, the fact he even talks to you is evidence of a little crush, hm? It's cute. He's devoted to his work, though, so I can't see him making a move anytime soon. But you should, in time, when you're more comfortable. Who am I to stop you pursuing a handsome man who likes you?" He snorted under his breath, his arms absently pulling Neo closer to his body to share as much warmth as he could. Ideally, he would engage in something more intimate than a cuddle with Neo in time, but he was hardly going to judge him for developing a bond with someone else first and feeling more comfortable with them; not when he didn't preach monogamy and so couldn't expect anyone else to be entirely devoted to him in return, as evidenced with Imogen and the young maid she was fond of.

It wouldn't take long before the demon to drop to sleep the moment he was told that he ought to do so, taking the advice without too much thought. At the back of his mind, with it being the last thought that went through his head, he knew he had a breakfast to attend to with Neo's mother the following morning, and that was probably the reason he woke up a full hour before the breakfast without needing to be alerted to do so. It would probably take a few hours for him to recover from his hangover, but the least he figured he could do was have a wash and make himself look somewhat presentable, however difficult it was with bloodshot eyes and a propensity to groan everytime he moved, with the lingering fear that he'd throw up if he moved too quickly.

"...Your mother is probably going to hate me more if I show up hungover to her door, right? She has young kids, Neo. I don't want to, like... scare 'em," he mumbled as he slumped back down on the bed, groaning loudly again at the wave of nausea he was hit with. "Fuck, what even happened last night? I-- can't remember anything other than cuddling with you, really."
 
Much like his first trip to Ingis, Neotoma was more than ready with a cure for his tension headache and certainly Lysander's migraine. In fact, he was fully intent on making the potion the moment he woke up, which was when he was knocked out off the bed by Lysander's aforementioned restless movement. Luckily it had only been an hour or so before Lysander himself woke up, so it wasn't as if he had spent the entire night sleeping on the floor. In that hour he had, he rummaged through his emergency herbs to create the proper combination to cure them both of their headaches.

"Take this." He confidently insisted, handing over the paste he had made using the spare water he kept with him as well. He would have preferred to dilute it into a liquid but the paste would have to do for now. "It'll help with your hangover, I promise. As for scaring my siblings, I'm sure you've already done that. I don't mean to sound rude but you are a demon, Lysander. Demons aren't really a common thing to see and you've all only been described through older transcripts and word of mouth. That being said, appearances are fleeting, you know? If anyone is more willing to be friends with you, I'm sure it's my family. I know I can only speak for myself and not them, but being a halfling has made it rather easy to accept others no matter how they look. I'm sure it's the same for them, you know?"
 
Even though the paste appeared dubious, he trusted Neotoma enough to swallow it down without hesitation, having enough faith in him and his talents to do so. He wasn't entirely happy about the situation ahead of him, knowing that he would much prefer recovering from his hangover by walking around the small village and taking in the sights, perhaps even meeting a few locals and spreading the word that he wasn't a malevolent, cruel person who wanted to harm them as decades of transcripts outside Ignis had stated.

Obviously that was the case and he wanted nothing more than to take the kingdom over at any cost, but lulling people into a false sense of security would make the plan go far smoothly. The fact he had to give up that idea to spend breakfast at Neotoma's childhood home, knowing he wasn't entirely welcome there, wasn't the ideal way to start the day-- though backing out wasn't an option at this point.

"You should spend the day with your mother. After breakfast, I can spend some time by myself. I don't want to intrude on your reunion too much," he began as he reached down to slip his shoes on, forcing back the urge to vomit at the quick movement. "I'll explore the village, meet some locals, buy a few gifts for friends at home, maybe even come back here for a spot of lunch. We can meet up again around four this evening for the journey back to Ignis, if you'd like?"
 
"I don't know if that's such a good idea. The desert in-between the villages can be disorienting, I wouldn't want you to getting lost and dying out there, never to be found again. As you've seen, there are some basic roads but they can often be covered up by sand storms and you could get lost, you know? I know you're a demon but you certainly aren't immortal. I've heard of how cruel death can be through shriveling up in the heat, I wouldn't want that for anyone," he replied, oblivious to how grim the facts were. There had been some reforms set in place to try and help with the tourists who have gone missing and found years later as mummies but no one truly enforced them, and while Lysander was a King to everyone in Ingis, he was just a stranger to everyone else.

"If I were you, i would at least stick to my village. There's plenty of things to do around here, just try not to wander too far. I can write up a quick guide to the Harenaen language if you'd like, I think it would be nice to be able to speak to others. That's another thing I'd like to do; be an author of a book that's a comprehensive comparison to cultures and their languages. As much as I love science, the science of speaking is also fascinating," he admitted, adding his layers of clothing once again. With a wide smile, he slung his bag on his shoulders once again and motioned for the King to get to his feet.

"Is the potion helping at all? Are you feeling better? I haven't tried it on demons before, who knows how you'll react to everything. I can't wait to work on it with Themus, share notes and all of that."
 
"The science of what-- you're such a nerd," he remarked with a roll of his eyes; one that was harmless and lacking any notion of being malevolent or cruel. If anything, he found the other's fascination of and thirst for knowledge not only remarkable and admirable, but cute too. He liked having someone who was so passionate about something that would not only benefit Neotoma's understanding, but the demon's too. He wanted to learn more, and actively sought out to - but finding a tutor who didn't bore the socks off him had been difficult until Neotoma came along.

"You'll have to teach me about the history of the other kingdoms, in an actual teacher-student dynamic. I've had tutors since the day I learned to walk and talk but none of them really taught me anything useful. And what they did tell me about other kingdoms is obviously bullshit; I want to know the truth, you know? Not just the same regurgitated shit from my ancestors," he admitted as he shrugged on his jacket, a glance in the mirror at least confirming that he was starting to look as good as he now felt - the distinct lack of bloodshot eyes and a little colour back in his cheeks made him feel less worried about arriving at Neotoma's mother's house for breakfast, anyway.

"...Tell your mother that I slept on the floor, Neo. I can't imagine she'd be happy to learn we cuddled all night, hm? Besides, maybe she'll like me more if she thinks I sacrificed my comfort for you; and I need all the help I can get with her. She's a great woman, just... protective. And as charming as I am, it's hard to, you know, work my charm on someone like that."
 
"I'd love to teach you!" He beamed, his cheeks flushing and his black eyes sparkling in excitement. While Neotoma could struggle with reading a room, he knew that Lysander wasn't really the sort of person who would hang out with someone like him under normal circumstances. He wasn't the type for style or conventional fun, having been relentlessly bullied through child for his shyness (amongst other things) that followed into adulthood. The simple fact that Neotoma didn't look down upon him was strange to him but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate intensely. He showed that by offering a sheepish peck on the King's cheek.

"If she asks, that's what I'll tell her. Granted, I'm sure she won't. I mean, I'm an adult and I would hope she would be mature about the situation, right?" He agreed before heading to the door, watching Lysander closely in case he somehow broke something that he would be responsible for fixing. "This will be fun, I promise. Even if it isn't, this means a lot to me. Getting through his is stressful, you know? Having you by my side is pleasant."
 
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