Leander didn't think he would ever tire of the everlasting beauty of Hydropolis.
Tall, weathered, stone buildings, like palaces of their own, intricate engravings marring their archways and bright rolls of cloth decorating the stalls their ceilings protected. Fishing equipment and carts that one would expect to have rotted away many a time ago, still standing firm and strong against to test of time.
Or, he supposed, the test of Rejuvenation…
"Ah! Archon Leander! You back for your sugar fix?" He couldn't help but sigh in mild irritation as he tweaked his glasses and halted his steps beside the confectionary stall. Peleus stood tall and smiling at the other side of the goods for sale, a group of his latest female pursuits only a few feet away as per usual.
There may be a ban on love, but somehow this… imbecile could still get away with such frivolous behaviour with half of the population.
"Perhaps. I hope you are still adhering to our laws Peleus." The archon glanced pointedly at the girls who seemed to shy away from his gaze. The weapon maker took a once over of them with a smirk before returning his eyes to Leander.
"Of course. Nothing wrong with a bit of fun though, ay?" He laughed as Leander felt his fingers twitch. "Not like you'd know much about that, would you pal?" He chuckled as the target of such words twitched again.
If Peleus and Leander were pals, then he was a flying whamster.
"Two bags of caramel, please." Leander insisted, trying to move this along as he pulled the exact amount necessary out of his pocket. This imbecile may be a blacksmith by trade but the man was the best caramel sweet maker in Hydropolis. Unfortunately, both he and Queen Nerea had an extreme sweet tooth.
"Comin right up!" Peleus grinned as he handed the two little white paper bags and took the offered gil. "See ladies? This is what happens when you haven't smiled since childhood." He teased as he pretended that Leander couldn't fully well hear him when he placed a hand over his mouth so only the girls could see it.
"And what do people become when they don't smile after childhood?" The wizard prompted with an incredulous stare. The girls giggled, apparently amused by the exchange. The blacksmith laughed again.
"You become the fun police! Honestly, what kind of a girl would want a man that never smiles or enjoys the life he has?" He smiled, with a wink to the ladies. "And what kinda man is such a wuss that he has the muscle of a goldfish and only comes to the blacksmith for sweets?" It was almost as if he were trying to encourage him to become more like…
Peleus…
No thank you.
Leander sighed and shook his head as the girls seemed to enjoy the show he was putting on, flexing his muscles and swinging his smiths hammer to and fro. He was about to leave him to it when something caught his eye at the man's stall. A plan began to formulate as he checked his new target wasn't looking.
Deep breath…
Focusing on the red produce in a brown sack at the other end of the stall, he summoned his telekinetic magic and used his hand to guide a handful of it into the air.
"One more thing Peleus." Leander spoke, gaining the attention of the girls and blacksmith. Peleus turned to face him and the moment he opened his mouth to speak, Leander's hand surged forward in his direction, the prickled peppers soaring into his awaiting jaws.
Instinctively, he snapped down on the intrusion, allowing the peppers to do their intended job.
"Heavens! I was about to argue your point about how your masculinity doesn't make you more popular but I must say, if you can eat several prickled peppers in one go like that for those young ladies, I am impressed. If the ban were ever lifted, you would surely be swarmed with confessions and romantic proposals." Leander couldn't help the small, satisfied smirk that pulled at his lips as Peleus swallowed the peppers with some difficulty and with as much pride as he could muster, he gasped a laugh.
"I'll be sure to…" He coughed a little. "Give you some pointers…" He gave a shaky thumbs up as he did his best not to down the glass of milk one of the kind ladies offered him. Said ladies appeared to struggle with their giggles.
"Perhaps by then, I'll have my own pointers to give." Just for fun, he winked at the girls before turning and walking away.
The moment he turned the corner, he heard a round of excited squeals of joy.
Author's Note:
Hi! I thought I'd start posting this bundle of joy here. Its currently how I'm trying to combat writer's block. First chapter isn't that funny but this will escalate and this will be great if its the last thing I do.
Fun prompts for this would be appreciated too! I just wanna have fun with this so any ideas you have, I'd be happy to write them in somehow!