In the bath house, Leon relaxed in a pool of sparkling and steaming water. He treated his ears with glycerine soap, washed his body and rejuvenated his energies. He was forcing himself to forget what had been eating him away.
He was still pretty new to the town, having only existed here consciously for about three weeks. He loved the place, the naive people, and the nature and runes. The only thing bothering him was two people in particular.
Within the first week of his being here, he'd chosen a person of particular interest - a woman named Frey. She was particularly enjoyable, with beautiful prehnite hair and an infectious personality. He'd also become slight friends with the man Dylas, and somehow, these two people became embodiments of stress in his mind. It wasn't the two in particular, because he loved them individually - it was the two together.
As was previously stated, Leon had developed affections toward them both but particularly the woman. And as they all became friends, the thing he was oblivious to was that these two people considered themselves… a couple. Now this would be okay, if it weren't for the fact that Dylas was just as monstrous as he was on the inside. Leon trusted himself with the life of a human but he didn't trust Dylas enough to not crush the feeble woman somehow. It was this ignorance and confusion, that Leon was not used to, which led him to the most embarrassing situation of his newly awakened life.
He'd happily and confidently exited the bath house, with a beautifully wrapped tin of chocolate chip cookies. It was Valentine's day, and there was a single person he wished to present the cookies to. Leon had never once considered committing himself to any one person; although he did allow himself to become attached to people in a lesser way, tied together with strings of emotion.
And alas, right in front of him, there was the girl he planned to approach. She was emanating those usual, beautiful energies, and she exuded her own shimmering aura. The wind tousled her hair that pleased him so, and he was happy to take note of no other cookies currently in those hands.
So he trotted up to her foxily, and from behind wrapped his arm around her waist to hold the box in front of her. His chin rested lightly on her shoulder, and he breathed in the floral scent, and whispered "Happy Valentine's day - no trick in the box this time, I promise." He grinned at his own mischievousness.
Just as she was looking down to notice the box, an external force bounded into their bubble of dialogue, butting in and popping the exclusive moment.
"That's a little too close there, Pal."
Leon removed himself only lightly - he was still very close to the woman he considered his closest friend. Immediately he was angry at the voice imposing him, which he was unused to. So he looked up to see Dylas, standing too close to both him and Frey, arms crossed and staring down with an unnerving glare. It even pierced Leon's confidence.
Still, he stood up tall. Frey had taken the box of cookies. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
Dylas smirked, which made Leon's blood boil. He was severely uncomfortable with this confrontation, because he did consider Dylas a friend, but clearly Dylas was unafraid to perturb the friendly association they had with each other. Dylas was enjoying the scene, because he was in control. Still, Leon was so severely unused to being challenged that he did not honestly know what to do.
"It means, this girl that you have so rudely forced yourself upon has no intention of being so close to anyone, as to me." He entwined his arm around the shoulders of the girl, and Leon felt his heart trembling as she was yanked from his bubble and into Dylas'. His mind was racing with how best to react to the situation and decided that a fight would only ruin Frey's image of him, although he really wanted to prove that he was the stronger man. In a way, he knew passivity was the best approach.
"Apologies. I was unaware of the relationship between you two." He made eye contact with Frey and she knew it hurt him.
Leon turned to walk off in defeat, before Dylas hammered a nail in the coffin. "Don't forget your cookies." When he turned around Frey was staring at the ground and Leon took the tin from Dylas, leaving dejected.
Although Leon was hurt, he was still a man. He still had to be strong. He had to continue about his business as if he did not care.
He fished in the river, which was unsatisfying. In the restaurant, he ate amid six other people although he did not have the heart to conversate. He took a bath, and when he simply could not remove these feelings eating away at him, he retreated to the forest.
Selphia Plains greeted him lovingly. He knew his home well; he knew he was welcome. He strolled past Woolies and other creatures, fallen monuments and trees and stumps. He collected the antidote grass he came across, and even found a chest nestled under a bush that treated him to a wonderful batch of edamame, which he snacked on as he walked in no direction in particular. Finally, the jealousy and discomfort was ebbing away, transferring the negative energies into the mother earth which she cultivated into positivity once again. By the time he'd made his rounds and was coming back to the gate, the sun was sinking low, and he was feeling gently elated and optimistic. Although it was nearly five o'clock, he gathered his pole and fished in the waters under the walkway to the gate. He felt peaceful.
He was growing accustomed to the silence of nature, which is never truly silent. He was wonderfully skilled at achieving a state of meditation in waking moments, when was necessary, although it always took these scenic walks to ground him and remove those negative thoughts and energies. It was in this moment, with the pole in his hand, line twinkling on the surface of the water, and a fish nibbling at the bait, that he was wandering around in his own brain; his eyes were open, but he was intricately drawn into his mind by now. When the line tugged at the pole, he did not allow it to disturb him; he was wallowing in this trancelike state.
He couldn't hear the birds. He couldn't hear the bristling leaves. He couldn't hear the wafting water.
He couldn't even hear crunching grass, thudding footsteps, or even a shrieking voice.
Frey felt horrible for poor Leon. She could still recall the feeling of Dylas' arm on her shoulder, how uncomfortable she was, and that look that Leon gave her. She was sure she felt those emotions that had washed over him. She wanted to cry at the thought of those cookies, that pretty blue and sea-foam green tin, and the way his face fell as he realized she belonged to Dylas now. Who had gotten there before him.
How could she ever face him again? How could she ever look into those deep, tranquil eyes?
But the better question was, did she really care that much for Dylas?
Frey retreated to the forest to sort those thoughts. Deep in Selphia plains, she sat on the monstrous lily pad, having battled monsters to achieve aloneness. She didn't even have the heart to fish; she felt as if she deserved to feel this way. It was this solemn self pity that left Frey sitting on the lily pad for about an hour before finally mustering the courage to stand, and go home. Before she turned to leave, she stared out over the crystal blue waters, looking at the silhouetted fish under the surface. As she was watching, she became puzzled as the fish began to come closer together, forming a circle of slivering bodies. Frey crouched at the edge, staring down, as this blanket of fish grew and grew, nearing the edge of the water. She was confused, but unafraid; she simply wanted to know what was about to happen.
Suddenly, the fish began to take on a definite shape. A circular head, a skinny neck, and small shoulders…. suddenly, they were no longer fish. A black face stared up at her with white eyes and a gaping mouth, slimy skin and scales. Her mouth fell open as she got up from her feet.
"I am Ririhn," the sound did not rise up from the water; it echoed in her mind. "You shall not ever redeem yourself through pathetic and lustful desires."
Before it could say more, she turned and bolted from the forest.
Leon, standing still with a pole in hand, had braced himself against the physical reality, and was meandering around in some sort of hypnagogia. The wind, the birds, the sounds did not deter him.
Then he was forcefully ripped from his reverie. Sat drenching wet in the cold, shallow water, fishing pole still in hand.
He was so confused.
It took him a moment to regain his physical consciousness. He began to breathe normally, and the water was biting at him furiously. He was aware that he was sitting only a few feet from where he had stood before; he was staring up at the bridge-like walkway, where he could imagine himself looking down only moments before. He must have simply toppled over. He sighed and stood, water pouring off him. He huffed, knowing he'd have to clean these clothes fairly quickly.
It took him yet another moment to turn and notice the other body inhabiting the creek. It was Frey. In the water.
Face down.
He gasped and snapped into action. He took her by the shoulders and turned her around, propping her out of the water with his forearm, brushing the hair from her face. Leon's panic grew when she did not regain consciousness.
His thoughts began racing, quicker than a mile a minute. How should I handle this? Obviously I need to pick her up first. But then what? Lay her back down on the grass? And then what?!
No no no no no. Back, back, back. He'll pick her up first. And he'll take her to the doctor. Wait, no. He can take care of her himself!
Reinvigorated with the fact that Frey's life was in his hands, he picked the little woman up, and her head fell, sopping wet and unaware, onto his chest. He looked down at her and smiled. Despite her being in danger, he would prove to her that he was a better man than Dylas.
He scaled the short steep and was back on the main path, Frey in his arms. It didn't even occur to him whether or not he would encounter the other villagers until he reached the gate, and some tourist stared at him awkwardly. He smiled and hurried on.
He did his best to avoid people on the way to the bath house, taking the shortest route, hurrying. Her life is in his arms, her life is in his arms. It made him ecstatically joyful. He kept looking down at her to make sure she was still there.
When the doors to the bath house burst open, Lin Fa had the best look on her face. She didn't have time to question as Leon hurried by, tracking wet footsteps onto the carpet, and she followed him with her gaze, brows knitted and mouth wonderingly agape.
Up the stairs, Leon laid the girl on his bed. By this time, he realized that he was not actually obligated to do anything else but lay her there; he knew that if he tried to remove her clothes it would be misinterpreted by both the villagers and herself, when she woke up.
'Who took my clothes off?' she'd say. And Leon would be standing there, grinning wide, proud of himself for taking care of her so well. 'I took your clothes off!' he'd say. And she would be freaked out.
So within a few moments, Lin Fa had joined them in Leon's room, staring down at the girl, both wondering what to do.
"I'm going to get Jones," Lin Fa said, turning.
Leon leapt in front of her. "No!" After she looked at him oddly, he rushed to explain. "Erm, I, um, would like to take care of her. Please."
Lin Fa resisted the urge to burst out laughing, still unable to conceal an amused smile. This was just about the cutest thing she'd ever seen. She had never seen Leon act like a kid, or a teenager; even if he played jokes and games, he was still an adult, still a deity. She smiled at him, at his worried eyes. He wanted to do his best for Frey. "Well, Leon, you can still take care of her. But we really have to go get Jones."
Leon still stood there. Did not move.
"I'm going to get Jones."
He chuckled quietly. "Haha, hahaha… no. I'll take care of her myself."
"Actually Leon, all you're going to be able to do is stare at her while you make sure she's still breathing. Wrap her in some blankets and try to dry her hair while I go get him."
"Why don't you remove her clothes, and I'll take care of her from there? I can't allow you to get Jones."
"Alright, Leon. I'll take off her clothes. And then I'll leave it to you."
Satisfied, Leon waited in the other room.
Now, Frey laid in Leon's bed with changed bedsheets and clothing. Under the blankets she wore a nightgown and fuzzy socks; nothing else. She was breathing lightly. Leon was sat next to her in a chair, reading some book. Suddenly, there was a knock on the open door. Leon looked up; it was Jones. Lin Fa was nowhere in sight.
"Hello, Leon," Jones said. Clearly, he had been made aware of the situation.
Leon bristled on the inside. Were they here to take Frey from him? "Hello, Jones."
Jones smiled warmly. "I'm just here to check on Frey. She can stay here, I just have to be sure that she will actually wake up."
Leon was determined not to show how relieved he was. But, he sighed with receding panic and watched as Jones checked her over. He listened to her breathing, felt her forehead, took her temperature. When he was done, he shrugged casually and turned to Leon.
"She's in that comatose state," he said, as if Leon knew what he was talking about. When Jones was met with the blank stare, he continued on. "Every now and then, she passes out and wakes up some time later. More often than you think. If you ever miss out on our little Frey checking up on you, it's likely she's just sleeping in our office." Jones smiled warmly. "Peculiar little woman, this one is." He ruffled her hair, and left the two alone once again.
It was night time now. It left Leon with an uncomfortable feeling to leave Frey alone in his room, but the man had to eat. As he walked out the door, he commanded Lin Fa to make sure no one entered his room while he went to Porcoline's.
In the restaurant, Leon ordered a salted flounder and a to-go drink. As he retrieved his food, he was suddenly unnerved by the realization that Dylas was not in the dining room or the kitchen. An icicle lodged itself into his stomach.
He rushed back to the room. Somehow he already knew what was happening; Lin Fa was not at the counter, where he dropped his food and hustled up the stairs. He turned the corner, skidding around the banister and his fears were confirmed. His door was flung open, all the lights on, and now there were four mortals total in his tiny bedroom.
He shoved himself right into the middle, confidently ignoring both Dylas and Lin Fa. They were all uncomfortably close, so he stood between them and raised his hands.
"Out! Out!" His face was crumpled and serious. "Everybody out! I am Frey's official caretaker!"
Dylas roared in anger. "And who appointed you caretaker?! Most definitely not her lover!"
Leon laughed bemusedly. "Pah! You consider yourself her lover? Don't tell me you have mistaken your friendship for something as sacred as love."
As Dylas moved to respond, Lin Fa butted in. "Alright now, guys. Dylas, Leon has not even so much as touched Frey -" she winced at her own lie. "- so why are you so upset with him?"
Before responding, Dylas formulated an answer that sounded mature as possible in the situation. "Leon obviously has eyes for Frey."
Instead of denying it, Leon teased the bait. "So what if I do?"
Dylas appeared to be, ironically, calmly infuriated. He clenched his fists, doing his best to avoid putting his hands on the man challenging him. He looked to Lin Fa for help.
The woman felt pity for the situation. But she knew what was the right decision, and made it without considering which person she liked more. "I'm sorry Dylas, but Frey is already here - Jones has checked on her and everything. She'll be up and around tomorrow, and you can discuss it with her then. I promise Leon will not touch or harm her." She looked pointedly at the man. "Right, Leon?"
Leon stared into Dylas' eyes with his arms crossed. "I would never dream of such a thing."
Dylas held a steady glare before turning and leaving the room. Dejected.
Leon's triumph left him in a lifted mood. He slept in the room next to Frey's, spending the time before sleep imagining how this would affect their friendship. He had those wonderful, heart-whispering fantasies of a close friendship, laughing and pranking and fighting evil. He thought about helping with her farm, learning to tend crops, pretending he didn't know how to cook so she could show him. He thought about them fishing together at the lake, until finally he fell asleep.
When he woke up, he was startled by a dimly lit face hovering above his. It was Frey, wide eyed and wondering. Blearily, Leon asked what she was doing.
"What are you doing, Leon?" she retorted. "As I recall, I woke up in your bed, and you seem to have woken up in a different one. Tell me what's going on?"
Leon needed a few moments to wake up. He opened up the curtains of the window, brightening with morning air. Frey felt awkward with eyes wandering all about the room, staring at anything to keep from him seeing her looking at his chest. But Leon was only amused, unaware of those noticeably bashful glances, and chuckled at seeing she'd shyly wrapped herself in his robe. He imagined Frey waking up, taking in her lack of appropriate clothing, and momentarily freaking out about how she'd leave the room in a nightgown. Then he saw her search the room, pulling open drawers and fumbling through his clothes until she came across a robe.
Of course, he didn't know that she'd actually taken a few moments to breathe in his scent from the crisp, clean clothing.
Frey left the room while Leon dressed in his day clothes. In the hallway her cheeks were pink with embarrassment. Who had dressed her in the nightgown? Leon? While that made her wildly uncomfortable, she wasn't quite mortified. She could only wonder what he'd seen. She wrapped the robe tighter around her shoulders, feeling a bit small and ignorant.
When Leon opened the door behind her, he exited without a word and she followed him to his room, where they both sat down on the twin sized bed.
"Do you not remember anything, Frey?" Leon was quiet but she recognized a hint of amusement in the voice.
"Um… No, I don't," She looked at the floor. "I mean… I remember, um, those cookies you gave me. Thank you, by the way, I would have taken them if it weren't for Dylas. I felt a little… undecided after that, and I went to the forest. Something scared me half to death, I remember running back home, and never quite making it. That's all."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Wow, really? That's it?"
Frey stared at him, looking afraid of what he had to say.
"Frey, you really don't remember stripping naked and running around town, shouting 'Leon for emperor! Leon for emperor!'" He raised his hands, mock shouting the words.
Frey bristled with embarrassment. Her mouth fell open and her hands flew to her face. "Leon, no! Did I really do that?!"
Leon laughed loud and wholeheartedly. He patted her on the head. "Oh, you are too fun. No, Frey, but you did tackle me into the creek, and I was forced to be hero for a day. I carried you back here." He paused. "And I took your clothes off." He winked at her.
Images were racing through Frey's mind faster than she could comprehend them. Her throwing Leon into the creek, Leon carrying her to his bed, and Leon removing-God, no. Her hands covered her face once again. Why was she such an embarrassment to herself?
Leon was about to grab her and wrap her in his arms, when Dylas entered his mind. He looked at her from the side, studying her. She was so small, so cute. She really thought he'd undressed her. He smiled a small smile, and didn't say anything. He was trying his hardest not to pull her onto his lap, bring his face close to her and tease her some more. Instead, after a few moments of Frey burying her palms into her eyes, he tugged on her hair.
"I'm just kidding, numbskull. You are so gullible."
Frey blew out a long breath, hands still to her face, and began laughing. Leon watched as she removed her hands, and her smile lit up the room once again, he was flooded with happiness at the sight of her joy. He was overwhelmed with how badly he wanted to feel her skin. He felt as if she had a lasso wrapped around his heart, and she was tugging it out of his chest with every laugh, every shake of her shoulders. Before he knew it, he had to get out. It was hurting him. Every second he was with her, the he could not comfortably put his hand on her head, or put his arm around her shoulders, or just give her a hug, hurt him.