A/N: Just a short little thing with no flow and little plot. Enjoy. Or, y'know. Don't. Whatever suits you.
Shinon was hungover. He'd been up late the previous night and Rhys had heard him well into the early hours of the morning. Empty rum bottles littered his floor and the shattered remains of what had probably been a shot glass were scattered near his bed. The redhead was curled on his side, hair mussed from sleep and his clothing (what remained on his body, anyways) askew.
Rhys sighed and picked his way through the broken glass. He had a cup of tea in either hand, his staff still in the kitchen. Shinon looked up at him half-heartedly and the bishop smiled.
"Come on, sit up. It'll help."
Shinon obeyed without speaking. His eyes met Rhys' and the bishop sat next to him. This was their ritual. Rhys would give him tea to settle his headache and his stomach and they would sit together, not speaking, hardly looking at each other. And then Shinon, still half-asleep and with a headache, would down his tea in a few long sips and then collapse again.
"'m sorry I make you do th's," he murmured as he finished his tea. The sniper's hand met his temple and his brow furrowed. He cursed. "'m sorry."
"There's no need to apologize," Rhys replied. He eyed the sniper and then repositioned himself. "Come here."
And Shinon didn't complain, falling against the bishop's chest silently. This was the other half of their ritual. Rhys' fingers finding the other man's temples and massaging gently until Shinon either fell asleep or until Soren came around knocking on doors to wake everyone. Shinon breathed a sigh of relief. He apologized again.
"You know," Rhys finally said, "there's no shame in grief. I know you miss Greil."
Shinon tensed. "I don't."
"You're like this every summer. Every time the anniversary of his death comes around you drink until you pass out. There are healthier ways of mourning, you know."
"I'm not."
"You are." Rhys paused briefly. "Will…will you accompany me today?"
Shinon snorted. "I've got better things to do."
"I want to visit his grave."
())CRAYOLA))
"I feel like an idiot."
Rhys couldn't helping chuckling. "You look just fine. There is no shame here."
Shinon gave him a pointed glare. "I've got flowers."
Rhys just laughed.
())CRAYOLA))
It was a mark later, after he'd placed the flowers on Greil's grave and after Rhys had roped him into praying, that Shinon had sat down under a tree with the bishop. It was warm out and he slid off his outer layer, laying his bow and quiver carefully on top of it. He jumped when Rhys caught his hand.
"It's better than drinking, isn't it?" The bishop inhaled deeply and let his breath out slowly, savouring it. "Being out here in the sun with someone else who cares."
"Mm." But Shinon couldn't help smiling, because the effort hadn't gone unwasted. His hangover was gone and he felt good. Better than he had in a long time. And Rhys had always been patient with him. Bringing him the hangover remedy and healing him constantly on the battlefield even after he had provoked the enemy into attacking him in the first place, and sharing a tent during the Mad King's War. They had curled around each other then, in the nights where it was too cold to think of anything but staying warm and alive. And Rhys was kind of pretty too, for a man. If you were into that sort of thing.
He must have fallen asleep. They both had, from the looks of things, because when he woke up they were slumped over, Rhys curled half on top of him just as they had as tentmates two years ago. And Shinon couldn't help chuckling, running a hand through the bishop's hair.
"You're too nice for your own good," he muttered. "One of these days I'll really hurt you."
"You wouldn't." Shinon jumped but Rhys just pulled him closer. "You're a good person. I can feel it when you're with me. You drive me mad sometimes, but you're not going to ever hurt me. I'm too patient and you secretly care about all of us, even though you would never say it."
"Tch. Keep telling yourself that."
"Oh? So then why did you come with me today, then?" Rhys pulled away just enough to look at him. The bishop was smiling and Shinon felt himself flush.
"Because you treated me this morning. I owe you."
"Do you?" Rhys gave him a grin. "Well, you could carry my things home for me. Or clean up the kitchen after dinner tonight. Or maybe you could—"
Shinon hauled him up and kissed him. He was sure he still tasted like liquor and tea. He didn't really care. And Rhys sank into him, kissing him back.
"I'm not this nice to everyone," Rhys finally murmured. "I do these things because I like you. You couldn't figure that out? Even though I shared a tent with you and treat you when you're hungover or ill and even though I put up with you when you're in one of your moods?"
Shinon laughed. Rhys ended up laughing too.
They ended up spending the whole afternoon lounging in the grass next to Greil's grave.