Friendships

Rikan stood there as Torin approached him. Torin had asked to meet him at a specific bench in the garden... Said something about it giving him strength. For what, Rikan had no clue, but he figured he was going to find out.

Torin walked over to him and they both stood, although the bench was right next to them.

"So, what did you want to tell me?"

Torin sucked in a deep breath.

"I know this is sudden-"

"-Yeah, kinda-"

"-out of the blue, even-"

"-Yes?-"

"-and probably unexpected but..." Torin looked at Rikan with an expression Rikan had never seen on his best friend's face. Fear. Insecure fear. Like he was afraid of Rikan. In that moment, Rikan knew that it was more important to wipe off that expression than whatever Torin was about to say.

"Yes, Torin?" Rikan tried to sound gentle and encouraging.

"But..." Torin shut his eyes. "I really like Channary."

Rikan stared at Torin, but not uncomprehendingly. He had figured something was going on between them, even if it was just friendship. Of course, it still surprised him... But he wasn't shocked. And he would never get angry at Torin for liking someone that, if she wanted, could be liked.

Torin hung his head, eyes still shut.

"I know, I know what you'll say. She's a horrid person and she'll manipulate me and she has been manipulating me but-" Torin slowly opened his eyes, though they still were focused on the ground. "But the thing is, she hasn't been. Glamour doesn't work unless you're in a certain vicinity of a person and it doesn't work all the time. She's genuinely an... okay person. She's just really confused.

"And I know, I know-"

"Torin."

"-I know-"

"TORIN."

Torin looked up, the fearful glance of before had faded slightly.

"So, you're right. I don't like her. At all."

Torin opened his mouth to ramble again but Rikan put up his hand.

"But I'm not mad. I will never be mad at you for being happy. Even if Channary is that person."

Torin's eyes widened and Rikan could see the gears turning in his head. He then glanced back at the ground and whispered to himself.

"She does make me happy, doesn't she?"

Rikan smiled. "It doesn't take a genius to see that, Torin. You brighten up around her."

Torin chucked quietly and his eyes flitted back up, meeting Rikan's sweet gaze.

"She's funny. And smart. And... And she knows what she's done wrong. I'm trying to help her fix that."

Torin's gaze strayed slightly to Rikan's right and he noticed Torin was looking past him, at the garden bench. His smile became a more, dare he say it, loving one.

Rikan turned around and eyed the small bench. It was pretty, but nothing exquisite. It was white marble with flowers blossoming across it. Pinks, oranges, and greens were the main colors that bloomed from the bench. The bench had cracks running through it, and sloped suddenly on one side, which was jagged. It was as if the artist hadn't finished it. They had meant to work on it more.

Analyzing it a bit more, Rikan decided it was beautiful. It was simple, and it was much like Torin and Channary's relationship. A work in progress. Still chiseling out a recognizable thing, but blooming. Blossoming. Flowering.

Rikan smiled. He wouldn't put it past Torin to recognize the symbolism that this bench beheld.

Rikan glanced back at Torin, whose eyes seemed to be glued to the bench. His loving smile was still in place. Rikan noticed he was humming something pleasant and tuned in. He recognized it from somewhere... somewhere... A ball maybe?

Oh. A ball. It was the number played when Channary and Torin had danced. The song with the twirl and dip in it. At the memory of Torin acting like a witty little charmer, Rikan chuckled. Channary did bring out another side of Torin. One that was very lighthearted.

Granted, he still did not approve of Channary, but as long as she kept up her act, if it even was one, maybe he could tolerate it.

The whistling had stopped.

"Rikan, she showed me."

Rikan turned around, an eyebrow raised.

"Showed you what?"

"She told me what it felt like to be glamoured."

No.

"She glamoured you?"

Torin frantically put his hands up. "No, no, not like that! She did it with my consent."

"What?! You can't just say things like that and expect me to know what they mean!"

Torin smirked slightly and Rikan snorted. Okay, so it obviously wasn't that bad.

"Well, I was convinced she was glamouring me because I couldn't keep my mind off her."

"Called it."

"Shut up, will you? Anyway, I confronted her and she asked if she could show me what glamouring felt like, so I'd know. I told her to leave my thoughts alone. Our safe word was Channary."

"Yes...?"

"My point is, if she did glamour me, I'd know, at least before it got bad, what was happening."

Rikan dropped his head and massaged his temples.

"Thank you for telling me though, Torin."

Torin smiled, almost relieved. "I'm just glad you didn't freak out."

Rikan couldn't help it. He gave Torin a big hug and said into his shoulder, "Feel free to freak me out anytime you want. Again, my problems are your problems."

Rikan felt a wet drop on his shirt. A tear.

"Thank you, Rikan," he whispered. Rikan laughed.

"I'm not leaving for a while. Don't you worry. I'll be here until the end of your life. You can't get rid of me that easily, Torin."

Silence.

"Thank you."

A/N: It wasn't supposed to be sad! But I figured we needed a little but of Rikan/Torin friendship, or at least I did.

Also, I meant for the whole scene where Channary glamoured Torin several chapters ago to be a connection to the books. When Torin told Kai he was transparent In his affection for Cinder and that glamour didn't work when the person wasn't near you (or kind of near you)? Yeah, that. Thanks for reading!

(I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the past chapter, but I haven't read Winter yet, so this isn't at all influenced by it.)