Jude had been to Duval before.

At one point, Jude had considered living there, if only because it was easily the cheapest place to rent an apartment. But once Professor Haus had heard of this plan, he pushed for higher pay if only to keep him out of the slums. He was grateful after seeing it once; the dilapidated buildings stacked high and too close together spoke of the way people lived. The crime rate didn't help either; one of the highest in the area, even compared to Trigleph.

Alvin, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind the state of the town. "Duval's one of the best places to get work," he said, pointing out the job board littered with sheets of paper of varying colors. "If you don't mind getting your hands dirty with monster extermination, you can make a decent living."

"Monster extermination?" Jude knew the area had an unusually high population of feral creatures, but he hadn't pictured Alvin as the type to go out and fight them. "Isn't that dangerous?"

Alvin shrugged. "Of course, why else would people pay so much for it? So long as you don't die, you can make enough money to actually get out of Duval."He draped an arm around Jude's shoulder, tugging him close as a group of people pushed by them. "Speaking of, keep a hand on your wallet or you'll be the one stuck in Duval."

Jude didn't know if he was blushing because Alvin was practically hugging him, or because he was spaced out enough to get pickpocketed. He put his wallet in his front pocket, just in case.

The two made their way through the winding streets towards a small tavern. Alvin had mentioned that it was a place he went to a lot with friends, and somehow it made sense that it'd be a bar instead of an actual restaurant. He just seemed the type. That did make him wonder what his friends were like; were they all smooth-talking mercenaries like Alvin?

His question seemed to be answered once they arrived at Film Noir.

"Alvin, is that you?" A man dressed in typical Auj Oule garb approached them, a friendly grin upon his face.

"Yurgen!" Alvin seemed just as surprised, but pleasantly so. He pulled away from Jude long enough to give the stranger's hand a shake, returning the smile in kind. "What are the odds? Did you just get in?"

The man, Yurgen, shook his head briefly. "No, heading out actually. The proprietor of Film Noir wants to start carrying Twilight Shochu, so we were finalizing the delivery schedule."

"Oh, so you'll be in town more often now," said Alvin, returning to Jude's side. "You'll have to swing by Trigleph and have a drink with me sometime."

"That's right, you took a job in Trigleph." Yurgen's gaze fell to Jude, who suddenly felt self-conscious. Just who was this guy?

Thankfully, Alvin filled the blanks for him. "Yep, this is Jude." He stated, tugging the boy close again. "He's the studious type, so I'm making sure he goes to bed on time." A grin, a wink, and Jude had to fight the urge to swat his bodyguard.

"A-Alvin!" Jude's face turned beet red. Why did he have to put it that way?

Yurgen seemed to take this in stride, offering a hand to Jude. "It's nice to meet you, Jude. Alvin's a good friend of mine."

Jude accepted it stiffly, his curious gaze rising to Yurgen's. "L… Likewise…"

A friend of Alvin's… He was definitely not what Jude expected. He had imagined a group of rough and tumble mercenaries that spent their wages on booze and women, not a humble Rieze Maxian merchant. For a while Jude watched them talk, marveling at how naturally it came to the two of them. It seemed like they hadn't seen each other in some time, yet they retained the closeness of their friendship even at a distance. It reminded Jude of himself and Leia, how they often would go weeks without seeing each other but could catch up in a matter of minutes like they'd never been apart.

Jude smiled at the thought.

Eventually, Alvin steered the conversation back to their outing. "Anyhow, we're about to get some grub. Are you heading back to Xian Du tonight?"

Yurgen nodded, picking up his satchel from the ground. "Yes, but I'll be back later this month with more goods." His eyes darted to Jude, before returning to Alvin's. "If you're available, I could use some help getting shipments delivered. It always goes faster with you around."

Alvin gave Jude's shoulder a squeeze, a silent reassurance. "I'll have to get back to you on that. Jude and I are going to be together for a while, so my schedule is booked."

"Fair enough. I'll keep in touch." He offered a bow to the two of them, slinging his pack over his shoulder. "It was nice seeing you, Alvin. Jude."

"Say hello to Isla for me." Alvin threw up a wave and watched as the man left, smiling fondly to himself. Before Jude could ask any questions, he was led into the bar.

Film Noir was only slightly bigger on the inside. One entire wall encompassed tightly packed shelves filled with bottles of varying sizes and shapes. The counter was before it, stretching across a majority of the bar itself, with small groups of tables and chairs pushed against the adjacent wall. A smooth jazz accompaniment played on the jukebox across the room, making Jude feel like he had just stepped into an old detective film. He supposed that was the purpose of the atmosphere; a feel to match the name.

The bartender barely acknowledged the two as they walked in, hitching a thumb in the direction of the corner table. Alvin tugged Jude along, pulling his chair out first, then his own. Chivalrous, Jude thought with a grin, and took his seat.

Remarkably, it was Jude who attempted conversation first. "So, you used to work for that guy? Yurgen?"

Alvin nodded, picking up the drink menu from its placeholder on the table. "I used to spend a lot of time in Xian Du, so we ran into each other a lot. When he decided to try his hand at the courier biz, he asked me to help out."

"You make it sound like you traveled a lot." Jude said, picking up his own menu. Most of it was finger food, it seemed, with only a handful of actual entrees among the appetizers. The rest of the menu was all alcohol, and Jude wondered if he was even allowed to be in there at all without being of age.

"I did, with my work. Wherever one job ended, I'd pick up a new one. You tend to bounce between areas a lot that way." Alvin waved over to a server waiting behind the counter, and she scuttled over with a notepad and paper. Alvin ordered scotch on the rocks, Jude ordered iced tea.

Jude was surprised; he figured that Alvin had moved around quite a bit, but he never stopped to consider just how much he had traveled. "Do you have a house somewhere? Or do you just go from job to job?"

"I have a few places to crash, but I guess my home base is in Trigleph. It's more for storage than anything." Alvin tucked the menu back into its placeholder and turned his attentions to Jude. "What about you? What part of Rieze Maxia are you from?"

"Oh." Had he never mentioned it before? "I'm from Leronde."

"No kidding?" The waitress brought over their drinks and Alvin thanked her briefly before turning his attentions back to Jude. "I had a few jobs take me there, but I've never seen you around."

Jude shrugged nonchalantly. "That's because I haven't been there in a while." He took a sip of his own drink; cool, bitter, with a hint of lemon. He thought about adding a packet of sugar, but didn't want to feel more like a kid in a place that was clearly meant for adults. "When I was ten I left for school in Fennmont, I haven't really gone back since."

"When you were ten? Do Rieze Maxians push kids into the workforce that quickly?"

Jude was quick to correct him, hands up in defense. "N-no, it's not like that. Most kids stay in primary until they're fifteen, and pick up their university courses after that. I was a special case." He didn't want to make it seem like he was bragging, but he was. Jude had mastered all the coursework before he reached the double digits in age, and was the pride of Leronde. The townspeople even pooled their money together so he could attend school in Fennmont and follow in his parents' footsteps. It wasn't his ideal outcome, especially since he had all but abandoned the medical field in favor of spyrix research. His father hadn't been happy.

"So that's how you managed to become a doctor already. I'm impressed." Alvin took a sip of his scotch, making a bit of a face before setting it aside. "Your parents must be proud."

Oh, that was a sore subject. "Not… really." Jude fiddled with a strand of hair, avoiding Alvin's gaze. "Honestly, when my dad found out I was moving to Trigleph to pursue a research career, he was furious. He still sends letters demanding I return home and help out at the clinic, use my degree towards something useful. Leia's family is more supportive."

"That's right, you said you and Leia grew up together." Alvin pulled the menu out again and began looking over the drink choices, scooting the scotch glass further away with one hand. Jude tried not to laugh.

"Yeah, Leia was originally in school to become a nurse so we could stick together, but when I moved to Trigleph, she decided to pursue journalism instead. She just got hired on with a local paper, actually." Jude tipped his glass to his lips, taking a long sip.

"Are you two dating?"

And Jude almost spat out his drink. He managed to gulp it back, coughing with his hand over his mouth. "N-no way! Leia and I… We've been like brother and sister for so long, we're just close!"

Alvin was trying not to laugh at his reaction, and in spite of his previous aversion to his drink, knocked it back anyway. "So that means I have a chance."

What? Had he heard him right?

Before he could query further, the door to the bar swung open again. Curious, Alvin leaned in his chair to see who had entered, and blinked in surprise. "Is that…?"

Jude turned around in his chair to see what had caught Alvin's attention. Two men, the first tall, pale, with white hair with accents of black on his bangs. The second stuck close behind him, his dark features a stark contrast to the other; black hair, crimson eyes. His stance was commanding, yet it would seem he was there on a personal matter, given the close proximity to his dining partner.

The first approached the barkeep and asked for a table, and as the waitress was setting it up, he spotted Alvin across the room and waved sheepishly. Alvin grinned in return, giving the pale man a thumbs up.

"Do you know them?" Jude asked, perplexed.

Alvin nodded, watching as the two others were seated at the opposite corner of the restaurant. "Yeah, old friends. Never expected that though." That, likely referring to the fact that the men were clearly on a very private date.

But weren't they on a date as well?

Jude decided not to inquire about Alvin's friends, and instead buried his nose in the menu.

The waitress came to them soon after, taking their food orders. Alvin decided on a seasoned steak, and after a moment of deliberation, Jude decided on a pasta dish that was apparently the house special.

They fell into a silence after that, Jude anxiously stirring his tea, Alvin taking an abstract interest in the drink selection. It seemed that both were struggling for some sort of topic of conversation, or in Jude's case, any topic that wasn't the fact that he was on a date with his bodyguard. He had been doing so well up until the other men came into the bar, as if their presence reminded him that he too was having dinner with a very attractive older man.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

The silence was broke by Alvin and Jude answered almost too quickly. "Sure, what is it?"

The waitress brought another drink, this one in a taller glass lacking ice. Beer, probably. Alvin took a swig before continuing. "The other day, you used spirit artes on me to close up that hole in my stomach…"

Oh, that… Why did Alvin have to bring up that of all things? Jude nodded, taking another sip of his tea.

"What's it like? Being able to do…" Alvin made a vague gesture with his hand. "The Mana Lobe thing. What's it like having one?"

Oh.

"What do you mean? Like, the physical attributes?"

Jude finally met his gaze and Alvin was watching him, leaning his chin thoughtfully against his palm. "More like, does it feel different? All Rieze Maxians have them, right?"

That was a good question; Jude had lived his entire life with a mana lobe, as did everyone around him. Having one was just so normal that it was difficult to pin-point what was different about it, if there was anything at all. "It's hard to say," he admitted, playing with a strand of hair at his temple. "It's just a part of you, like your arm. I've never gone without it, so I can't really say what it's like to not have one."

"Yeah, well our arms can't talk to spirits," he offered with a grin, having another sip of his beer.

Jude had a little laugh at Alvin's quip, but he raised a valid point. Had there ever been a time that he had gone completely without?

He recalled a time when he had first arrived in Fennmont, when he was homesick and running on fumes from too many nights of endless studying and lack of proper food. He ended up falling ill and missing almost a week's worth of classes because he was too exhausted to move.

He remembered how quiet it was, how uncomfortable that silence made him.

"It's like… A hum."

Alvin quirked a brow. "A hum?"

Jude nodded, "Well, maybe not a hum, but… A chatter, like listening to people talking in the distance. There's a presence that you can't quite pinpoint, but it's not frightening like a stranger, but like… an old friend."

"And that chatter comes from the spirits?"

"I think so, yes. It's a sort of background noise that lets you know the spirits are there, that you're not alone and that you can call on them if you need help."

"Do you still hear them now that you're in Elympios?" Alvin asked, curious. "Spirits are scarce here, right?"

Again, Jude gave a nod, thinking back to when he first arrived. There were so few spirits in Trigleph that Jude felt he was walking into a ghost town, yet it was fully populated with living people. It was eerie, uncomfortable, and made channeling even more difficult. "It took me a couple of days to adjust to the quietness. The spirits that are here are eager to help, but almost have no energy to do so. They seem to like me well enough, though."

"That's because you give them mana, right?" Alvin supplied, and Jude grinned. He must have been reading the reports that were shipped from Professor Haus's estate. It was nice to know that Alvin was taking an interest in his work, even remotely. Jude always felt like he was boring him whenever he talked about his findings in the lab.

The waitress arrived with another glass of iced tea for Jude, and she paused to look the boy over, as if she wanted to ask something. Instead of addressing Jude, she leaned down to whisper something into Alvin's ear, casting an incredulous glance the boy's way. Alvin chuckled and whispered back, waving her off. Odd. Before Jude could ask, Alvin was speaking again.

"So… You exchange mana for power from the spirits. That's how you fixed me up, right?" He paused, taking a gulp of his beer. "What happens if you use it too much?"

"That…" He paused, wondering if there was a subtle way to put it, and quickly found that there wasn't. "Well… Mana is finite, and if the channeler runs low, there are side effects." Jude's gaze returned to his glass and he wrapped his hands the cool surface. The condensation wet his fingers, a calming sensation, grounding. "It's the same as if someone were to lack food or sleep. They quickly become dizzy and can even faint. It's not uncommon for first-year medical students to collapse from overexertion when they begin their artes training."

"So there's a limit?"

"Of course." Jude nodded at the curious man's inquiry. "Just like any activity, doing it too much can hurt you. As for me… When I lived in Fennmont, I used to fill in for Professor Haus at the clinic. Healing things like sprained ankles or cavities didn't take much, but serious injuries…" Jude's eyes ghosted to Alvin for a brief moment and the guard looked away, unwilling to meet his gaze. "It takes a lot more mana. I'd have to leave those to the more experienced doctors."

"What if you go past that limit?"

"Huh?"

Alvin locked eyes with him as he repeated himself. "What happens if you keep going after you're already fatigued from channeling?"

It was something Jude had never witnessed, nor did he ever wish to. He had read about it in his school books, the dangers of pushing your mana lobe too far, cases where surgeons on the battlefield fell into comas from repeatedly straining their Mana Lobes past the breaking point. Jude nearly shuddered at the thought.

"You could die." He said plainly, and it felt as if the weight of the conversation took a tangible form. It was clear why Alvin was asking all this; he felt guilty for getting hurt, even if it was an accident. He must have noticed Jude's symptoms after, how he felt tired, breathless, even though he did his best to hide it.

In the end, it was all out of concern for his charge, and so Jude attempted to inject a little positivity into the conversation. "I don't mind healing you, but try not to get so injured that I collapse in the process, all right, Alvin?"

Alvin nearly choked on his beer, and Jude had to stifle a laugh. The guilt was still there, but Alvin was at least smiling a little now. That alone made Jude feel better about his confession.

The waitress returned to their table with a platter of food and drinks. She set their meals before them and another beer for Alvin. He was on his third drink now. Was that why he was talking so openly? Jude had to wonder…

Well, they do call it liquid courage.

"Hey, Alvin?" He gestured to the pint. "What's the drinking age in Elympios?"

Alvin quirked a brow. "Twenty-one, why? What's the drinking age in Rieze Maxia?"

"It's sixteen if you're at home or with a guardian." He said, very matter of fact.

It seemed Alvin knew what he was getting at, and the brow only quirked higher. "Are you asking me to let you drink?"

Jude nodded firmly. "It's legal back home, and it's not like I haven't before, so…" He lied; Jude had never tried alcohol, always too busy with his studies to bother with the stuff. But Alvin didn't need to know that.

The mercenary deliberated a brief moment before passing the drink menu his way. "Well, looks like I'm your guardian tonight."

The expression on Jude's face was nothing short of a pout. "Don't say it like that. You sound like a dirty old man."

Alvin winked. Jude blushed, but he had already made his decision. He spent all of thirty seconds looking over the drink selection before calling the waitress over, ordering a strawberry daiquiri with a triumphant grin. She gave a worried glance to Alvin, then to the barkeep. Both shrugged and she sighed. No one was going to stop the underage drinking tonight. It was legal in his homeland, so no harm, right? Or at least, that's what Jude told himself.

The waitress set down the frothy red drink before him and Jude wasted no time in taking a sip. It was sweet, yet bitter, and the liquid burned his throat all the way down. He made a sour face before taking a bite of pasta, hoping to mask the taste with tomatoes and garlic.

"I thought you said you drank before?"

"Shut up."

The rest of their meal went without a hitch. As the amount of alcohol in Jude's glass lessened, so did his anxiety, until he was talking about anything and everything with Alvin over their meal. He spoke animatedly about his time in Trigleph, how he first met Balan and Mary, and how hard of a time he had making friends among his peers. He confessed how much he missed home, how Leia served as a reminder of Leronde, yet he loved having her around because she was always so supportive of everything he did. Alvin listened intently to all of it, asking questions here and there, seemingly content with hearing Jude talk.

It was about when Jude started talking about his attraction to both sexes that Alvin suggested that they head out, his alcohol-addled mind forgetting what filters were entirely.

Their meal was paid for and Alvin led Jude from the bar and into the neon-lit streets of Duval. It was late, Jude thought as he leaned heavily against Alvin. All the lights around him felt disorienting, made him dizzy, but he could only giggle to himself along the way.

"I thought you said you drank before," Alvin said, tugging Jude a bit closer as they walked to keep him upright. He didn't sound mad so much as worried.

Jude let a soft giggle, leaning heavily to the other side, forcing Alvin to follow to keep him from falling. "I lied."

"You brat!" Alvin reeled him back in with an exasperated sigh. "I can't take you on the train like this. They'll think me some sort of pervert."

Jude looked up at him like a deer in headlights. "Why would they think that?"

Alvin groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let's just crash at the inn tonight. We'll head back to Trigleph tomorrow."

"No train?"

"No train."

Jude blinked, confused, but allowed Alvin to lead him down another street towards the inn.

The whole 'don't ask questions' mentality seemed to be commonplace in Duval. The lady at the counter barely spared Jude a passing glance as Alvin handed over the gald for a room, even when Jude nearly fell asleep standing up. If he was sober, he'd probably wonder why that was, and why a man taking a clearly intoxicated underage boy into a hotel wasn't raising any red flags.

But he was drunk, and such complex thinking was put on the backburner in favor of watching Alvin sign his name in neat handwriting he didn't expect the man to possess.

Their room was at the far corner of the inn, or at least Jude thought it was. It felt like they were walking forever, the hall shifting and twisting beneath his feet. How was Alvin standing so easily when the floor was moving? He voiced this, but it came out incoherent, garbled to his own ears. Alvin just squeezed his shoulders and moved a little faster.

One moment he was in the hall trying to decipher what kind of contraption could cause the entire hotel to move, and the next he was laying upon cool sheets, staring up at the amber lights over his head. Jude blinked owlishly, his mind fighting to catch up on the events of just a few minutes prior. And then Alvin was there standing over him, his face shadowed by the lights shining behind him.

He was pulled upright and supported by a strong arm, a glass pressed to his lips. "Drink this." He heard Alvin say, and Jude obeyed, swallowing, welcoming the pure water into his alcohol-laden system

Jude laid back onto the sheets, curling onto his side. He felt sleepy yet energetic at the same time, body and mind conflicting. He wanted to go out again, see more of Duval, but if the streets spun like the room was, he was certain he wouldn't get very far. Not that Alvin would let him try if he asked.

Alvin.

Jude's gaze fell to Alvin, who stood at the window a mere meter away, the neon lights shining onto him in the darkness. Jude laughed, and Alvin turned to face him.

"You brought a boy to your room." Jude giggled, grinning coyly up at his bodyguard. He wasn't sure if it was his words or expression that made Alvin laugh, but he did, and suddenly Jude was laughing too.

Alvin came to sit at the edge of the bed, grinning at his charge. "Yeah, I guess I did."

Jude scooted closer until his knees were pressed against Alvin's back. The other man didn't budge. The room went quiet, Alvin watching the neon lights flicker and flash in elaborate patterns, Jude staring at the man's broad back in fascination. He felt the urge to sleep again, yet his mind jumped and wandered from topic to topic, refusing to give him peace.

Ultimately it was Alvin to bring his focus back.

"Hey… Why do you keep this up, anyhow?" Alvin asked, his gaze still firmly fixated out the window, as if he was afraid to look at Jude as he spoke. "All the studying and research… What's keeping you from jumping ship and going back home?"

That gave Jude pause. He hadn't given it much thought before. All this time, he had been solely focused on completing his work that he never considered what would happen if he just dropped it all and ran. Exodus would have preferred it that way, wouldn't they? And his parents for that matter…

His parents…

That was why…

"My mom… She's Rieze Maxian." Jude began, curling closer towards Alvin like a cat seeking warmth. "But my dad… I didn't find out til I was older, but he's Elympion."

"Your dad's Elympion?" Alvin sounded shocked at this fact. It was rare that an Elympion made it past the border before the treaty was in place, that much Jude knew, but he never stopped to question why or how his father had managed to get to Leronde.

Jude nodded, continuing his story. "Both of them are doctors. My mother uses Spirit Artes, and my dad has to use practical medicine like spyrixes. Both are effective, but neither are perfect… But they keep everyone in Leronde happy and healthy."

Alvin scooted closer to him, and Jude could plainly see the smile playing upon his face. It made Jude feel warm.

"My parents are proof that Rieze Maxians and Elympions can work together for the greater good…" He chuckled, his eyelids feeling heavier, the spinning slowly starting to cease. "When I found out about Professor Haus's research… I thought… I could do so much good with this. I could help people live happier lives and restore Elympios… I could make both worlds a better place."

He felt a warm hand ghost across his forehead, brushing the hair from his forehead. Alvin gently stroked his hair, smiling, eyes filled with… something Jude couldn't quite comprehend. Too tired, too drunk.

"Get some sleep, Jude," was the last thing he heard before drifting off, that warm hand lulling him into a deep slumber.