Please?

No.

Oh, come on. Please?

My answer is final.

Why not? Why don't you want to come over?

Because I won't – they wouldn't…I don't want to speak about this anymore.

Why? Are you sacred?

No!

Then why won't you? I promise I'll do something in return.

This is not up for negotiation, Percy. There is nothing you can say that could persuade me.

…

Mum and Dad really want to meet you.

Don't say that. No they don't…

They do! They've been waiting so patiently to meet you.

That's - I don't –

You don't what? You don't want to meet them?

That's not what I said.

You invited me over to meet your family!

That was different…

How? What are you so afraid of?

I am not afraid!

Then why don't you want to meet my Mum and Dad?

…

…Do you not think they'll like you?

…

I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't know you felt that way. Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry. I'm really sorry! I won't – you don't have to come over. I'm s-sorry for being so selfish…

…I will

You'll what?

I'll join you and your family for tea.

You will? Oh, that's…that's fantastic! I…thought you didn't want to…

I don't know how I feel...

You really don't have to. I'll just tell them you're sick or something.

No. I'm going to commit to this. You made the effort to meet my family, and it's only right if I return the gesture.

Thank you. This means so much to me - and them as well.

Thank you for inviting me. I will be there.

I seriously cannot wait!

Neither can I…

Percy had neglected to mention anything about kosha so Rhajat sheepishly informed his parents she didn't eat meat. Although they apologised and reassured her it was fine, Rhajat was still disappointed for protesting to eat what they served.

This self-loathing ultimately culminated in her inability to properly socialise at the table. Although Percy spoke very welcomingly, the young woman found herself remaining mostly silent.

Rhajat acknowledged Percy's father's request to pass the salt and she complied, only for the lid to separate and pour the contents all over his plate.

"Oh, gods. I'm so sorry."

Like Percy adjacent her, Arthur laughed dismissively. "There's no need to apologise, my dear."

"I had thought it was secure."

"Do not worry, my dear. No injustice has been committed on your part. No, I hold my rotten luck accountable."

"…I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault" reassured Percy's mother who wasted no time in assisting her husband in cleaning the table, "these accidents – well, they're not uncommon in our household." As if on cue, her elbow accidentally brushed a beverage, spilling its contents. "Oh, dear…"

Rhajat's silent observation was interrupted upon hearing her name. Embarrassed, she turned to the origin of her name.

"Percy tells us you study and practice sorcery."

That simple, honest notion evoked a sudden sense of dread and urgency. What aspects of 'sorcery' had they'd been enlightened on? Rhajat turned to her boyfriend accusingly but was only met with an ingenuous smile.

Instead of a verbal response, Rhajat answered with a polite nod.

Felicia smiled hopefully. "Would you mind telling us a little more?"

If it were under any circumstance, Rhajat wouldn't have hesitated. However, sharing more about her work was something she did not wish for them to hear.

"I'm sorry but…I'd rather not."

"…Oh. Very well then."

"Oh, come on. Tell them." Percy eagerly insisted.

"Percy, if she doesn't-"

"No! You should see the stuff she can do. It's amazing! I've never seen anything like it!"

Percy's praise didn't alleviate Rhajat's reluctance. Turning back to his parents, she was treated to an encouraging grin from his father.

"We don't mean to pester you - and if you don't feel comfortable, we'll respect your wishes - but It's just sorcery is a foreign subject to us, honestly ", he mused, "during the great conflict between the divided kingdoms, my wife and I were always assigned to handle physical confrontations. If not for the powerful sorcerers and diviners beside us, I dread to imagine how we could have survived some of those encounters."

"Our danger-prone tendencies certainly didn't aid us either" added Felicia.

"Please, would be so kind as to indulge us on your experiences studying the mystic arts?"

"I'd…rather not bore you with my trivial stories."

Felicia laughed softly. "Oh, that won't be the case at all. Absolutely not. We'd love to hear."

Following the older woman's gaze, Rhajat discovered Percy staring intently.

"I think he does as well - and you know what he's like when he doesn't get what he wants."

After some self-rationalisation, Rhajat eventually summoned the courage to answer the questions. As the parents of her boyfriend, they deserved to know.

"Well, as you know I study sorcery."

"Would we be correct in presuming you inherited this passion from your parents? It must be quite an exciting lifestyle", asked Arthur.

Rhajat nodded. "I did. And yes, it is very rewarding."

"And what is it specifically you practice?" Felicia inquired politely.

The question she anticipated presented itself, and Rhajat retreated back into her thoughts to provide a suitable answer – one that wasn't dishonest.

"I study…dark arts."

"And what does that involve? Spells?"

"W-well, yes…"

How she wished the discussion could have concluded there. But Rhajat neglected to acknowledge how inquisitive her boyfriend could be.

"Is that what you call them? Spells? Wasn't it something else? Didn't you call them curses or hexes or something? Remember that time you hypnotised that shop owner – when you put him to sleep after you thought he cheated you out of money? You said you placed a curse upon him."

If the deadly silence culminating the room wasn't enough of a wake-up call, it was Rhajat's frightened expression that signalled Percy for cease speaking. Reluctantly, Rhajat returned to his parents, and their expressions were the exact ones she fearfully anticipated.

"Is that true?" Felicia asked seriously.

"…Yes. But there were…complications. If I could explain-"

She was silenced when Felicia shook her head abruptly. "No. No, you don't need to. I understand." The older woman then returned to her food without another word.

Rhajat could only stare in disbelief – terrified of the prospects of what the parent intended to do with the knowledge she had received.

Turning to her boyfriend, the young man's expression mirrored hers. She wasn't angry with him. He had only been honest.

"Strength and power are the variables that separate the capable and incapable", Arthur announced. "It's never about the power we possess rather what we use it for. As my father said, 'with great power-'"

"That won't be necessary" interjected Felicia. "She doesn't need to be educated."

Rhajat felt her body tense when Felicia made eye contact. "We trust that you use your 'talents' responsibly?"

"I do. I promise, I do. I understand there is a time and place for such abilities to be exercised, but only when absolutely necessary."

Hoping very much her answer would suffice for everything she knew she couldn't express, Rhajat watched as Felicia concentrated on her.

"That's reliving to hear."

Unfortunately, the response wasn't relieving for Rhajat. She could tell the older woman wasn't convinced.

"So…Rhajat's turning eighteen next month", Percy announced hopefully," do you think maybe we could do something special to celebrate?"

The older woman's disillusioned gaze returned. "Eighteen?"

"Mum, you already knew this. I told you she was older than me."

"I…had thought months; not years."

Closing her eyes, Rhajat refrained from speaking and listened to their escalating exchange. There was nothing the young woman could have wanted more than for the ground beneath her to swallow her. She clutched her torso tightly; as if his parents didn't already have an issue with her before.

"Rhajat, my dear." Arthur spoke welcomingly. "Has Percy ever recounted with you the time he and I protected a family from a horde of malicious Faceless?"

Rhajat couldn't begin to process his announcement, but after some assessment, she came to believe he perhaps wanted to move on from the confrontation – a gesture she too wished for deeply. She answered with a shake of her head.

"Oh, it is quite a tale if you would be so kind as to let me share. It all took place on a cold September evening…"

"This is really good", Percy whispered beside her.

As Rhajat listened attentively to the older man's tale, every so often her eyes would make contact with Percy's mothers. Felicia offered a small smile. Rhajat immediately averted her gaze.

The passionfruit pie was delicious, thought Rhajat – and she didn't even like sweets. Sitting alone in the lounge room of the household, Rhajat studied the interior design, specifically the collection of photos of Percy decorating the walls. Rhajat found herself concentrating on these details; she tried anything to distract herself from reflecting on that evening's events.

The unbearable sensation burning her neck returned upon noticing Percy's mother emerge.

Instead of a callous demeanour, Felicia offered a hopeful smile, gesturing towards the available cushion on the couch. "May I join you?"

Rhajat knew she couldn't decline and nodded politely. The older woman bowed gracefully before accepting the seat.

Rhajat couldn't understand why his mother – who before had shied away from conversing following the exchange at the table – had suddenly requested to be with her.

"How is it?" They gestured towards the dessert.

Rhajat answered honestly. "…It's very good."

Felicia sighed exaggeratedly. "That's a relief. I usually only prepare these for special occasions, but Percy insisted tonight was going to be such an occasion. There's still some leftover if you want to take a slice home."

Rhajat acknowledged with a forced smile.

Although infinitely relieved they weren't reproaching her, the undeserved hospitality the mother was offering was still concerning. Rhajat did not have time to savour the peace and silence for long, however, as Felicia turned to her.

"May we talk?"

Just as she fearfully anticipated, it had been a segue into what the doting mother really wished to speak with her about. Composing herself, Rhajat granted the request and desperately tried to prepare herself for the inevitable.

"…I owe you an apology."

Rhajat stared in confusion.

"It was wrong of me to interrogate you. I should not have tried to force you into sharing about your personal life – especially when you didn't want to."

Studying the mother's mannerisms and tone, Rhajat concluded they were being honest. But why? They hadn't done anything wrong.

"It's quite alright."

"No, it's not", she protested, "I promised Percy I would not pry or intrude. I went back on my word." She brought her hand to her heart. "I never meant to accuse you of anything, but when you had told us of your…abilities, and what you're capable of, I…I thought…" she hesitated, "I thought my son may have been associating with somebody he shouldn't. I don't think that anymore. I don't think lesser of you. I just…"

Rhajat suspected what she meant to conclude her explanation with. "You don't trust me?"

Felicia desperately protested. "No! No, that's not…that's not it at all…"

From the urgency in her tone, it was evident the older woman was struggling to express herself, and Rhajat watched sorrowfully as they enveloped their face in their palms.

"Why do I do this?" A muffled moan escaped. "Every time. I do this every single time."

Her unexpected reaction frightened Rhajat; she had never meant to provoke them any further. After a moment of inactivity, Felicia removed her hands, revealing a sprinkle of tears saturating her eyelids. Rhajat held her breath, not daring to speak.

"I know he's more than old enough to make his own decisions." The anguish in Felicia's voice was palpable. "I never mean to sound overprotective…or overbearing. I never mean to sound like I'm…restricting him – like I'm not permitting him to exercise his independence. He's been old enough to do that for some time now." She sighed deeply. "But…but he's still young, and there's still so much he's yet to learn about the world. He's vulnerable. It will never matter how old he becomes, because he'll always be my son; my little man. He'll always be my responsibility."

Rhajat sat quietly and attentively, absorbing everything the older woman shared. During their time together, Rhajat had come to suspect that Percy's mother may have been quite smothering and overprotective from the way he described. But after communicating with them personally, Rhajat realised how wrong her judgement had been.

"I…I hope you understand why I asked you about your personal life."

"…I understand."

"As a parent, I need to know these things about the people he associates with – to be sure that he is safe and protected, and not being taken advantage of. I don't mean to insinuate I ever suspected you of anything unpleasant, and I understand now that was never the case. I just…I needed to be sure."

Rhajat saw no fault in the mother's actions. "I understand. I'm not upset."

"Still, that doesn't excuse how I treated you at the table. I was…intrusive and insensitive, and you did not deserve to be spoken to in that manner. Nobody does. As a hostess, I was disrespectful. But as a parent and mother, how I treated my son's friend was inexcusable. I…hope you can forgive me one day."

Struggling to maintain her own compose, Rhajat couldn't bear to listen to the mother speak so unforgivingly about herself.

"I forgive you. I don't blame you for anything. I…understand why you needed to know more about me."

Felicia acknowledged with an appreciative smile. "Percy speaks the world of you. For the past months, you're all he's ever talked about – it'd be a surprise to my husband and I if he spoke about anything else for a change. He's like a boy possessed. He tells us everything about you." She smiled nervously. "Well, almost everything. We never really believe him when he insists he'd met the girl he intends to spend the rest of his life with; we've always thought he was exaggerating a little. But after meeting you finally, I understand why he adores you so much."

Rhajat's heart raced with apprehension. "He said that about me?"

Felicia nodded eagerly. "You mean a lot to him."

Rhajat averted her gaze with embarrassment. "He means a lot me", she whispered absentmindedly. She didn't think of elaborating, but Felicia's expectant gaze encouraged her to continue.

"I don't – I've never felt like a really possess a purpose in this world. I don't socialise terribly often, and I do not know anybody I can truly call a friend. But with Percy, all my concerns become…obsolete. He makes me feel as if I really do belong – that I'm not the…spiteful outcast the rest of the world perceives me as. He makes me feel…better about myself. I lo- I really do like him." She corrected herself, fearful that she may have shared too much.

The older woman's tearful smile was enough indication that they approved of everything. "Have you told him this? I know he would love to hear this."

Rhajat bit her lip and shook her head. "I want to. I want to tell him how much he means to me…but I can't. I…I just can't."

Her self-reflection was ceased by the comforting touch of the older woman's hand on her shoulder.

"You will" reassured Felicia with affirmative nod, "when you're ready. You tell him only when you're ready."

Those words – they weren't the words of support and encouragement Rhajat believed she deserved. But they were the words she couldn't have been more grateful to hear. With an affirming nod of her own, Rhajat acknowledged the older woman; immeasurably thankful for their understanding and blessing.

Nothing much to say, I guess / You're just the same as all the rest

You've been trying to throw your arms around the world