"But… it is yours." He gave it another swing, more structured this time. It wasn't often that he sparred alone, but the movements came to him easily: parry, dodge, and thrust. His footwork was clean, almost graceful as he began to really move. "I would not want to take it from you." He did. So badly it stung his pride. Levi was right when he said he didn't know how to care for a sword, but Fi could do it easily. "This is… passed down through blood." He sounded regretful. "That is important here."
“It is, which is why someone should take care of it.” Levi replied. He trusted Fiori, and he trusted Fiori’s competence with the sword. He pushed himself off the wall to cautiously approach his friend, giving the blade a wide berth. “The sabre would still belong to my family, but you could keep it as if it were your own until you left. Only if you’d like to, of course. I wouldn’t force it on you if you didn’t like it.”
Fi stopped swinging as Levi approached, letting the blade hang at his side. "No, no, I… I would like that very much. It would be my pleasure to care of such a beautiful blade for you." His thumb ran up and down the smooth leather. He'd just be taking care of it for a while—until Johan redeemed himself, until he could go home—but that was enough. More than enough, really. To have a weapon like this that was his, even for a short time… "It is just… a very fine gift, Leviticus. You are sure you trust me with it?"
Levi glanced down at the blade in Fiori’s hand as if seeing it again would help him make a final decision. Eventually, he nodded his answer. “I do trust you with it. I am sure about this.” Like the weasel he was, Johan wormed his way into his thoughts again. Surely his brother would be angry about giving away his prized possession, but as far as rights to ownership were concerned, Johan had forfeited them when he committed treason. Giving away the sword to someone who would give it the respect it deserved wasn’t an act of spite. Not this time. “You’ll have to be careful to keep it out of Johan’s sight. He will be beyond furious if he knows I gave you this.”
Fi smiled at him, not one of the small, anxious things he normally let slip. It was bright and brilliant and lit up his entire face with happiness. He glanced down at the sword and then back up at Levi and the, in a split second, he'd set the blade down gently and wrapped Levi up in a hug. "Thank you!" He pulled away not long after, still grinning, and his mood didn't even dim when Johan was brought up. Instead, his eyes landed on the sword and his smile smoothed into something softer. "I swear I will keep this from Johan for you. I… I cannot say how grateful I am, only that this means much to me Leviticus. I will treasure it."
“Oh,” Leviticus’ sentimental smile warmed even more when Fiori hugged him. He hugged his friend back tightly for the moment before he pulled away. “You’re most welcome, my friend. I’m glad you’ll treasure it. Its legacy deserves someone noble to look after it.” Fiori was one of the most noble people he’d ever met. Right alongside his father and Mordecai. And Cadmus. He tilted his head to one side, following Fi’s gaze down to the sword. His eyes squinted slightly with content. “The only sheathe that fits it is in Joh—your rooms. In the back of the wardrobe if he hasn’t moved it yet.”
Fi gave him a look full of admiration and affection—Levi trusted him with this, Levi trusted him with something so precious and he did it without a second thought—and nodded. "I will find it when I get back. I.. I suppose I should leave this here for the ride, yes?" He didn't exactly have his sword belt on him, and anyways he wouldn't want to hurt the horses or the sword by carrying it without a proper covering. "We can pick it up when we are done."
“That would be wise,” Levi agreed. “No one else will touch it, especially if it’s on the wall.” He loosely gestured to the room beside them with a toss of his head. Every member of the guard knew that they would face the wrath of the Spitfire Prince if they so much as rested a finger on the hilt of the sword. Even the older, more seasoned soldiers thought better of it. “Are you ready to head over to the stables?”
Fi nodded and carefully set the sword back in his place, giving it one last reverent look before he returned to Levi's side. He couldn't wait to ride. Tonight was shaping up to be one of the best he'd had for a while and his high spirits showed themselves clearly on his face. "Yes, very much so." He opened the door for Levi, waving him through. "I have been looking forward to this since you brought up the idea."
Levi dipped his head in thanks as he stepped outside in front of Fiori. “So have I. A late night ride is much more enjoyable when there’s a dear friend to share it with.” Truthfully, he wanted to stay awake as long as possible. It was easier when someone else stayed awake with him, and Mordecai needed his sleep.
The guard stood up from his post again when Leviticus exited the armory. “Your Highness,” he addressed.
Fi let the door swing shut behind them, nodding in agreement. It would be nice to get away from the palace for a bit, even if it meant braving the crisp chill of the Widonian night. "I have never ridden with anyone else before, but I am sure it will be very pleasant." He gave the guard a nod as he passed but didn't acknowledge him otherwise.
Like all of the buildings in Nord Widona, the stables Levi led them to was made mostly of stone. The doors, however, were fortified wood. Appearing either recently replaced or refurbished. “I usually ride alone too. Mordecai doesn’t care for leisure horse rides as much as I do, and it’s a nice, quiet, time to think anyhow.” Levi gripped the large handle of the door, attempting to heave it open. He grit his teeth with effort. The doors weren’t locked, but they were typically open during daylight hours until evening.
Fi watched with amusement as Levi struggled to open the doors, stepping in after a few seconds to help him wrench them open. He forgot, sometimes, that Levi wasn't strong the way he was. That he and his friend were different in more ways than they were similar. "I think I could do with a quiet midnight ride. I have much to think about these days, though… not as much as you, I am sure."
He stepped back to allow Fiori’s help. The stables contained all that could be expected from a building containing horses, most noticeably the smell of manure and hay. “ It’s been a lot,” Levi agreed. “For both of us.” He took in a shaky breath. The short amount of time he’d spent in Usige had felt like months. Not to mention the ride back from Usige to Nord Widona, where the tension had been almost palpable. Everything he’d expected to happen had been upturned—from being kidnapped, to the wagon ride, to meeting Fiori, and planning his escape, the vengeance, all to be foiled by Fiori’s uncle. Cadmus’ death had been worst of all.
(An AU theory: if Johan’s plan had originally backfired and he was shipped to Usige in place of Levi, I wonder if Fi and Johan would’ve became friends like Fi and Levi did. After developing Johan I feel like he would have been really interesting in what Levi experienced too in Usige)
(Bruh, I've been thinking about that too! He'd obviously be really different from Levi, but I think he and Fi could've ended up as friends, albeit not as quickly as Fi and Levi b/c he's so combative.)
Fi nodded, a little more grave than before. The doors fell open after a few minutes but he didn't step inside, lost in thought. It had been a little less than a month since he'd met Levi and so much had changed. Everything had changed. If there was anything he missed about his home it was the stability he felt there, the sense of rightness. He'd known exactly who he was, exactly what he was supposed to do, and now he was unmoored. Drifting. The only thing that kept him tethered here was Levi's friendship, but even that might not permanent. Mordecai didn't like him at all and he was doubtlessly closer to Levi than Fi could ever be. It was really only a matter of time before he was completely lost here.
His breath stuttered out of him at the thought and the world came rushing in again, a welcome distraction. "Oh… yes. It… it really has been. It must be so jarring for you, to be back so suddenly."
(Oh absolutely lmao, he would not be happy in the slightest. He’d probably talk back a whole lot more and try to escape despite multiple warnings not to, more than likely getting himself hurt. I’d be interested to try it sometime, maybe in PMs, but if it’s too close to this storyline and you’d rather not I completely understand!)
“It is a bit jarring.” Levi stepped inside once the doors opened. “But I know that I’m safe here, and that I’m home. After being in Usige, even for that short amount of time I know strange everything is in a different country. I wish there was more I could do for you to feel more at home here.” He cast an empathetic glance over his shoulder.
His expression lifted at a sudden realization. “Actually. Perhaps there is? The guards stabled our horses yesterday afternoon. Yours is probably in one of the unmarked stalls in the back.”
(Oh yeah, he'd cause a shit ton of trouble, but it'd be really fun to play out tbh. Plus then the whole 'fleeing to Widonia' storyline would be really different and crazy b/c they'd either have to beg Levi for sanctuary or they'd have to quietly set up shop in the country and try to exist without getting hassled. I'd really like to try it some time!)
Fi nodded along with his words, managing a smile when Levi brought up his horse. Sure enough, Alyx was stabled in the back, proud and pretty as ever. She took a step forward when she saw him, head bowed low enough that he could pet her and press his forehead up against hers. This, at least, hadn't changed. "This… this does help, thank you Leviticus." He turned to his friend and though he was clearly happy to have his horse back, there was something weighing on him. "But… it is not the things around me that make this place unfamiliar. Not really."
(Sweet! Ohh yeah, that would be great! Whether they ask Levi for sanctuary or hide out would probably depend on how proud Johan is after the events in Usige. Would you like to start it now/soon or when there’s a bit of a lull in this plot line? I’m good with either)
Levi followed Fiori to the back of the stable, smiling when he saw his friend reunited with his horse. A touching moment, but of course it wouldn’t fix everything. “I understand,” he dipped his head. There wasn’t a way for him to completely know what Fi was going through, though he had vaguely experienced the same home-sickness while he was away. His heart ached for his friend, and all that he must have lost coming with him to Widona. “But apart from the obvious, what all about this place makes it unfamiliar?”
(tbh either works for me too, but I've got a bit of a lull with my other rps right now so I think starting it today would be nice)
"People look at me and they don't see me." He ran his hand down the length of Alyx's nose again and again. "They see Usigen and beast and monster." One of his earlier conversations with Johan came to mind. Am I really so savage to you? "The things that made me myself at home make me something else here. My body is not my body, it is a weapon. My words are not words, but clever traps meant to trick people into thinking I am human." He shrugged, leaning closer to Alyx. "It is so strange to be other the way I am here."
(Alrighty sounds good! Are we doing it in PMs?)
“Oh..” Levi’s heart sank into his stomach, followed by small pinpricks of guilt. He looked down and away. “I’m so sorry, Fiori…” He swallowed hard, and brought his gaze back to his friend. “That’s not true—I mean—you’re one of the best people I know. I wish others saw that.” He felt almost like a hypocrite, knowing that he would have thought Fiori a monster not very long ago. Everything had changed in a month, but he still wished his younger self had known better. “I’m sorry,” he expressed on his own behalf this time.
(Sure, could you start?)
Fi accepted the apologies with a soft, sad smile. He shouldn't have spilled so much, shouldn't have made Levi feel like this when he already had so much on his place, but it felt good to talk about it, even as the guilt crept in. "You do not need to apologize, Leviticus. You are… a sanctuary for me. We are on even footing when we are together, and that is more than enough." It didn't feel like enough sometimes, but here, now, when they were alone save for the horses and Levi was giving out his sympathy like a gift, it was more than Fi could've asked for.
(Sure!)
“I’m glad to hear that.” Levi visibly relaxed knowing that he was able to be the help Fiori had been for him in Usige. “I just wish I hadn’t been so prejudiced before. Almost everything I’ve been taught about your country is wrong, as I’ve told you before.” Even footing, he repeated the words in his head a few times. It was a good way to put it. While Fiori was kind to him in Usige, he was still considered a slave by everyone else. Here he was free of that title hanging over his head.
(gtg for dinner, I'll be back in like 45 minutes)
(If you haven't started the PM yet, can I be part of it? As the friendly neighborhood stalker, I'd love to be part of it. If you'd rather not have me or you've already started it, that's totally okay too)