forum secrets only the sun knows // O/O // Closed

Started April 23, 2021 by @MarDeColores this is not it kids

tune

“Oh… r— right.” The words lingered in his mind. You’re okay, Theo.
He had always felt the need to apologize for things like that, but they weren’t sure why. It always felt like they were doing something wrong. After all, it wasn’t real, right? It shouldn’t matter that much.
They did notice. His head snapped in Kuno’s direction, eyes widening slightly. “Really?” For a moment they expected that… well, he wasn’t sure what he had been expecting. It was a strange thing to ask, wasn’t it? They would’ve understood if Kuno had declined. And now, Theo felt hesitant for some reason. After a moment they took the other man’s hand, squeezing it a bit too tight as he stood. Using his free hand to brush off grass in their clothes and hair, they said, “Um… we can keep walking around in the garden. Maybe Vivi’s waiting for us there.”
His fingers tingled. They felt the need to cry again at the feeling of Kuno’s hand clasped in theirs. Instead he sighed, and shivered from the leftover adrenaline the dream from earlier gave them.

"Really," Kuno repeated, nodding. He didn't know why he was so sure. Maybe it was because it seemed like Theo had just experienced a nightmare and might need something to ground him. Maybe it was because he himself wanted that warmth of connection. Whatever it was, Kuno was glad when Theo took his hand. He didn't mind if their grip was tight–to be honest, he hardly noticed. "Alright, then. To the garden." There was still a fair amount Theo hadn't seen. And they should probably find their snake, just in case it scared one of the gardeners. Kuno led Theo back towards the gardens, wondering idly where they should go next. Most of his attention, however, was focused on Theo's hand in his. It should not feel as natural as it did, and yet…

(“Ah yes, let’s go find my emotional support snake”)

Theo’s grip gradually loosened as they walked, and their mood improved. At the same time though, he almost wanted to go back to the sea at some point. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad the second time.
He glanced around, looking for a sign of Vivi. Her species lived both on the ground and in trees, which increased the amount of places she could be. But then again, it wasn’t urgent that they find her. If she decided to stay on her own, Theo wasn’t particularly worried.
“Vivi, we’re back,” they called out. Then he chuckled softly. “She likes you now, so maybe she won’t be so skittish.”
The snake still didn’t appear. Theo couldn’t ignore the handholding much longer. Kuno’s hand was just so soft, which didn’t make sense seeing as how he had fought in the war. Shouldn’t they be more rough? Without thinking, their thumb rubbed against his skin in fascination.

(The best quest. Also, happy late thanksgiving! :)
It was nice walking through the gardens with Theo. Kuno wasn't really looking for the snake, though he should probably be. He didn't really know what to look for, so he just glanced around for anything unusual. The path took them through low-growing, dark-colored bushes decorated with small, white, star-shaped flowers. Kuno slowed down, taking a deep breath of the light, floral scent. The flowers could be used to make a very tasty tea, one that he enjoyed a lot. He didn't see a snake in the flowers, though that might have just been because he wasn't familiar with searching for snakes. "Any luck finding your snake?" Kuno asked softly, glancing from the flowers to Theo. At that moment, Theo's thumb rubbed against his skin. The motion sent a shiver down Kuno's back, but it wasn't a bad feeling. Still, it did make him stare stupidly at Theo with a look of mild surprise.

“No, but it’s alright. She’ll turn up,” Theo responded absentmindedly. For a moment his gaze drifted to the flowers, but then he caught Kuno’s surprised look. They panicked for a second.
“Um— sorry, I uh… I didn’t mean to— your hand is just really soft. And, uh, I… just…”
They could not conjure the words to explain themself properly, and trailed off awkwardly. He looked away, half-pretending to be looking for Vivi to avoid facing the other man. Perhaps he could have let go of his hand, but for some reason they didn’t want to.

"Ilah, that's good." Kuno nodded slowly, still staring at Theo. Oh Sol, they thought he was surprised in a bad way. "I–no, it's fine. I was just surprised. In a good way," Kuno said quickly, his expression quickly turning into a reassuring one. Almost unconsciously, he glanced down at their intertwined hands. It was probably his imagination, but they looked like they were made to fit together. Sol, he was losing it again. Kuno's eyes drifted to his last two fingers–or rather, the missing parts of them. He was glad Theo didn't mind or give them any extra attention. Lainei and Elia didn't either, but some people gave him pitying looks whenever they noticed. Same with his missing eye. He hated it.

He hesitantly looked back, relaxing when they found Kuno’s more reassuring look on his face. “Um, alright. As long as you don’t mind.” Their gaze flickered downward. He almost didn’t even notice the missing fingers at first, but once they did, it didn’t really matter that much. He was afraid to admit it, but they made holding hands with Kuno more natural, somehow. They couldn’t help but rub his thumb against it again.
Your Highness, why are you interlocking those strange appendages of yours with the pretty human?
Theo blinked and shifted their gaze back to the flower bushes. “Oh, there you are Vivi.” Holding out his free hand, they let her slither up his sleeve.
Yes, I have returned. Did you miss me?
“Not particularly,” they replied without skipping a beat.
Her tongue flickered. I’m offended.
“And I’m just kidding.”
Sure you are.

"I assure you, I don't." Kuno tore his gaze away from their hands to look into Theo's face. Just in time for them to rub their thumb against their hand again. Kuno wasn't so surprised this time, a small smile pulling his lips up instead. Kuno hadn't felt this kind of contact–just pure, innocent human contact–in ages. His family had died so long ago, and then there'd been the war. He hadn't allowed himself to get close to anyone during that time because he was so scared of losing them. And he had lost people, over and over and over again. By the end of it, he'd been so tired of losing people that he'd decided it was better to give his own life instead of having to see someone else he cared for die. After that… no, he wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking about Theo's hand in his, and how it was okay to let himself enjoy it because the war was over. Theo's voice thankfully pulled him back to the present. He watched as the snake appeared from within the flowers and smiled. The war was behind him. He had to remember that. The present was safe. The present had Theo and their strange snake and a taveni-jolu celebration he could enjoy without fear. "Are you hungry? I'm sure there's plenty of food by now. I could go get us some so you don't have to go back into the crowd."

Theo caught the man’s smile, and they felt their cheeks grow warm. Why were his smiles so adorable?
He seemed to forget who Kuno is. Or at least, who he was. The one that took them away. The man that stood before him now, holding their hand, was so far removed from the man he’d pictured at first. How could Theo reconcile the two? How could he hate one and be… mildly interested in the other when they were same man?
But he didn’t want to think about that right now. For some reason they were actually enjoying this. Was that… okay?
He used his free hand to rub Vivi’s scales as she slithered around his neck. He’d honestly forgotten to eat anything since breakfast. “Ah, yes. I haven’t eaten in a while…” After a moment of thought, they said, “Alright, thank you. Vivi will keep me company.”

"Perfect. I'll be right back." Kuno smiled, reluctantly letting go of Theo's hand. He gave them one last smile before hurrying back out of the garden. He wanted to get the food as fast as possible so Theo wasn't waiting too long. The sounds of people talking and music slowly got louder as he neared the celebration. The cooking contests had really taken off, but Kuno decided not to get food from there. Although it was usually quite good, sometimes people really didn't know what they were doing. There was no way he was giving Theo bad food. Kuno carefully made his way over to the food stations. It took longer than he thought, given that every few feet someone was stopping him and offering him a flower. But he couldn't be mad. It was so nice to see everyone so happy. Eventually, Kuno managed to get a plate of yula-ofe, as well as a jug of cold tea to go with it. He snagged two empty cups and hurried back towards the gardens. Hopefully, Theo would like the food he'd chosen.

After wandering around a bit more, Theo managed to find the small table that outlooked the lily pond where they have sat before, figuring it would be better than just standing and eating. He sat down, setting the flowers on the table.
My, my, the pretty human is getting you food now? How generous. Vivi flickered her tongue as they stroked her scales.
“Yes, yes, he’s very kind.” Theo couldn’t help but roll their eyes a little. “I don’t know why he is being so nice, but I’m sure that’s all it is.”
But if he’s so nice, why do you want to kill him?
He frowned. He didn’t want to admit that they were starting to ask the same question. “I have to. I just have to.”
What will happen if you don’t?
Snakes were so strange sometimes. “Look, I just have to, Vivi. Okay? It’s my duty.”
Vivi didn’t seem to understand what that meant, and they fell into silence. Theo was troubled by their exchange, but for once he didn’t let it take over his mind. They really wanted to enjoy themselves for once, forget the war for a while. He watched the the trees sway and the water ripple, hoping Kuno would find them and not mind their change in location.

(So I lied about the slow reply. Sorry again for the very late reply. :)
Theo wasn’t where Kuno had left him. He panicked for a second, convinced someone had grabbed them or taken them. But the war was over, it was over, there was no reason someone would take him. He’d probably just wandered off to find a better place to eat. After all, it wouldn’t be all that comfortable to eat standing up. Kuno took a few deep breaths, then started to look for Theo. After only a minute or so, Kuno found Theo sitting at the table by the lily pond.
“I brought yula-ofe and some tea,” Kuno said, setting the plate of corn-based dumplings full of beef, beans, and peppers on the table. “I like the spot you picked,” he continued, placing the glasses on the table and carefully pouring some tea into both of them. Kuno carefully sat down, picking up his glass and taking a long sip of the sweet, cool tea. “I’m, uh, sorry I couldn't get another plate. You can eat first.” He reached out and gently pushed the plate towards Theo.

They raised his head when Kuno arrived, eyes immediately eyeing the tea. “Thank you,” he murmured, taking the glass and inspecting it before sipping the tea. It was good, better than the tea made in Indri. It had a citrusy flavor Theo liked. Immediately they felt the urge to know how it was made so they could make it himself.
Turning his attention to the dish, he replied, “It’s fine,” and examined the dumplings. ”Yula-ofe?” They were more scrutinizing of these, eyeing them for any flaws that could possibly be there. Glancing at Kuno, they then almost felt guilty. He shouldn’t let his picky eating habits keep him from eating it, even if it was an Opreian dish that they’d never eaten before. Besides, Kuno had been kind enough to get the food for them to eat together.
They took one of the dumplings and bit into it. It was okay, but he could do without the pepper. He sipped the tea again to wash it down, pushing the plate back toward Kuno.

(I apologize for the long wait, holiday crazy went on longer than I anticipated. :)
"Mn." Kuno nodded, taking a long sip of the tea. He felt a bit nervous that Theo was peering at the food he'd brought for them with such scrutiny. Did they not like yula-ofe? He was about to backpedal and go get something else, but Theo picked up a dumpling before he could make a move. Well, that was for the best. He didn't know what else he could have gotten for them. "Selija." Kuno grabbed a dumpling from the plate and took a small bite. Sol, these were good. He could probably eat them every single day. Not that he would, since there were so many other wonderful dishes he could eat. But they were that good in his opinion. Kuno glanced over at Theo, not sure what to say. He should probably ask how the food and tea tasted. "Does it taste–" Kuno started, reaching for his cup of tea. A shout cut him off, rising above the faint murmur of the celebration and piercing into the quiet of the garden.
"Canyu-pol sa ka!" Shortly after the shout, a scream sounded. Kuno shot to his feet, his hand knocking the cup over. Tea splashed over the table, but Kuno didn't notice. His mind was already on the queens and the fact that they were unarmed and probably in danger. He had to get to them. Kuno had thought that the war was over. He'd hoped that it was over. But it seemed like that wasn't the case.

Theo glanced up when Kuno began to speak, but then the shouts cut him off, and they flinched. Moving away from the spilled tea, he came up next to him, his brow furrowing and their muscles tensed and stiff. He recognized that word, but their mind struggled to catch up.
“What’s going on?” They asked. Vivi hid beneath his clothes.

(Cool, no problem! :)
"The canyu's people are attacking," Kuno said, his voice quiet and slightly shaky. "They… I have to go. I need to protect the queens." He took a few steps down the path, then paused. What was he supposed to use to protect them? He didn't think he had enough–if any–components for attack spells. That meant.. he had to pick up a sword again. Kuno had thought that he wouldn't have to ever hold that weapon in his hands again, but fate seemed to have other plans for him. And… there was Theo too. Kuno glanced back at him, pressing his lips together. "Come with me. It isn't safe out here anymore. My room is near the back. They probably won't get back there." Kuno held his hand out towards Theo, his eyes full of urgency. "Come, we have to be quick."

Theo’s blood turned to ice. Indrians? Here? Why? Questions upon questions flooded his brain. This could really mess with his original plan. Or, perhaps it could set it in motion. Whatever the case, they needed to see what was going on for themselves.
Kuno’s voice cut through his thoughts. His room…
Theo only had enough time for quick deliberation before taking the other man’s hand. They could feel Father and Mother’s breath on his neck, but he couldn’t tell if they were angry or not. They just seemed to watching, emotionless, yet keen.

Kuno gave Theo's hand a quick squeeze and started hurrying towards his room. The sounds of screams and clashing blades grew fainter as they moved farther away from the front of the palace. Kuno had been really glad that the queens gave him a room at the back of the palace because it was so quiet. But the silence now made him very uneasy. They arrived at his door after what seemed like an eternity, thanks to the worries swirling around in his head.
"We're here," Kuno said, though it was entirely unnecessary. He let go of Theo's hand and pulled his key out of his pocket. "Make yourself comfortable. The door lock should keep anyone out, but if it doesn't…" Kuno unlocked the door and started inside. "I have a knife you can use." He knew a knife probably wouldn't do much, but it was better than nothing. Kuno started towards the cabinet where he kept his old weapons. The first thing he grabbed was his sword, slinging the sheath over his back. The weight was terribly familiar. Sol, he wished he never had to hold it again. "Here," Kuno said, turning back to Theo with a sheathed knife in his hand. "Just stay here and stay quiet. I'll come back as soon as the queens are safe." He held the knife out to Theo, already starting towards the door. Sol, he had to focus. If he headed out there in his current mental state, a child might be able to get a good hit on him before he could take them out.

Theo resisted the urge to pull away from Kuno and run in the direction of the noise. Instead he focused his mind on committing the way to his room to memory as they ran deeper into the palace.
Their mind was also whirling, but for different reasons. Half of it was focused on the here and now, watching as Kuno opened the door and went through his cabinet. The other half was frantically coming up with a plan in order to properly gauge the situation while not getting in the way of danger.
The knife. His gaze fixed on it and they took it from him. “Thank you…” he said uncertainly. He wasn’t sure if they should be thanking him at a time like this, but he really did just do them a favor. Theo had brought their own weapons to kill him with, but having access to his own knife would make it possible for him to set up his death as a suicide. Of course, it’s not as if he could do it now; he was about to be out the door. However…
Vivi poked her head out from beneath his dress. His fingers curled around the knife handle as they whispered to her.
“Follow him. Come back and tell me what’s going on. Stay safe.”
He lowered the snake onto the ground, and she silently slithered behind Kuno and out the door.

Kuno broke into a run the moment he left his room, sprinting through the hallways as fast as he could. As he grew nearer to the front of the palace, the screams shifted into focus. There were mostly just screams, but every once in a while he could hear someone's shouted orders. Probably one of the queens, if he had to take a guess. Kuno took a deep breath right before he pushed through the doors and stepped into the battle. It was absolute chaos out there, exactly what he'd been trying to avoid ever since the war. But the queens were in danger. Kuno gritted his teeth and unsheathed his sword. For them, he would do anything.

It was just like the war. If he didn't know better, he would think that it had never ended in the first place. Kuno and the rest of the group of warriors pushed the last of the furniture against the door. Hopefully, that would keep the attacking canyu-followers out for now while they regrouped.
"Kuno! Sol, are you okay?" Kuno turned to see Elia rush towards him, eyes wide with worry. "You're hurt!" She continued, eyes going to the cut across his forehead.
"I'm fine," he said quickly, wiping away the blood as well as he could. "It's just a cut. There are other people who need help more than I do."
"Kuno, don't say that. I know for a fact that you–" Elia started, but Kuno quickly cut her off. He had to get back to Theo and let him know what was going on.
"Elia, it's fine. I have to go check on someone, but I'll be back as soon as I can to discuss our next move, alright?" Before she could answer, Kuno turned and started back towards his room. His arm stung where one of the canyu-followers had cut him, but he moved it to the back of his mind. He had stuff in his room which would help quickly enough.