Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I'll see you when you return, Leon... I'm sure you'll make me proud, as always. You've never failed me yet and I know you won't start failing me now. Dismissed.

Leon wakes up to unfamiliar rafters overhead.

His mind catches up to reality a second after his body does, and he sits upright in a flash, eyes darting around to take in the situation and finding no threats.

Everything's still and quiet. It's just him in an empty bedroom.

He cautiously relaxes into a more comfortable sitting position. He doesn't remember moving to this room. All he remembers is...

"Lay down if you'd like. He won't mind."

"Shall we get to know each other, roomie?"

Piers. Raihan.

This is their home.

Leon's in their home.

He doesn't remember laying down in this particular bed, though. He laid down in the bed up in the tower, and was chatting with the other human about nonsense things he can't recall, and Piers told him to relax and rest, and he must have fallen asleep up there. How rude of him to pass out in someone else's bed, that's embarrassing...

Another brief memory fills in for him.

"We have another bed Leon can use. Let him have it."

Raihan's old bed. Given the size of this thing, it makes sense... It's just as big as the one in the tower. Raihan must have carried him here after he returned from his mission of fabricating remains out of Leon's armor.

As a knight, that thought is even more embarrassing than falling asleep where he shouldn't. Being picked up and carried by a monster without sensing it and waking up right away. He sighs and pushes a hand into his hair to stave off the guilt creeping up. It's not fair to call Raihan that anymore. He might be a dragon, but he's no enemy. He's no monster.

Of course he didn't wake up when there was zero bloodlust or intent to harm directed towards him. He needs to stop thinking that Raihan's a threat by default. He's not. Leon's already seen the proof that dragons have the capacity to care and be selfless.

Rhondeland's royal research department would probably scoff and laugh him out of their offices if he tried telling him everything he learned. Raihan might be a sample size of one, but he's still blatant evidence that everything they know about dragons—and by extension, other beasts—is shallow at best, completely wrong at worst.

If there's one thing that's clear, it's that he, and a lot of other people, have a lot they need to relearn about the world.

For now, Leon can start with learning about the tiny one he's in right now. Unfamiliar bedroom, unfamiliar house, unfamiliar land.

He slips out from under the heavy blanket. It's quite a trip, given how large the bed is. His feet touch the floor and he stands, and after a moment of hesitation, he turns and remakes the bed as best he can, brushing off the phantom scold of leave it to the servants, boy, that's what they're here for.

Now that he's free from the palace and all its stiff, empty formalities and hierarchies, he'll make the bed as much as he wants. No more standing idle while other people manage his life for him.

...He could do with some practice, though. These sheets aren't quite square. At least the blanket's so thick it's impossible to wrinkle. He'd love to spend more time on this to get it perfect, but... there's more pressing things at hand. Like figuring out where he is, and finding where Piers and Raihan are.

With a final fluff of the pillow and a satisfied nod, he turns and promptly halts.

Next to a basin of water and a wooden comb, his sword-in-scabbard rests on a small table across the room.

One of them must have brought the sword down along with his unconscious self. Something tells him it was Raihan. The dragon was the one who let him hang onto his sword in the first place, instead of taking it along with all his armor to wreck and turn into his fabricated remains.

He drifts to it, drawn to its familiarity in the midst of all the unknown.

Before he can touch it, something creaks outside the room and his hand jerks back to himself.

Must be the house settling...

Leon swallows and directs his attention to the basin and comb. The water is cold and feels fresh. The comb must belong to Piers. Leon left his own brush at the...

At the village. Along with all his other belongings that he packed for his quest.

Nothing to do about it for now. He'll face things one at a time, and the first thing on the list is washing his face and fixing his hair from the mess sleep always makes of it.

He feels much more refreshed after that. Nothing like a splash of cold water to reset the mind for the day.

Now that he's done everything he could in this room, the partially opened door draws his attention. He's glad it was left open as he slept; if it was closed he'd have assumed he was locked in. He quietly steps over to it and touches the lacquered wooden handle. It's such a generic item, but the delicate carving and the gloss over the wood raises several questions.

He pulls the door open. It's dense, good-quality wood, and unlike the door into the cottage and the door up to the tower, the hinges don't creak.

There's no way the dragon and prince built this themselves. Not unless either of them are master carpenters and woodworkers. Or stonemasons, with the size of the attached tower. Not to mention, all this furniture... It's nothing like the lavish trappings of the Rhondeland royal palace, but definitely not amateur craft.

Curiosity wells in his mind and overwrites any unease. No harm in exploring a little, if the house is open to him...

Before he can step out of the room, the sword pulls him to glance over his shoulder. It would only take a second to fasten it to himself... Leon worries at his lip, lets go of the door, and swiftly steps out of the room without a backwards look.

He finds that he's on the ground floor of the one-story dwelling attached to the tower. He didn't get to look around much when he first passed through it to reach said tower. If he had stopped to look, he'd have noticed how lived-in it is.

He walks as quietly as he can, not wanting to disturb the place he's exploring even though yesterday's events made clear that Leon's as much a resident here as the other two men. This house just doesn't feel like he can call it his yet. He's a stranger to it. Guest-status, at most.

One thing he notices about the place is that there are books everywhere. On the small table near the quaint kitchen, on the sill of the window letting sunlight into the main room, stacked on each other on another table in said main room. They're of all sizes and colors and thicknesses, and despite how haphazardly they're spread throughout the cottage, they were clearly put down with care. None of them hang over any edges, and the occasional stack of them is neatly squared.

Leon finds an ajar door on the far end of the cottage and peeks into it.

It's a study of sorts. And it's filled to the brim with strange artifacts. Shelves spilling over with dusty jars and strange glassware. Instruments for measuring goddess-knows-what. And more books. So many more books, with strange symbols on the covers and spines of the few that are marked to begin with. A few are hard to focus on, his gaze slipping away like water down a feather. He's starting to get a familiar headache looking at the shelves, so he grants himself relief by looking at the rest of the cramped room.

The walls are painted a stark black, with diagrams painted in silver that Leon can't recognize. He can make out a few familiar shapes... The one on the far wall looks like some sort of grid chart, with only half the squares filled in with symbology he doesn't—oh, that's the one for 'iron,' isn't it? And... 'copper?' Some sort of alchemical...

"We kept a lot of things from this place's previous owner."

Leon jumps at the deep voice right behind him. He whirls around and nearly takes the skin off his nose against the draconic chest in his face.

"Whoa, easy there." The figure takes a step back and Leon tips his head back, meeting the gaze of a very-amused Raihan.

His first instinct is to jump back, but the laid-back posture of the man in front of him gives him enough self-control to stay in place. Raihan's nothing to be cautious of, not anymore.

"You sleep okay, knight? My bed isn't as comfortable as the one upstairs, but it probably beats wherever you've been camping around."

He finds himself relaxing in the face of such a casual topic. "I slept well. Thank you. Were you were the one who moved me?"

"Sure was. You were out cold when I got back." Raihan's pleasant neutrality spreads into a smile that shows a little teeth. "I wouldn't have disturbed you, but Piers asked me to take you downstairs so you could wake up in a more normal-looking bedroom. He's more thoughtful than I am."

He tentatively returns the smile. "I appreciate it. I think it did help. Thanks for bringing my sword, too. I know I don't have any reason to carry it around here, but..."

"Hey, what's a knight without his sword? I'm not about to take your weapon away from you. Consider it a show of trust." Raihan lifts his clawed hands in a brief peace gesture. "I'm surprised you didn't put it back on after you woke up."

Leon almost moves his hand to his hip despite there being nothing there. He wasn't expecting it either, that he could leave it behind in that room. Something about that rubs him the wrong way, but he does his best to brush it off.

"What was it you said about this place's previous owner?"

"Oh, that! Yeah, Piers and I found this place totally abandoned. Looked like the owner left in a big hurry. Piers didn't want to travel through wintertime, so this was the perfect place to move in and prep through the fall and all that. I staked my claim on the surrounding land to make it safer, and that was that. Winter's over now, but... we're used to this place. Piers and I both like living here."

Raihan spreads his arms to refer to not just the house they're standing in, but the land surrounding them as well.

"The house used to belong to some kind of wizard who loved to hoard things. There was weird shit all over the place. We threw a ton of garbage out that was either useless or so cursed that not even I could figure out how to disenchant it. Everything in that room there," Raihan nods over Leon's shoulder, "is stuff Piers thought was notable enough to keep or too dangerous to dump. I forget which applies to which. He could tell you if you're curious."

Dangerous? Some of those items did look pretty suspicious. It's good that they were able to—

"Wait, you can undo curses?"

It takes teams of human mages days or even weeks, sometimes months, to unravel what someone else left on an object. It's a delicate procedure. Advanced magic.

Raihan shrugs. "All you need is a good eye and patience. And steady hands. They're like puzzles, it's kind of fun." He pauses to consider something. "Sharp nails help too."

The casual way Raihan talks about it puts into perspective the differences between them, beyond the physical.

The 'good eye' bit is the most standout. As far as humans go, Leon's pretty sensitive to magic, but even he can't see it unconditionally. Raihan must see the whole world in a way no human has before.

"Any other questions about the house or myself? I'm more than happy to answer anything you're curious about. Especially if you're curious about me."

Raihan has no idea how many questions he has. He wants to learn everything there is to know, both about this house and about the people within it. But he doesn't want to take time away from them by bombarding them with his curiosity, and this morning is only one of what's meant to be many, so he'll do his best to pace himself on his discoveries.

There is one thing, though...

"All these books... Did they belong to the previous owner too?" He gestures behind Raihan at the open living space and all the miscellaneous reading material strewn throughout.

"You ask about the books of all things?" Raihan rubs his chin. "A lot of them were already here, yeah. But the majority are Piers'. He loves, loves reading, so whenever I have an opportunity to find new books for him, I bring them back with me."

It's tempting to ask for details on how Raihan manages that when the nearest village is terrified of him, but Leon's already drawn his line on how curious he'll allow himself to be for now. He'll stick to the essentials from now on.

"About Piers..." Leon rubs the back of his neck and averts his eyes. "Is he up?"

"Hm... Yeah, he's always up by this time. But you'll have to wait a while before you see him. He's got a morning routine that's hard to distract him out of. Believe me, I've tried," Raihan dramatically sighs.

The pout on Raihan's face is hard to not find amusing, but he manages to keep a straight face, just in case Raihan thinks he's being made fun of. The last thing he wants is to upset his hosts. Housemates, he dares to self-correct.

"That's okay, I can wait. No rush. I'll try and get used to your schedules so I don't get in your way."

Raihan hums and observes him. Leon's no stranger to being inspected where he stands, but there's something to be said about being stared down at by someone so inhumanly tall, with eyes so piercing, like he's some kind of mystery.

"Sure. Like you said. No rush."

It's impossible to tell what Raihan's referring to exactly. Waiting for Piers, or Leon adjusting to their schedules? Both, maybe...? Deciphering hidden meanings was never a talent of his. It annoyed Rose to no end, having to speak literally to his son instead of dressing his language up in double or triple meanings like he does around political peers.

"In the meantime, I need to fix the tear you made in my border. You should come with me."

Little room for argument. Not that Leon has any.

He is apprehensive, though, because he's been in enough "why don't you walk with me" situations with his king to know that it's a flag for an incoming deep conversation. Not to say that Raihan will do anything Rose does—they have the most disparate personalities imaginable—but he can't shake the apprehension that he's about to be subjected to some sort of lecture or lesson. It's not his place to avoid it, whatever it might be.

"Of course I'll accompany you." His hand drifts to his empty hip. As soon as he realizes what he's doing, he drops his hand and rubs his palm against his thigh. He needs to forget about the sword. He has no reason to carry it around in front of the person he pointed it at yesterday.

Raihan tilts his head and his lips tug to the side knowingly.

"Don't worry. My—Piers' and I's territory... wait, 'our...?'" The dragon scratches his cheek and shrugs off his trail of thought. "This place is safe enough for humans to wander around defenseless as long as they have common sense. Besides, you'll be with me. I'm way better than any weapon you could carry."

Those justifications are enough for him to ignore the lightness at his side. Of course nothing's more dangerous here than Raihan. It makes sense that he'd make the land safe enough for Piers to walk wherever he pleases without worry. If there is any trouble, a dragon should be more than enough of a solution.

And it's just one walk.

"Alright. Lead the way."

- - -

Twenty minutes have passed and not a word has been spoken. They're far enough away from the tower that if Raihan wanted to say anything out of Piers' earshot, he could start any time now.

The cloud of apprehension clinging to his shoulders only thickens the longer they go without a word. He's waiting for Raihan to start spinning up a speech or asking Leon if he knows why he asked him to come here, but... nothing. 

Whenever he feels able, he steals glances at his strolling companion. Raihan looks as casual as can be, handsome head tipped up to observe the cloud-spotted sky, large body light-footed and not making any more sound through the tall grass than Leon is.

Since the dragon doesn't seem keen on saying anything (yet?), Leon gingerly observes their surroundings. He should get familiar with it, if he's going to—since he will be living here.

(It's surreal to think of this place as a new home.)

The meadow is vast, flowering, and blankets several hills. The edge of the forest in the distance is bright with the freshness of spring growth, the gateway to their destination. The dwelling they left behind seems to be in the middle of the meadow as well as the center of the territory, implying that the area is, overall, massive. And Raihan controls all of it. The dragon's always implied that he's incredibly powerful, and acts the part too, but it hasn't really sunk in yet, what sort of creature he is.

All he really knows is that Raihan wasn't what he expected out of a dragon—which isn't saying much, given that his expectations were entirely misguided—and also that Raihan really... cares, about Piers.

His mind hesitates to use the L-word. It's not like there'd be any consequence or logical contradiction to using the L-word, but admitting that a monster (he cringes a little using that word, now), could that a human, is just...

It's just not something he ever considered. Do dragons have the same standards of attraction that humans do...? The same concepts of commitment, the same values of what's important in a healthy, fulfilling relationship? Raihan's displayed nothing but care and affection for Piers, and vice versa, so he has no reason to doubt or question what they have. Raihan and Piers chose each other, and that's all that matters.

It doesn't stop him from being curious, though. He's curious about many things, so many things, but details about the how, why, and when regarding this unconventional relationship definitely rank at the top of the 'Things Leon Would Love To Know' list.

One of the ways he justifies his curiosity of their relationship is his aversion to making either of them uncomfortable with his lack of understanding. Saying the wrong thing by accident, or assuming something insensitive, is far too likely with him. Leon knows full well that he's bad at picking up the right cues and clues from people trying to be subtle, and even worse at delivering them. Plenty of his tutors have bemoaned that about him, his lack of subtlety.

"Something on your mind, knight?"

He blinks and finds himself already within the edge of the forest. "Sorry?"

"Your face. It's telling me you have something on your mind."

Leon schools his expression and internally berates himself for letting his guard down.

At least Raihan's finally going to say whatever it is he brought Leon out here to say.

"Wow, you're even doing the thing Piers does whenever I ask him what's wrong. Is that a human thing, or what?"

That doesn't sound like the start of a lecture. Leon steps over a fallen branch, mindful of the patch of flowers trying to grow underfoot.

"Is what a human thing?"

Raihan ducks beneath another low branch, taking on a new posture better for maneuvering through the forest—leaning forward, tail out behind him for balance, wings nearly parallel with the ground. The light filtering through the leaves dapples over his scales and dark skin, casting even more dimension to his impressive back muscles.

"Hiding what you feel like that. That's not healthy, you know."

And there's the reprimand. It feels off, though. If Raihan's drawing this out for some reason, he doesn't have to.

"Isn't there something you want to tell me?" he blurts.

Raihan hums in thought and uses a wing to hold a low branch up out of the way to walk under. "Right now in particular? Nah, not really. Why?"

"You asked me to walk out here with you. Alone. It's the perfect opportunity to tell me something in private..."

The following silence churns unease in his gut like sediment clouding a riverbed. Here it comes. Whatever 'it' might be, he's ready. He's taken countless lectures from Rose, he can take one from Raihan, too.

"Guess I could if I wanted to, huh? Looks to me like you've got more to say than I do. If you're looking for a conversation, why don't you start one?"

He blinks in surprise. Raihan clears a large fallen tree and Leon rushes to vault over it himself.

"Me?"

"Who else? You're allowed to talk to me about stuff, you know. I know Piers would say the same. Chat us up anytime, ask us questions anytime. You live with us now, that means you can talk to us. Speak your mind."

No lecture? He was mistaken about Raihan's motivations for bringing him out here... His shoulders lighten and he notices for the first time how pretty the forest is around them, in the light of the morning. If Raihan really doesn't have a spiel for him, and it's really okay to ask questions...

"...Is it okay if I ask about you and Piers?"

"Sure, ask away. We're the two most interesting things in this territory, after all. Ah, sorry. Among the three most interesting things in this territory, now that you're here."

"No, I mean... you and Piers. As a unit," he struggles to phrase. "As one thing."

Raihan perks up and picks up the pace. "Oh, our relationship? Of course you can ask about that. Fire away, knight, what'cha wanna know? Nothing's off limits."

That enthusiasm is hard to resist. "In that case..." He jogs to catch up until he's at the dragon's flank. "How exactly do you feel about Piers, if it's okay to ask?"

A rich laugh startles a few birds out of the nearby trees. "That almost sounds like you're trying to gauge if he's single."

His heart rate skyrockets. "I- I just want to know more about the people who helped me. That's all."

He doesn't want to get any more defensive than that, because that would make him look suspicious. Which he isn't! It shouldn't matter to him what Piers' relationship status is. Piers is taken anyways. By the man in front of him.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you. I know you know he's anything but single."

The back of Leon's neck prickles as they approach the edge of the territory, both in response to the magical border and in anticipation of the answer Raihan will give. An arm blocks his path forward, and the dragon continues to the invisible boundary alone.

Raihan pinpoints a particular spot and hunches over, inspecting what looks to Leon like a patch of empty air. He knows it's not empty, though. He can feel it, looming invisibly.

"Let's see, how do I feel about Piers... I'm a little disappointed you couldn't tell already. I never once hid my feelings about him." Raihan straightens up and carves his hands through the air, and the electric buzz of magic prickles all over Leon's skin. If he strains his eyes he can almost see the threads of it glittering like fine glass dust between Raihan's fingers.

"Obviously, I love him. Piers is the greatest thing to happen to me." Raihan brings his hands together, fingers splayed and laced, and pulls them apart to double up on the magic strung between his hands. "He's the treasure of my heart, my life partner, and if there was ever a circumstance in which I had to die, I'd want it to be as I'm protecting him from whatever seeks to harm him."

Leon can't find the room to think of a response. He stands there, stunned and speechless at the pure devotion, and can only watch as the dragon unspools more and more power and the air gets more and more pressurized.

"Piers is everything I could wish for. He's mine, and I'm his just as much. We might not have a traditional relationship by either of our species' standards, but I don't care and neither does he. All I care about is knowing he loves me back, and it's something I'm able to rediscover every single day. And whenever I succeed in making him smile... I'm the happiest dragon alive."

With dense threads of magic stretched between his hands, Raihan sets to work, weaving the new material into the tear Leon made. It's mesmerizing to watch; Raihan moves with the confidence and grace of a master, not wasting a single motion, arm and back muscles shifting without pause as he effortlessly repairs what Leon destroyed.

Not everything is so easily fixed, is it? Prince of Rhondeland, you wanted this beast's head.

Leon's throat tightens. So does his chest, squeezed by the horror hindsight provides and amplified by the sight before him. Raihan, fixing the damage he did. Raihan, who loves his partner dearly. Who was the first to decide to open his home to a stranger. The first one to give Leon a chance.

And the prince tried to kill him without ever knowing what he was about to destroy.

He staggers back a step and some of the pressure on his mind and body eases, but the extra distance from the active magic does nothing to ease the pressure on his heart.

He almost came between them yesterday in the worst way possible. There may not be any enmity between the three of them now, but yesterday, he came so close to taking a beautiful life and leaving his love heartbroken and alone.

Piers would have hated him.

That aches anew, a dagger of realization slipping up through his ribs to scrape his heart. He not only wanted to use Raihan, he wanted to use Piers too.

Look father, I not only eliminated the most dangerous monster a human can encounter, I also rescued his prisoner. That's bonus points, isn't it?

After several minutes that felt like no time at all, the hole is reduced to nothing and the final stitch is in place. Raihan snaps the final thread with a yank Leon can feel in his teeth, and takes a step back to get a better look at the handiwork only he can see.

"There... I should thank you for making such a neat entrance. Normally when people come barging through they leave this thing in tatters—"

"I'm sorry."

His heart feels restricted, like it can't beat to its fullest without puncturing against something.

"Hm...?" Raihan's running a claw over something Leon can't see, plucking at an invisible thread that inaudibly twangs and sets Leon shuddering regardless. "For what?"

"For yesterday." He shivers and keeps a tense eye on Raihan's back as the confessions keep coming. "I didn't know what I'd be ruining. That I'd be killing a relationship too." He takes an unneeded breath to steady his voice. "I didn't know, and I'm sorry."

Raihan doesn't turn around. He stands there, tall and statuesque until the end of his whiplike tail flicks and takes the heads off several plants that happened to be in the way.

"I could say the same thing back at you, knight." His voice is resonant even when aimed away. "I could apologize for almost slaughtering you. I didn't know the kind of life I would be ending, either. But I'm not going to apologize. You know why?"

Leon tries to loosen the guilt constricting his throat, but it only winds tighter around his whole head and neck. "Why?"

Raihan turns around, and the sympathetic smile on his face throws Leon harder than a surprise tackle from behind.

"Because nothing happened. I didn't kill you, nor did I make any attempts after learning your side of things. I have nothing to apologize for and neither do you."

He sucks in a breath. "It's different, isn't it? If you killed me it would be out of self-defense. I wanted to kill you because I was selfish. It's different, you can't say I have nothing to apologize for! I- I feel terrible, and it's scary that we came so close to hurting each other, and hurting Piers too, and I..."

The undergrowth rustles and crunches, and a warm hand rests on his shoulder. He jerks his head up and startles when Raihan's face is right there in front of him. 

"Leon, hey, hey..." The hand on his shoulder drifts up to rest heavy on top of his head. He feels smaller like this, and he braces for a chastisement that never comes. "Cut yourself some slack. None of us got hurt in the end. It's all cleared up now. The only one who's upset with you is you."

The blue of Raihan's eyes will suck him in if he keeps looking. So he breaks his gaze away, and since he already revealed vulnerability by doing that, allows himself to bite his lip too. The burst of localized pain helps him concentrate on listening without being overwhelmed.

"It's not good to dwell on things that no longer affect the present. Don't let your own guilt hold you back when good things are within reach. You can be sorry, but remember, we already forgave you. We're not mad or upset with you for yesterday's events. So what I'm saying is, let it go already. Piers and I already have, so it's your turn."

He definitely doesn't deserve all this care. But like Raihan's saying, if he's already trying to be better, and they already forgave him, then... maybe it's okay to forgive himself, too. That's what Raihan's saying. If that's what they want from him, he'll try his best to make them proud.

"...Were you always this wise?" Leon weakly asks.

Raihan shows off his snaggletooth fang with a wide smile. "Nah, I just learned a lot from Piers. I'm telling you, back when we barely knew each other, he was a big mess. Took ages before his head and heart stopped being so heavy. I had to learn how to help him, and after a while he got better enough to start helping me learn how to help him too."

A knuckle taps and lightly presses against the center of his forehead. "So yeah. I'm basically an expert at this stuff now. We're ready to handle you and help you adjust. You can relax."

Easier said than done...

Leon gets a fresh view of an armored chest when Raihan straightens up and stretches. "Well, I think we've been out here long enough. That's enough heavy talk for one—"

"Wait."

Raihan pauses mid-stretch and lowers his arms. "...What is it now?"

One more. One more thing about yesterday, then he swears he'll let it drop.

"You had every right to try and rip me apart when we fought. But you randomly stopped. What happened, what changed?"

"You don't remember?" Raihan takes one look at Leon's unsteady expression, clears his throat, and recounts in a dramatized approximation of Leon's voice and battle pose. "You're about to become my freedom, O Great and Terrible Raihan."

That's... a little embellished. He doesn't really sound like that, does he?

"I... don't understand."

Raihan drops the impression. "I'm getting there! It's simple. Those words are special because I said the exact same thing about myself to Piers back when we first met. I made him that exact promise, almost word for word. That I would become his freedom."

Leon's mouth falls open a little. To him, they were just words whispered to himself in the heat of the moment. To think that if he said anything different, or didn't say anything at all...

The dragon lifts his arms and laces his hands together behind his neck. "As you can see, I followed through on that promise. I freed him, and we ended up falling in love along the way. And now we've freed you too, and who knows what'll happen with you."

His mouth clacks shut. They're outside the realm of parallels now, right...? Raihan's almost making it sound like there's a love story waiting to happen to him. Which is not a terrible thought—

He cuts himself off. There's no way he can give an opinion on the idea of romance, even in the privacy of his own mind, without incriminating himself in some way, by admitting to having desires one way or the other. It's best to not think about it. Love isn't for him, it's not in his fate to have. It's enough to see it in other people.

"You two seem like a happy couple." He gives the dragon a soft smile, the most he can muster for now. "It's nice to see people who love and care for each other like that. I'm happy for you."

Raihan stares him down with a slight tilt to his mouth. "...Thanks. Feels pretty good to have someone acknowledge our relationship. I'm glad you accept what we have, it's nice."

Leon doesn't protest when a warm hand tweaks some of the hair near his ears. He's too busy being flustered over praise that feels unnecessary.

"Wanna make it a shorter trip back, knight?"

He looks up and Raihan's hand stops its grooming. The dragon really likes sorting his hair out, it seems. Or maybe he has a thing for long hair. Either seems likely, given Raihan's taste in romantic partners. Leon's used to having his appearance micromanaged, so the fussy little touches don't bother him.

"What do you mean shorter? We walked a straight line here."

Raihan's wings adjust and refold. "Once we're out of the trees, I can carry you. We can fly back instead of walk."

The 'flying' bit doesn't faze Leon so much as the 'carry you' bit. He suddenly becomes aware of the entirety of Raihan's body, from the broad shoulders and tight-muscled arms, to the lean hips that lead into one of the most impressive pair of legs Leon's seen on any creature. The calves are particularly impressive, no doubt toned from countless take-offs into flight.

Raihan could easily carry him. And already has, he remembers. He just wasn't awake to remember it.

The vision of being held while tucked against a hard chest flashes in his mind and he quickly waves the thought off.

"N-No thank you. I'd rather walk, if that's okay with you."

Raihan shrugs, pulls his hand back to himself, and starts the stroll back. "Suit yourself."

- - -

When they return to the cottage at last, there's something new in the house.

A scent. Someone was cooking while they were gone.

Raihan rumbles and nudges Leon inside to make room for himself to enter.

"Looks like somebody broke their routine... Lucky you!" A heavy hand thumps him square on the back and he stumbles towards the tiny kitchen. Specifically, the small table skirting the tiny kitchen.

There are two chairs on the same side of the table, and a single plate, steaming and fragrant, sits in the center.

"I need to head back out, knight. Got more to do. You stay here and enjoy that, I know someone'll be happy if you do."

Leon can barely nod. He can't take his eyes off the plate. The curls of steam beckon him closer and he drifts to the table as if slowly reeled in.

It's... breakfast. Homemade food, arranged neatly on the plate with a pleasing presentation.

The door to the cottage closes with a creak, and rattles in its frame as a gust of wind buffets the wood.

Leon blindly pulls out one of the chairs and eases into it, still staring at the plate.

Eggs. Sliced tomato. Salted meat. Toasted bread, butter, how long has it been since he's had butter? When was the last time he even ate?

Suddenly starving, he pulls the plate towards himself and finds a fork in his hand, and half the meal vanishes before it hits him, how this got here.

The fork clinks against the ceramic plate and he takes a closer look at the food that was prepared and presented with such care. Piers... made this. Cooked for him. And if what Raihan said about routine has any merit, Piers didn't just make food, he specifically went out of his way to do so. Went to the trouble of doing this.

For him.

And then didn't stick around.

The empty chair at his side holds a tangible void that sets his side tingling.

He's no stranger to eating alone. The dinner table at the Rhondeland Palace, the one used for family when guests aren't over, was massive, and even the rare times Rose sat on the other end still felt like eating alone. The servants always bowed and left the room after setting the dishes down. No conversation, no sounds other than the clink of his own silverware. The meals might have always been delicious, but eating isn't a joy when there's nothing to focus on but the food and the silence.

He can't decide if this is the same or if it's entirely different. He's not in a cavernous dining hall where even his thoughts can echo, he's in a small bright cottage at a table for two. This meal wasn't made by a chef whose name he wasn't allowed to know, Piers made it. Piers, who wants to be friends. Who wouldn't mean anything malicious by leaving him to eat by himself. Piers the prince, who's the best person here to understand why he feels this way...

The light buzz of contradiction gnaws in his brain from the inside, and to stop it from growing any bigger he sucks in a breath and tells himself that no, it's different. Piers didn't leave him alone because of a difference in station or to make a specific point. Piers has a morning routine, broke it to cook, and went back to continue with his usual. That's all. Nothing deeper than that.

He should be grateful for the food and not covet anything more than what he's generously been given.

Leon carefully lifts the fork. Even with half the plate cleared, it's still easy to see that Piers made this with care. Raihan even said that it would make Piers happy if he enjoyed the meal.

He cuts into the remaining egg. The yolk streams out at its own easy pace and soaks into the toast still left on the plate.

He eats more slowly after that, making sure to savor every bite.

- - -

It turns out that an empty stomach is a big enabler for worry. After he's eaten, he feels silly that he put so much depth of thought into what was honestly a lovely and well-prepared meal. A lifetime of strict etiquette was the only thing preventing him from swiping his finger across the plate to glean more from it.

It's easier to think about Piers, too, and the way he overthought the prince's absence and intentions. He needs to thank him for cooking. It's not like Piers is one of those people who prefers to keep tight control over when he can be interacted with by forcing Leon to wait until Piers deigns it necessary to summon him. Right?

There's one way to find out for sure. Looking for Piers and talking to him.

Leon has a hunch where the other is, and nothing's stopping him from marching up there to say good morning other than Raihan's warning about Piers being hard to distract from his morning routine. Leon doesn't intend to be a distraction. A quick hello and a compact expression of gratitude will be all. If Piers is busy, he'll respect that and leave him alone. Simple plan, simple execution, foolproof.

It doesn't take much poking around to re-find the door that opens into the base of the tower. It's not closed, which is a good sign.

His first footstep quietly rings up the hollow space, and Leon tilts his head back to follow the echo and trace the spiral staircase that hugs the stone walls.

This is his second ascent. If he's lucky, and if Piers isn't particular about who can access his private space, then this won't be the last.

His heart beats harder with every round he makes, and he tamps down the what-if worries fighting to be heard. What if he's a bother, what if Piers doesn't want to see him, what if he should have waited for Piers to call for him first.

The door at the top is open just like the door at the bottom. Okay, Leon. Just a simple hello, and an expression of gratitude for breakfast. Simple, to the point, not a bother.

He takes one step forward, hand raised to knock on the door jamb, but before he can announce his presence, he glances into the room. He freezes right as his wrist is cocked back to knock.

Piers' back is to him, half-naked, pale skin completely exposed because he's gathered all his hair over his shoulder. The morning light angled through the large window puts a glow to his porcelain frame, or maybe Leon's just imagining that part. Such smooth, flawless skin... The susurrus of brush through hair crawls up his spine and the back of his neck and seems to whisper right into his ears. He can't take his eyes off the protrusion of a bony shoulder blade as Piers pulls a brush from the nape of his neck all the way down to the feathery tips tickling his hips.

It must be so soft to the touch.

The silky whisper hushes to nothing and the spell breaks.

Leon silently backpedals and takes refuge against the wall right next to the door. The coolness of stone is a welcome sensation through the back of his shirt, which suddenly feels too warm. He rubs a hand down his face, tempted to press his cheek against the wall as well, to evict the heat trying to settle there.

Maybe he should go back downstairs. And pretend that he didn't just walk in on someone during a vulnerable moment. He was raised to be a gentleman, he should have been more careful and knocked before looking into the room, regardless of if the door was wide open. He should know better!

"Leon?"

Hearing his name delivered by that light, curious voice makes it hard to remember what was just on his mind.

It takes a moment to untangle his tongue. "...Yes?"

"You came up for a reason, didn' ye? Come on in."

No going back now. He doesn't want to keep Piers waiting, but he has to take a few seconds to compose himself. Once he's as ready as he can be, Leon sucks in a bracing breath, stands up straight and tall, and pushes away from the wall.

Piers was expecting Leon to come up eventually, but he wasn't counting on it being so soon. Did Leon not find the food waiting for him...?

He should have waited downstairs for them to get back, if only to point out breakfast before dashing back upstairs. He would have sat nearby while Leon ate, if he didn't know firsthand how awkward it is to eat when someone only stares at you with no meal in front of them. He would have put a meal in front of himself, eaten with Leon, if he had no clue know how awkward it can be just to sit in someone else's home while they feed you from their own pantry.

Best thing he could think to do was to quickly put away his own small meal first before giving Leon the privacy to eat alone.

He also admits that he was a bit nervous of whether or not Leon would like his cooking.

"Good mornin' to ye." He strolls across the room to a wardrobe, not caring about his state of half-undress.

"Good morning to you too." Leon speaks plainly, eyes straight ahead on the opposite wall. It's sweet how he's trying to not look. If Raihan were standing in that doorway he'd be staring without shame, drop a flirty comment or two, and Piers would banter back. Leon's determined to be a taciturn gentleman, it seems.

Piers partially hides behind the wardrobe door, and pulls out a loose shirt to wear.

Come to think of it, shouldn't Leon have had some kind of pack with him if he's been traveling so long? There's no way he spent his entire journey in the same set of togs. They look too well-kept for that. There should be some things in here that can fit Leon in the meantime, or maybe Piers can do a quick alteration job since they have plenty of thread, to tide Leon over until Piers can see about making him his own set of clothes. It's been a while since Piers sewed anything from scratch, but he'll happily take on a new project so Leon feels more at home here. It would be great if the prince could abandon everything he had with any royal crest embroidery on them, or however the hell Rhondeland royalty embellishes its clothing.

It's only once the shirt is pulled over his head and his hair drawn out that Leon speaks.

"You're a very good cook."

So he did find the food. And liked it... Or maybe he's just saying that to be polite.

Piers deals with the slight speeding of his heart by tucking his hair behind his ear. He of all people knows the importance of a good meal, but it's just one breakfast. A simple one, at that. Nothing to write home about. Surely it ranked on the low end of what Leon's used to eating at his old home.

"Did you come up here just to say that?"

Leon nods with the same squareness a military man does when reporting on a mission. It shouldn't be as endearing as it is.

Instead of continuing with the subject before it gets too embarrassing, Piers changes it.

"I hope you slept well. I couldn't bear to wake you once you passed out up here, so I asked Rai to move you to where you could sleep undisturbed."

Leon seems to relax the longer conversation continues. "I did sleep well. It's been a while since I've used a real bed. Or eaten a home-cooked meal, unless camp-made food counts."

Back to food again?

"...That so?"

"Yeah! Nothing I've made for myself has ever been all that tasty. I'm not the best cook, the only things I make are for the sake of filling my stomach instead of tasting good. But yours was both! I really enjoyed it!"

Apparently he didn't change the subject hard enough. But he can't redirect a second time without coming off as suspicious, so Piers resigns himself to the ordeal that is... ugh. Taking compliments. Raihan's method of overcoming his resistance to praise is to deliver it with the brashness of a battering ram, but Leon's handing his out so sweetly and innocently that Piers would feel like an arse if he tried to turn it down.

His hand drifts up to his necklace and fiddles with the locket. "Er... thanks. Just thought you could use the pick-me-up..."

"I really appreciate it." Piers busies himself with closing the wardrobe when a smile is aimed his way. "Do you ever make breakfast for Raihan? There was only one plate, and he knew it was for me, so..."

That's easy enough to answer. And a welcome distraction.

"No, he's on a different meal schedule than us lowly humans." He draws around to the writing desk, lifting the cord coiled on the corner and setting it between his teeth. He gathers his hair behind him, pushing it up and re-gathering, re-gathering, back and forth in each hand until the tension in his scalp is satisfactory.

"He prefers meat raw," he says around the cord. "'Bout once a week he'll head out and hunt fer himself. Comes back sated and carts some back for me to cook. Sweet tha' he shares." He holds his hair in place and takes the slightly-elastic cord to wrap around and tie in a tight knot.

"So yeah, Raihan normally hunts for two and I normally only cook for one. Those numbers are changing, now that you're here." He can't help a small smile.

For all his worry about Leon liking his cooking, the prospect of having someone to share real mealtimes with is thrilling. Raihan will sit at the table with him, sure, and sometimes even try what Piers makes, but it's not quite the same as sitting with someone and eating with them.

"I'll help wherever I can. Hunting, cooking, anything. I won't be a burden on your household. If there's anything you need me to do, say the word and I'll do it to the best of my ability. I'm at your service, Piers."

Leon does his bow, and this time, it's rather off-putting. It's not a bow of politeness, it's a bow of pledge, and it has Piers on high guard.

Talking about burden and service like that... Didn't the knight say he intended to be friends? No, Leon only said that he thought they could be friends, which is entirely different, and may have just been an expression of politeness rather than an implication of intent.

He eyes the determined expression on Leon's face after he straightens up with perfect posture. He looks completely serious about giving Piers some authority over him. As a prince, Piers is used to people offering such services to him, but coming from Leon, it's disconcerting. They're supposed to be equals, here.

Is this Leon's way of finding familiarity in his new environment? Looking for a chain of command to insert himself into?

Well, too bad for him, because he isn't going to find anyone in this house who wants power over what he does. It might take time and a lot of discomfort for Rhondeland's old champ to adjust to a lack of hierarchy, but better to nip this in the bud than play along for sake of his comfort and sow something difficult to weed up later.

Piers chooses his words carefully and delivers them with just enough weight to impress that he's serious, but not so much to make Leon self-conscious. "...While I welcome the help and fully expect you to lend a hand with housekeepin', I ain't gonna be bossin' you around. You're my housemate, not my maid. Won't be snappin' any fingers at you anytime soon."

Leon looks slightly away and rubs his hip. Odd tic...

"I just don't want to get in the way. I'll need your instruction at first to learn everything. So if it's okay with you, I'd like if you directed me until I can do things properl—"

Piers holds a hand up, palm out, and Leon silences himself so swiftly that Piers immediately regrets the motion. He awkwardly lowers his hand back to his side, cursing himself for not realizing in advance that he should avoid doing things like that. Leon's probably been cut off hundreds or thousands of times in front of Rose with that exact same gesture.

He's not Leon's master, he has no right to say down, boy.

An apology sits on his tongue, but he doesn't let it loose. Can't think of a good way to word it without explaining things that might go too deep for a casual morning conversation. The best damage control he can think to do is to go up a level and address the surface issue, and to keep in mind never to do that again.

He steps closer until he's standing an arm's length away.

"...I get that you're a chivalrous bloke. And I appreciate your eagerness to help. The same work'll get done in the end, but how we go about it is important. I'll teach you, but not as an instructor. I'm certainly no Master Launderer," he tries to joke. It works to lighten Leon's lips out of their tense line.

They share a light smile before Piers slots the most important piece into the conversation. "I don't want to have an authority dynamic with you, Leon. I'm not comfortable with that. ...Would you be comfortable if we didn't do that?"

Leon's brow furrows like he's turning something over in his head, and Piers tries his hardest to parse what could be going on in his head to no avail.

Before long, a spark of something widens Leon's eyes, and he nods with the barest slope of relief in his shoulders. "I'm sorry, I didn't think of it that way. It wasn't my intention to put you in that position."

It's tempting to reach out and pat Leon's shoulder to express camaraderie, but he holds back. They're still functionally strangers, and getting touchy too soon would be weird. Piers is used to being able to touch Raihan all he wants, but he can't do that with Leon.

"No worries, mate, I understand."

"I guess I'm not used to being taught by people who don't..."

Piers finishes the sentence for him, to spare him from speaking the nastiness. "Don't have power over you?"

A nod and dodged gaze confirms it. "I'll still do my best to learn and catch up to speed." Leon bounces back with a smile that Piers can't escape from. "Even if you're no master launderer, you certainly know more than me!"

He finds himself smiling back. He can't help it, not when this man's so bright. His smile is magnetic, pulling others like it out to match. Piers doesn't think he's smiled so much around anyone who isn't Raihan.

"I'll teach you all the secrets I know."

On that note...

"Why don't we take a jaunt downstairs? Think I've got somethin' you can help me with right now."

Watching Leon's expression open up is like watching a flower blossom at high speed. "Of course! Is Raihan going to help too? Because he left as soon as we got back."

"Nah," he chuckles as he passes Leon out the door and starts the descent. "He's got his own schedule. Bein' a dragon with a territory to maintain's more work than ye might think."

Piers can't complain. Gives him plenty of space to do his own thing, and Raihan always comes back by suppertime, without fail, unless there's some urgent matter to attend to.

"Really? He did take me to the edge of the land this morning, to fix the hole I made. Is it stuff like that?"

Now that's interesting. Raihan taking Leon out alone for a walk... It definitely wasn't dearth of conversation. He'll ask his love about it later.

"Mm, somewhat. Raihan's told me about it before, that it's a dragon's job to maintain the balance of nature in whatever region they choose to take responsibility for. This place flourishes thanks to him."

"That's fascinating... I've never heard about a dragon's role in local ecology!"

"Yeah? What sort of things have you heard about them?"

"Nothing like this. I was only taught about the ways they can be dangerous. And their weak points. How to fight them." Leon sounds a tad ashamed, but it doesn't kill his momentum one bit. "I'm so glad I have the opportunity to learn more than what Rhondeland taught me. I hope I learn a lot! Whether it's about how magical creatures work, or how to do laundry. I want to know all of it."

Gods, he's precious. Leon's starting to sound like a regular nerd, so excited to learn, so hyped on discovery.

He has to encourage this.

Normally Piers doesn't speak or make promises without thinking first, but Leon's enthusiasm pulls the next words out of his mouth with no hesitation whatsoever.

"Since learnin's your thing, every book in this place is yours to read if you'd like. Nothing's off-limits to you here."

Except perhaps the strange tomes with locks on them that have been banished to the storage room's bookshelf. All sorts of weird shite was left behind that Piers sensed was better to keep an eye on rather than dispose of. He might not be one whit sensitive to magic, but you'd have to be daft to not recognize cagey arcane bullshit when it's practically snarling in your face.

Piers can hear Leon's smile clear as day. "I saw so many different books downstairs! Raihan told me they're mostly all yours. You like reading?"

"Hard not to when it was the only thing keepin' me sane for years. Now I read for the pleasure of it. You could say I'm quite insatiable." He smiles to himself when the rhythm of Leon's descent goes off-beat for just one step.

"I hope to get the same enjoyment out of it," Leon hesitantly replies, like he's unsure whether it's the right thing to say (which it absolutely is). "Would you mind if we ever talk about what we read? I'd love to hear what you have to say about everything."

"Like a book club? Sure." Piers finally reaches the bottom of the stairs and strides through the open door into the main cottage. He can't resist throwing another bone to see how Leon reacts. "Reading's something to do alone but I won't mind including you. Plenty of solo activities are more fun with two."

"I couldn't agree more!"

...Alright, that's a tally for Leon either being so much of a gentleman he brushes innuendoes off completely, or he's the slightest bit dense and they bounce right off him instead. Perhaps one more, to test. Something less subtle.

Piers flashes a smile over his shoulder and strolls confidently towards the kitchen. "Things do sink in better with a good discussion partner, wouldn't you say? I'll make sure our talks are thorough enough that we both walk away satisfied," he sighs. "I do love me a nice deep conversation."

"O-Of course! Yes, better knowledge retention through discussion, yes. That sounds lovely."

So he's not too dense after all.

Piers has the advantage of walking ahead, so he lets himself press his lips together and take a few steps with closed eyes and a slightly longer stride. Leon's too cute. He can't wait to be friends with this man.

The empty breakfast plate on the table brings a spot of satisfaction to him. Leon really must have enjoyed the food if he left nary a crumb behind.

He lifts it on his way into the kitchen, dodging around a braid of garlic hanging from the rafters.

Leon rushes up to his side. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do with the plate..."

"Don't worry, I'll show you. Tub's over here, with water from the well a ways from the house." He sets the ceramic into the cold water to get to later. It's just one plate and fork. "Normally Raihan carries new water in, since he's both impatient enough and strong enough to do it all in one trip."

He'll never get tired of watching Raihan carry the large thing so carefully, wings spread for balance as he walks in a careful stride, face stern with concentration, not wanting a single drop to slosh out or spill.

"Now," Piers continues, "as for you, there's things we definitely need another strong set of hands for, that I can't manage on my own and Raihan... honestly, hates doing. Not to say we're foisting terrible chores on you, I'd like to think they're not that bad. Raihan always gets to them eventually, but..."

"Don't worry! You can count on me, I'll cover any holes you two might have." Leon grins and lifts an arm to flex it. "I can handle just about anything!"

Piers' attention is torn between that smile and that bicep. One flicker of indecision later, and the bicep wins out, along with the nearby pectoral. Leon's shirt may be on the loose side, but it's not loose enough in a few particular spots. Namely, the chest and arms regions...

He blesses his own poker face. "Well you won't need to put those muscles to use today, because I need you for somethin' more delicate. Follow me outside."

- - -

The delicate work in question was gathering sprigs of thyme from the herb garden, the first harvestable batch since Piers replanted it from indoor pots as soon as the ground warmed up enough it could survive on its own outside. Leon listened to every word out of his mouth about the herb, and Piers couldn't help but indulge that bright curiosity by trying to recall every little thing he knew about the plant.

They're back in the cottage now, sitting together at the table with a bowl between them, stripping and plucking the tiny leaves off the stems to collect. Simple, repetitive work that still requires focus, and can be refined with practice, and comes with the bonus of the comforting scent of fresh-picked herbs. Piers chose it deliberately for those reasons, and he's glad Leon took to it with interest.

Now that they've gotten started on a comforting task, next up is making comforting conversation. He's already planned a list of potential topics last night and refined them this morning.

"Say, Leon..." Piers sprinkles a few plucked leaves into the bowl. "I wanted to let you know, in case you were wondering, that... Raihan's just as glad to have you here as I am."

Across from him, Leon's leaf-picking slows.

"He might talk a big talk about all this bein' for my sake and your sake, but I know he's happy to have you around."

"...You think so?" Leon softly says. His fingers are clumsy around the stems, but he dutifully goes for every leaf to contribute to the bowl.

"I know so. Dragons are solitary creatures, but I think Raihan's far happier bein' social. I hope you can be his friend too." Piers flicks his thumb over the bowl to knock a few leaves loose from his finger. "There's things you can do with him that I can't, that I know will make him very happy."

Leon's stronger, tougher than him. Well versed in combat, no stranger to killing and being around death, causing death. In contrast, Piers can hardly watch a deer die. Having a hardier soul around, a kindred spirit, will no doubt bring some joy to the battle-hardened dragon.

"What are some of those things I can do for him?"

"Do with him," Piers corrects. "He's an active bloke, could do well with someone who can keep up with his energy, unlike me." He reaches across the bowl to take a few sprigs from Leon's pile. "I know Raihan's just itchin' for a spar. Last night he was telling' me all about how skilled you were, for the brief moments you two clashed."

The dragon's eyes were glittering in the dark. He's so fast for a human, Piers, his reflexes are incredible.

"He really wants to fight me again?" Leon looks up with wide eyes.

"Oh, absolutely. If you wanna indulge his energetic arse, by all means, challenge him to a friendly bout. You'll make his day."

He can already picture Raihan's reaction—competitive spirit blazing on the spot, wings twitching, hands flexing, tail curling and lashing around his legs. A very attractive look, he must admit. Raihan can blaze with passion near instantly, it's one of Piers' favorite qualities of his.

He glances up and catches Leon staring at him. Piers fixes his face from its sentimental smile, clears his throat, and strips another bunch of leaves clean off.

"I'd make sure it was a fair fight, don't worry about that. He won't be allowed to fly or use magic. No claws, either. I know he'll agree to those terms if it means he can get a good tussle in. Think you might even teach him a lesson or two." He chuckles to himself with a shake of his head. "What I wouldn't give to see that. But that's a bit much, I realize, so ye don' have t'—"

"I'll do it."

He pauses at the sudden surety.

"...You sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Piers can't read a mote of trepidation in Leon's honest eyes. He won't dishonor Leon by assuming the knight doesn't realize what he's getting himself into, but he can't help but question if he's sure.

"I know you were Rhondeland's Champion, mate, but it's still wrestling a whole bloody dragon. You sure you wanna do that?"

Leon looks a touch bashful, but speaks confidently. "It sounds fun! When would a warrior ever get a chance like this? It'll be good to keep me from getting rusty, and it'll help me make friends with Raihan, like you said. And, if you're there watching, then..."

Oh...?

Piers tries not to look or sound too interested. "...Then what?"

"Then I'll do my best to win."

It's very rare that Piers is at a true loss for words, but Leon's managed to blindside him with that sincere message. Something light flutters in his gut and he mumbles a cheap "That so..." in response.

Leon rubs the back of his neck, no doubt getting thyme-scent all over himself without realizing. "I always do my best to win, but... it's different when somebody's watching, if that makes sense. I think I'll do a little better knowing you're watching."

It does make sense... Piers nods, and Leon nods back, and both of them stare down at their work until the pile of sprigs is reduced to a pile of woody twigs, and the bowl is as full as it's going to get.

Great, now that there's nothing left to do with their hands, what the hell should he say? His original planned route of conversation got completely derailed. He can't even look at the other man without that chivalric line replaying in his head. Leon, doing his best to win while he's watching...

It's stupid how much it affected him. Is it because of the words themselves, or the person who said them? Some combination of the two...?

"Piers, I..."

"Yes?"

Leon licks his lips, and Piers notes how full and plush they look. "I was wanting to ask, if..."

The door to the cottage bursts open. They startle.

"Hey, you're both here!" Raihan bounds inside, heading straight for him. The grin on his face is infectious as always, and Piers finds himself standing to meet his lover, all brooding thoughts forgotten in Raihan's presence.

"Where else would I be?" he teases. He stands on his toes, meeting Raihan in the middle for a quick kiss. A hot hand brushes down his cheek and he opens his eyes, happily taking in the bright bright blue of his partner's.

"Doesn't matter, you know I'll always find you anyways." Raihan gives his face a nuzzle and he scrunches his nose.

"Ah, Raihan!" Leon's chair scrapes back across the floor. "I have a proposition for you!"

Piers ducks out from under Raihan's affections so he can throw Leon an incredulous look, because Leon doesn't understand that if he gives his challenge right this second, Raihan won't want to wait to get started. "Now, I'm sure it can wait—"

"Why don't we have a friendly spar outside?" Leon chirps.

Ah, well, he tried. Too late for the bloke now.

Piers takes a few resigned steps back, noting with no surprise that Raihan's not paying attention to him anymore. The dragon's head is turned completely towards the other man in the room, and the only motion in his large body is an incredulous curl of his tail.

"Friendly spar?" he slowly repeats. "You and me."

"Yeah!"

Large wings rustle and Raihan's hand curls into and out of a half-fist. "You wanna fight me for fun, am I hearing that right?"

"Well, it was Piers' suggestion, and I thought..." He trails off when Raihan whips around to face Piers, who already has an excuse on his lips.

Might as well go all in, now that Leon's fate is decided. Nothing to do but participate in the fun.

"Thought it'd be a fun bonding activity for you two," he says with a flick of his bangs. "You two studs feel free to have at it all you please. 'S long as there's no weapons, no magic, no blood, and I get to watch."

Raihan's grin parts to show all his teeth. "Ohh, you've got a deal, babe. When are we doing this?"

"Why don't we go right now?" Leon asks. Sweet soul doesn't know what he just did.

Raihan's large body is radiating excitement. Leon's looking fairly eager himself, so Piers takes it upon himself to act the hype man and push their energy forward.

"I for one am curious if Leon can give you a run for your money, love." He gives his nails a casual inspection. "He's a champion, you know. Surely won't go down easy. Maybe you could learn a thing or two from him."

It goes as expected. Raihan's energy bursts. "You're on! No magic, no weapons? You're still going down, knight!"

He grabs Leon's wrist and drags him to the door, Piers hot on their heels and unable to stop his laughter.