Work Text:
Being a King is lonely. The castle is lonely. Laios is lonely.
Sure, he has his friends with him like Marcille, Falin, and his trusty advisor Kabru, but without the others, it feels lonely. Without Chilchuck, he feels lonely. And he often lacks the time to ever be outside the castle for reasons that are outside of his royal duties. It’s meeting after meeting, lecture after lecture, dinner after dinner, filling his stomach with food that will never satisfy him. It feels pointless to him a lot of the time. Kabru is always sure to remind him of the good he’s doing, gesturing to the civilization before them, filled with happy children and families, whose food-filled homes are all thanks to the effort he puts in. Kabru’s reminders are helpful, and they do make him feel better, but they will never rid him of that sinking pit in his stomach telling him he’s missing something.
Laios gazes upon the many piles of files and documents that crowded every square inch of his desk to the point that he could no longer see the beautifully colored wood underneath. His pointless duties cover everything pretty. His eyes shift to the quill and ink in the palm of his hand, and the many lines that require his signature accompanied by the many paragraphs that require his reading. A heavy sigh left his lips. It was still early in the night; the sun had only just set. Perhaps a walk around the castle would clear his mind and allow him an easier time with his royal annoyances upon his return.
He thought it was a great idea.
So, with little mental argument against it, Laios stood from his chair and scoured his office for an adequate coat. There was none for him in this room, so he stealthily ventured to his personal quarters, there finding a plain black cloak with a hood. Perfect. He stopped before he turned to leave, rushing to the smaller desk that sat in his room, pulling out a pen and some paper, writing a small note on it.
‘Went for a walk. Will be back.’
Laios smiled with satisfaction, thinking the note was nothing but perfect. He even added a small heart at the end of his sentence. With a chuckle, he threw the cloak over his shoulders and opened the large door without making a sound, checking up and down the hallway for any sign of royal staff—or even worse, his royal advisor—before hurrying his pace down the long corridors.
After turning a few corners with his mind loud and shouting at him, Laios decided a simple walk around the castle would not be enough for him. It would not satisfy him. He only knew one thing that would.
Quickly, he took a left turn around one of the corners. This would lead him to the back of the castle, which was often empty at this time of night since no one was in the garden doing landscaping in the absence of sunlight.
He took one last glance behind him as he trotted down a set of stairs. He hesitated for a moment. He wondered if he would cause a panic, but with the note he left, he decided it would be fine. He needed this. And with his conclusion, he turned his back on the large piece of ancient architecture and threw the hood of the cloak over his head.
There was no sound besides the gentle wind blowing through nearby trees and his boots hitting the rocky path below. His subconscious knows he should be anxious and worried about his return to the castle. Surely, they know about his disappearance at this point, and he has the faint idea that Kabru knows exactly where he’s gone, but as he looks behind him at the distant view of his place of residence, he can’t find it in himself to care.
Laios makes sure to keep his head held low as he enters the main village, passing by citizens who look at him curiously. He wants to keep his status low for now, not wanting to get distracted from his task at hand.
The small lanterns strung up on the awnings of shops lit up the stone path for Laios, making his mission far easier. His vision was strangely better ever since he became a monster, another after-effect he noticed since the incident. It’s the only reason he was able to make half the trip without a lantern by his side.
Any clouds of thought that shaded Laios’ mind drifted away to reveal the sun as the familiar shop sign came into view. There was a wooden sign in the window that he could tell had recently been flipped to read ‘closed’ in fancy lettering. Handcrafted.
This didn’t stop him from rapping his knuckles against the smaller-sized door. A smile grazed his lips as he heard a groan of annoyance from the other side. The door creaked open, and he flipped down his hood.
“I’m starting to doubt if you can read if you can’t see that…” Chilchuck trailed off as his eyes trailed up to find Laios’. He could tell almost immediately that something was off. Something was… different. His golden hues lacked their usual brightness, and it made his heart ache only slightly at the sight. It takes a moment for the surprise to set in before he quickly opens the door and shoves him inside. Once Laios stumbles into the shop he can hear the door being shut harshly behind him, followed by some curses in a language he didn’t understand. It was almost a comfort at this point. The tall-man turns and looks at Chilchuck, who stares at him in return, not saying a word.
“Chil-” Laios tries to start his sentence but is cut off by the swinging arms of the half-foot before him. He shakes his head and Laios is easily silenced, watching as Chilchuck approaches him and tugs at his cloak, urging him to remove it. He allows it to fall off his shoulders, the smaller man taking it from him to fold it neatly and place it on the counter next to his register. He smooths it out in silence, proceeding to grab the chair from behind the counter and bringing it up to Laios, gesturing to the seat much too small for him and insisting he take a seat. Laios listens.
“Listen, I-”
“Quiet.”
Laios doesn’t say another word, slumping in the chair while trying to maintain his balance. He was practically falling off of it, the chair clearly not being made for anyone his size, but he didn’t dare complain.
He almost did fall off when his face was grabbed gently by two hands, making him look up at those brown eyes. The grip Chilchuck had on him held no ill intent and actually held more care and caution than he had ever felt from him before. It was definitely not unwelcome, but it was definitely not something he was used to.
“Are you sick?” Chilchuck asks, turning his head and pressing the back of his hand to the man’s forehead, pursing his lips slightly when he feels no fever.
Laios’ speech is mumbled due to Chilchuck’s grip on his cheeks. “No, I’m not sick.”
“Well, you sure look like it.”
Laios rolls his eyes, reaching up to grasp Chilchuck’s wrists, guiding them down and away from his face.
“I’m okay,” he sighs. “I am.”
Chilchuck crosses his arms, a dissatisfied grimace on his face. “Then why are you here? Especially at this hour. Does Yaad know? I’m sure you’re to get the hell of a lecture if he doesn’t.”
Laios stands, no longer wishing to bear the uncomfortable position the chair was putting him in. “Of course Yaad doesn’t know. I mean, I left a note, but I don’t think that’ll make him any less angry…”
Chilchuck laughs, turning around and attending to some papers and spare coins by the register. Laios assumes he was taking up some closing tasks before he had wound up on his doorstep. “Yeah, you’re screwed.”
Laios laughs, but it’s forced and not unfeigned. He watches in behind a wall of silence while Chilchuck works, no thoughts in his mind besides a faint buzzing noise he cannot rid himself of. It is pushed away like the wind ushers the clouds from the sky by Chilchuck’s voice, reminding Laios of his earlier question which had gone unanswered.
“So, what brings you here? You know I’m not a fan of unannounced visits from the King.”
Ugh.
Don’t get him wrong, Laios is honored to hold the title of ‘King’, and he is always thrilled to enjoy the luxuries that are entailed by it, but he wishes he didn’t always have to be just the King. Sometimes he wishes he could still be a person.
“…Then don’t consider it a visit from the King,” Laios says, voice quiet and distant. The change in tone draws Chilchuck’s attention to him. “It’s just me, just Laios. A visit from your friend.”
Chilchuck isn’t always the best at reading the room, but he’s able to understand Laios to the extent he knows he’s serious. “Okay, then. Do what do I owe the pleasure?”
Laios’ knee hits the floor, his elbow resting on his other as he takes a kneeling position. Chilchuck raises a brow, already not a fan of how Laios is now the same height as him. The judgment that rests on his face, however, dissipates immediately upon feeling those large warm arms wrap around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. This isn’t normally how they do it, Laios usually just reaches down and gives him a half-hug. But this is a real one. It’s warm and fulfilling, both of them engulfed in their heat and unspoken emotions. It’s comforting. It’s nice.
Chilchuck is not uncomfortable—even though he normally would be—but Laios assumes he is and backs away respectfully, pushing off his knee with the palm of his hand to return to full height.
“Sorry,” he says, a hand moving to scratch the back of his neck. “I just wanted to see you, is all.”
The half-foot is still slightly dazed by the unexpected affection, as well as the intensity of it. He doesn’t recall ever receiving a hug from Laios that was so… genuine…? He couldn’t really place it.
“No… It’s okay,” Chilchuck assures him, “I, uh, should have some drinks upstairs. If you give me a second, I can show you up there.”
“Yeah, that’s perfect,” Laios smiles softly and steps back to let Chilchuck finish his closing. He asks a few questions here and there about what he’s doing, and the overall routine Chilchuck goes through to close and open the shop on a daily basis. Chilchuck is happy to indulge his wonders, answering each inquiry with a detailed explanation, and being more than thrilled to talk about what he considers to be his area of expertise.
When the store was closed and everything was officially wrapped up, Chilchuck led Laios to the back, which had a set of stairs leading to another small door. The half-foot had built his house on top of the shop for easy access and commute. It works for him, and he’s happy with it.
This was the first time Laios had ever stopped by Chilchuck’s house, and he was eager to see how the man really lived. But it was mostly as he expected. It was small but had ceilings high enough for Laios to stand at full height, the décor mostly of dark brown wood, accompanied by various green plants and warm-lit lanterns on the walls and coffee tables. It smelled of campfire, but it was subtle.
“I didn’t know you were so big on plants,” Laios comments, gazing at the many succulents and flowers atop his counters and shelves.
“ I’m not,” Chilchuck sighs, walking to his kitchen and pulling out numerous alcoholic beverages. “But my youngest daughter is, and she likes to send me them as gifts.”
“They’re pretty.”
“Yeah.”
Laios assumes a seat in the living room on one of the couches. He was most definitely too big for it, but he seems content. Chilchuck returns to the living space and hands Laios a drink in a wine glass, holding a large pint of beer that was all for him.
“It’s just some light wine, I know you’re not the biggest drinker,” Chilchuck says, sitting down on the couch adjacent to him, beginning to take big sips out of his own glass.
“Thank you,” Laios smiles, “I appreciate it.”
The two men drink their glasses in silence, enjoying their company while listening to the night breeze brush against the window.
It’s unusual, Chilchuck thinks. Laios is never this quiet. Laios is never this… distant. He almost wants to say something, but as he opens his mouth to speak, Laios has beaten him to it.
“Thanks for showing me up here.” Laios looks around the house, smiling at the framed photos of the half-foot's family. “It’s very nice, very you.”
Chilchuck nods.
“What’s your favorite plant?”
Laios turns his head at the sound of Chilchuck’s glass hitting the coffee table rather aggressively. He leans forward and places his forearms on his thighs, intertwining his fingers.
“Enough about me, Laios. You’re here for a reason, and I wanna know what that reason is,” he stares, his gaze serious and unfaltering.
Laios sighs, placing his glass down as well. “It’s nothing serious if that’s what you’re worried about.”
A sigh of relief leaves Chilchuck’s lips. To be honest, he was a little worried that someone had died or something.
“Being a King is just time-consuming, Chil,” Laios continues. “Sure, I have my friends and my sister there, but it’s just not the same. It’s not like it was when we were in the dungeon having fun and spending time together. Now it’s just one task after another, no room for any enjoyment. I feel like I’m the only one in the castle a lot of the time.”
Chilchuck takes a moment to think about whether or not they should consider their time in the dungeon as something “fun”, but he decides it would take more mental capacity to even try and evaluate the wonders of Laios’ mind. “I thought you liked your job?”
“I’m not saying I don’t. If I could turn back time, my choice would remain the same, it’s just…” Laios falls back on the couch, slouching and closing his eyes. “I don’t know. I missed you, is all. I wanted to see you.”
His eyes open again, making eye contact with Chilchuck. The man had a strange look in his eyes, and he couldn’t place whether or not it was something like pity, or perhaps sympathy. He didn’t want to look too far into it, nervous to know the answer. He really did just want to see him. It’s like all the stress in his body was expelled by the half-foots mere presence. It was calming, despite their constant bickering and shouting a lot of the time, it’s a place where he feels comfort and security. A place where he feels warmth.
Chilchuck opened his mouth to speak, but this time was interrupted by Laios’ stomach, which growled embarrassingly loud.
Laios chuckles, but it’s empty and lacks emotion; it’s pitiful. He stands up, walking to the kitchen where Chilchuck had placed his neatly folded cloak. He felt the fabric gently before removing it and unfolding it, throwing it back over his shoulders and adjusting it.
“I should get going, it’s already been the better part of an hour.” Laios honestly isn’t sure whether it has or hasn’t, but as each minute passes, he gains an extra minute of shouting from his staff about his irresponsibility. Besides, he’s reached the inner calmness he had wanted, all thanks to Chilchuck. “But thank you for inviting me,” he smiles despite showing up without an invitation. “It was really nice to see you again, I’m glad you’re holding up okay.”
Chilchuck scrambles to stand, almost knocking over both his and Laios’ liquid-filled glasses in the process but finds his bearings to show Laios to the door. “Yeah, it’s no problem.”
He would say that Laios was welcome anytime, but he’s not sure how much he wants to encourage the habit of random visits from the King. That would draw publicity to him that he absolutely does not want.
But Chilchuck doesn’t always get what he wants, because he doesn’t want Laios to leave. The only reason he so begrudgingly waves him goodbye before making sure he puts his hood on is because he understands the gravity of Laios’ duties. He knows the tall-man can no longer lounge around as he pleases and spend his nights and days wherever he sees fit, but instead, he has places he’s obligated to be in order to maintain the castle and the village it oversees. He knows.
The door shuts and Chilchuck is left to squirm uncomfortably in the newfound silence. As he remembers what it’s like to be without the presence of such a boastful man, he realizes how empty the shop is. Perhaps he’s lonely, too.
Maybe he doesn’t want to admit it, but Chilchuck, too, misses how things were in the dungeon. He’s not saying it was fun, constantly being chased down by monsters and new enemies along the way, but it had its moments of fun and laughter. Moments of bonding.
The wind is growing stronger against Laios’ gentle features, turning them red from the cold. He wishes he was warm again, preferably in the gentle heat that was Chilchuck’s small shop. However, the comforting warmth that was Chilchuck himself would’ve been plenty fine to Laios. The tall-man didn’t get long to reminisce as the large silhouette of the castle came into view.
In the end, it seemed both Chilchuck's and Laios’ predictions were correct. The man faced a very loud and harsh scolding from Kabru, who apparently hadn’t seen the note he’d left on the table. Laios insists that he wrote one but guesses the wind from the large door closing could’ve knocked it off the table. Despite his fair arguments, Kabru rejects them and emphasizes the fact that a simple note would’ve made no difference.
Picking up the note that had fallen onto the floor, Kabru shoved it in Laios’ face to prove his point. “Even so, you didn’t say where you were going! You could’ve been anywhere! If something happened, who would be there to stop it?!”
Laios looked around, not really caring about the lecture or situation before him. “Me, I guess.”
Kabru stared at him, a smile on his face. Nothing about his face was happy, however.
“I’m sorry, okay! It was a stupid idea, and it won’t happen again, I promise.”
Liar.
Kabru sighed, putting the note down and rubbing the bridge of his nose. It was the middle of the night, so the man was tired and still in his pajamas. He hadn’t the energy to deal with the man that was Laios.
“One last question for you, then,” he said, exasperated, looking down at Laios who was sitting on the end of his large and unmade bed. “Where did you go?”
On any other night, Kabru would’ve assumed it to be another dungeon Laios had snuck off too. But more often than not, Laios takes Falin and Marcille, and he would be dressed up in some kind of armor or gear, not recklessly unarmed with no protection. So, Kabru knows he went elsewhere. But he also wouldn’t doubt such recklessness of Laios.
“I saw a friend.”
“Laios, you know practically everyone in town, that means nothing.”
Laios groaned dramatically and fell back onto the bed, sprawling out his arms and closing his eyes as if to protest Kabru’s insistence.
“I went to see Chilchuck.”
Kabru’s expression softened.
He had some knowledge of their relationship. During their time in the dungeon, he had noticed they were rather close, and Laios always spoke so highly of the half-foot. And he would be lying if he said he hadn’t peeked at some of the letters Laios wrote to him. In his defense, the paper had fallen, and he skimmed over it while picking it up. All in all, he knew Chilchuck was important to Laios. And he knew Laios had not been feeling great the past few weeks. Or months, for that matter.
So, he nodded with understanding. “I see.” Kabru paused. “You should get some rest now. Those documents aren’t urgent and can wait until morning.”
Laios was grateful to hear it, but winced as he asked his next question: “Are you going to tell Yaad?”
Kabru chuckled, imagining a fuming Yaad shouting at poor Laios. It was an occasion that was rather often, actually. But to Laios’ surprise, he shook his head.
“No, I’m not going to tell Yaad. Get some sleep, you have a busy itinerary tomorrow.”
And with that, Kabru swiftly left the room and shut the door, leaving Laios to his own thoughts. The only thing in his mind was the doom of tomorrow, and the piles upon piles of paper and puddles of spilled ink. There was almost nothing he dreaded more. But overwriting those thoughts was the thought of Chilchuck. His earlier visit had filled him with a kind of motivation. A kind of purpose or hope. It was the thought of his angry shouts and curses in a foreign tongue that gave Laios a reason to smile to himself.
Like the current pulling away the tide from lustrous sand, Laios felt his worries slowly drift away along with his consciousness as sleep overtook him.
-
The next few days followed as he expected, and as Kabru said. A busy itinerary took most of his mental effort and left him exhausted. He had hoped a large meal would fill him up and give him the energy he needed to complete the rest of his day, but much to his dismay, his stomach still felt empty. He anticipated and knew this to be the outcome each time, but it did not stop him from feeling unfulfilled and just as disappointed as he had many times before.
However, he carried the motivation of the previous day to drive him to finish his mundane and difficult tasks. Laios once found joy in these duties, eager and excited to take on such a role. It was simply that, over time, it felt more and more meaningless. Especially with this curse upon him, not allowing him to pursue one of his greatest interests. A large chunk of his personal enjoyment was now absent, and he was struggling to find new things to interest himself in.
“Your majesty, dinner will be delivered to the table shortly.”
Laios looked up from the book he was reading to see one of the many employees of the castle smiling kindly at him. He smiles back, creasing the corner of the page and closing the book before setting it down.
“Thank you, I’ll be there soon.”
The woman nods with a smile and runs off, prompting Laios to tidy himself up before leaving his quarters. He was once again in his usual outfit, no longer requiring the fancy wear that he wore for special meetings and outside of the castle walls. It was time for Laios to relax for the remainder of his day.
Laios’ fingers grazed the cover of the book he was reading, a faint, prideful smile grazing his lips. The book was his.
Monsters and Meals.
Shortly after becoming King, Laios took up the project of publishing his findings and adventures. He took lots out of the personal journal he kept, putting them down into words of wisdom and education. It also told the story of what happened in that dungeon, starting from the initial death of his sister to the defeat of the mad mage and the return of the golden country. But of course, there were aspects of that story that would remain with him and him alone.
His face fell slightly as he remembered his encounter with the winged lion.
He grimaced.
Laios left the book behind, leaving his room and finding his way to the dining hall. There he found the usual people who ate with him: Falin, Kabru, and Marcille. He smiled and greeted the three of them, taking his chair at the end of the table.
Casual conversation was made, most of it being Falin and Marcille chatting away while Kabru and Laios made some small talk. But at some point, Laios asked Marcille how her independent research was going.
At the moment, Marcille was still pursuing research in the expansion of life spans. But of course, without any magic. She dedicated this research to being completely natural, utilizing medicines, healthy diets, and healthy lives to ensure people could live even longer. She and Laios met often to discuss it, as Laios’ research on the preservation of food could sometimes go hand in hand with the kind of information she needed. Laios was happy to discuss it.
As they were talking, Kabru suddenly stood and left the room without a word. The three of them glanced at each other but paid no attention to it. That was until Kabru returned a few minutes later, a mischievous grin on his face.
“Your majesty Laios, you have a visitor tonight. Hopefully, there is room for one more at your table?”
Everyone at the table turned to look, confused by what Kabru was saying. Usually, they expect visitors in advance, but they don’t often have surprises. And Kabru does not usually allow unexpected visitors inside without notice.
But who is Laios to deny someone a meal? Even if it was a complete stranger, he would welcome them with open arms and a smile on his face.
“Well of course! There’s plenty to go around!” Laios smiled, Falin and Marcille excited to eat with someone new.
However, the man who emerged from around the corner was no one new. Quite the opposite, actually.
They directed their eyes down to see the half-foot they all knew so well. He wore a lazy smirk and some comfortable clothes for the late-night dinner. He still had his signature “scarf” around his neck and was holding a large bottle of alcohol—presumably his favorite kind.
“Chilchuck!” Laios stood, the legs of the large chair screeching against the floor. He attempted to approach him but was interrupted by the staff bringing in many dishes of delicious food along with drinks and glasses to go with them. They weren’t blocking Falin or Marcille by the looks of it, as they were all walking back to the table by the time the people had dispersed. Chilchuck was now in front of him and pulling out the chair closest to him. That was where Kabru had been sitting, but it seemed he didn’t mind.
“Looks like I was just in time,” Chilchuck smirked, slamming down his liter of alcohol on the table before climbing into the chair. Kabru walked over and politely handed him a pillow, which he grabbed begrudgingly to place on his seat to give him extra height.
Laios took a seat, barely even noticing the food before him. It was like Chilchuck had just stolen the entirety of his attention. Why was he here? Wouldn’t he have sent a letter first? Did he miss one in the mail?
Falin and Marcille giggled from the other side of the table, pulling Laios from his trance.
“What are you doing here?” He blurted, unsure what to ask first.
“What? You wanna kick me out already?”
“No! No not at all I was just curious because-”
“Calm down! I’m just messing with you; I know I showed up unannounced.”
Laios laughed nervously, feeling embarrassed as he sunk into his chair.
“Kabru here invited me, and I decided why not,” Chilchuck explained, opening his bottle and pouring it into one of the empty glasses in front of him. “I haven’t seen you guys in a bit, and I thought it’d be nice, okay?”
Laios smiled, nodding slowly. He scanned Chilchuck over with his eyes as Marcille and Falin began to talk to him. At one point, Marcille was so excited she jumped over the table to give Chilchuck a hug. Her hug resulted in spilled drinks and food on her clothes, but she didn’t seem to have any regrets.
“It’s been so longgg,” Marcille pouted, “I barely get to see you anymore! You don’t like it when we show up to your shop, either.”
“Because all you’re going to do is touch stuff you’re not supposed to touch and distract me from real customers!” He argued, pointing a fork at her. “You’d drive out my business in a heartbeat.”
“What business? There’s no way people need a locksmith every day of the week, right?”
Chilchuck scowled at her, not even giving her the luxury of an answer. She should know by now that he does more than give people locksmith services. He could engage in another argument but he instead went to pour himself another glass.
“You know we have a whole cellar of that, right?” Laios said, pointing at the drink.
“I know. But I like this one, I’m picky.”
Laios made note of what it said on the label.
-
The night felt like it went on forever, with laughter and jokes, fun conversation mixed with some serious topics like research and royal duties. Laios didn’t like to spend too long on that topic, wanting to move on and hear about something fun and less stressful.
Dinner was different without everyone else like Senshi and Izutsumi, but while Laios was in the presence of Chilchuck, his dear companion, he felt like he had everything he needed. The thought of that feeling was strange to him, but he didn’t have long to contemplate it before Chilchuck cracked another joke, resulting in another burst of laughter around the table.
Before the tall-man knew it, they were saying goodbyes as the dinner table was cleared of empty plates and dishes. Falin and Marcille said their farewells to Chilchuck, who wished them the best in his own way (an awkward smile and bearing another one of Marcille’s hugs), and Kabru shook his hand and asked him to return sometime soon. Then, they left. Now it was just Chilchuck and Laios.
“I’ll see you around sometime soon again, okay?” Chilchuck yawned, holding his arms over his head as he always did. “Thanks for having me.”
Chilchuck smiled and turned to leave, interrupted by a protest.
“Chil, wait.”
He turned. It was the first time his first name had been used all night.
Laios’ eyes looked like those of a sad puppy. Chilchuck would laugh if the look wasn’t so heartbreaking at the same time.
“Please, stay the night. It’s dark and it could be unsafe,” both Chilchuck and Laios knew this was a lie. The Kingdom was one of the safest places to be living at the time, absent of monsters and crime. “I don’t want you to be troubled by the journey back home,” he said, despite knowing it was not the most dramatic journey given he had taken it himself a few nights ago. “You’d be more than welcome to stay.”
A smile grazed Chilchuck’s lips as he put his arms down in favor of crossing them against his chest. “Big bed and unlimited access to your finest liquor?”
Laios would’ve sighed dramatically if he wasn’t so thrilled that Chilchuck would be staying longer. “Of course!” he cheered.
“You’ve got yourself a deal, then.”
Chilchuck extended his hand to shake Laios’, but somehow wasn’t surprised when his handshake was ignored, and he was instead pulled into a tight hug. It wasn’t like their hug a few days ago, however. It was more restrained.
When Chilchuck was released, Laios became as excited as ever, practically jumping up and down as he escorted him down the many corridors and hallways, geeking about every fun fact embedded in the castle walls and floors. Laios himself hadn’t been staying in the castle for long, but it seems he’s had the time to keep himself up to date on everything both old and new. Anyone else would’ve thought he’d lived there his whole life.
“Didn’t know you had such a passion for ancient architecture.”
Laios chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s just fascinating stuff, really. Especially when you’re living in it, it’s fun to know about it, you know?”
Chilchuck didn’t know, he’d never lived in an ancient castle that was always said to be a myth, but he agreed nonetheless.
Eventually, after hearing Laios recite every fact word for word about everything Chilchuck could see, they reached Laios’ quarters.
“And this is my room!”
“You do know that I’ve seen all this before, right? You showed me around the last time I came over.”
Laios looked around. Honestly, he had forgotten. But that didn’t stop him from playing it off like he didn’t. “I know!” he said. “But what if you forgot? This is important stuff, Chil!”
Chilchuck rolled his eyes, a sense of fondness creeping into his heart. If it was anyone else, he would be beyond annoyed. And while Laios does annoy him and always had, there was a sense of charm and comfort to it that he never saw in anyone else.
“Okay, okay, show me your room.”
Laios pumped his fist in celebration, opening the large doors and ushering him inside. He showed Chilchuck every fancy piece of attire he never thought he’d own, including that he could always afford to get a tailor for Chilchuck if he ever wanted. He showed him all of his favorite books and shamelessly advertised his own. Chilchuck already owned a few copies, though.
Once Laios was finished giving the tour Chilchuck had already seen before, he led him back outside into the hallway. “There should be a guest room for you… somewhere…” Laios furrowed his brows, walking down the hall observing the doors, and testing a few. Most of them were locked, making Chilchuck laugh.
“So, you know everything about this castle but not where a guest room is?”
“How am I supposed to it’s not like there’s a book about it!” Laios groaned, testing yet another locked door.
“I’m just saying,” Chilchuck smiled, putting his arms up defensively. “I think that’d be some good knowledge to store away in that head of yours.”
Laios grumbled something as he pushed on another door, which successfully opened. He turned to the shorter man to laugh, but he just rolled his eyes.
“See? I found one! And it’s only a few doors down from mine, too,” He grinned, holding the door open for Chilchuck. “You can stay here for tonight, and perhaps stay for breakfast, too.”
“Thanks.”
The room was a little smaller than Laios’, but that makes sense. It has a large queen-sized bed with luxurious sheets, dim lamps lighting the room as he switched them on, dusty books on shelves that Laios started to wipe off with a dusting brush, and a large window with a view of the garden.
“Woah…” Chilchuck stared in awe at the garden, observing the many flowers and plants, some holding vegetables and fruits, some he couldn’t identify, but knew they were beautiful. “Was this here when the castle rose?”
Laios joined him at the window, smiling down at the same view. The sun hadn’t fully set, so they could still see.
“Nope, Senshi and I decided to start the garden. It was just an empty plot of land before, and when he visited, he was talking about how it would be a good idea to have one. It could feed the animals as well as us, and it could help with my research.”
“Really?”
“Yep! It’s pretty big, but I’m hoping to expand it a little more when I get some free time. I want some more variety in it for meals and such.”
Chilchuck nodded in acknowledgment, staring for a few moments longer before backing away from the window to pull the curtains.
“So, what do you do now?” Chilchuck asked, facing Laios and crossing his arms.
“I have some work to do. I think Kabru gave me a checklist of some stuff, but I didn’t look it over that much…” He sighed, exasperated. He really wished he could just hang out with Chilchuck for the rest of the afternoon, just to sit and talk, but he didn’t want his royal advisor on his case if he didn’t finish the tasks he promised to do. “But I’ll tell you what, in the morning I can bring breakfast to you, and we can eat together! How’s that?”
Chilchuck scoffed with a smile, liking the idea of a nice quiet breakfast after a good night's sleep, especially with someone whose company he rather enjoyed. “Sounds great, Laios.”
“Perfect! I’ll leave you to it, then. Is there anything else you need? Oh! Pajamas would be good. We should have some in your size somewhere, I’ll be right back!”
Before Chilchuck could get a word in, Laios was already ahead of himself and rushing out the door to grab a change of clothes for his companion. In the meantime, the half-foot made the bed to his liking, shoving an empty box closer to it to use as a stool, and arranging himself some entertainment. In this case, it was a locked chest he found under the bed, and he was gathering spare materials around the room to try and pick-lock it. Just for fun.
Laios returned with a grin and a spare change of clothes, as well as a couple of books. He placed them on the bed for Chilchuck.
“Hopefully those are the right size, if not, just let me or someone else know and they can get you a better pair. I also tried to find some books to keep you entertained if you plan on staying up later. I’ve never seen you read, but I’m assuming you know how.”
Chilchuck’s pleased face quickly fell into a scowl. Laios looked at him, almost confused. That was until Chilchuck grabbed him by his coat and started cursing at him in a language he didn’t speak. “Of course I can read you dumbass! You’ve seen me read!”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Okay! You can read!” Laios shielded himself from Chilchuck’s foreign insults and curses, but the man let off.
“Whatever. Thanks for the books and the clothes.”
Laios sighed in relief. “Of course.”
They conversed a little bit more before Laios wished Chilchuck a good night. He opened the door to leave before looking back. They made eye contact, and Chilchuck noticed a strange twinge of emotion in Laios’ gaze. He was going to speak up to question him, but the door was shut after he was flashed with another smile. Leaving Chilchuck alone and leaving Laios to finish his tasks for the day.
-
The sun has been set for a few hours now. Chilchuck remains awake, a small lamp on the bedside table illuminating the book he was reading. It was one of the few Laios brought to him, and they weren’t that bad. The pajamas were comfortable, and he was loving the softness of the bed he lay on. Everything was perfect, except for the fact that he was alone.
He wondered if Laios was still awake, too.
Curiosity ended up getting the best of him. But was it really curiosity?
Chilchuck climbed out of bed, taking a small candle to hold and provide light. He tucked his book under his arm and struggled for a moment to open the heavy door. He was able to pry it open, stepping outside and doing his best to close it quietly behind him.
Now, his goal was to try and remember where Laios’ room was. Left or right was the first question, and either way, he would have to try and recall what door it even was. The task was difficult, but he took the challenge.
He went left, beginning to test the doors. They were each locked or occupied. Thanks to his hearing, he could avoid opening the door on anyone. He went door to door, pressing his ear to each one, but not finding where Laios’ was. His door looked different, but Chilchuck’s vision proved to be very poor in the dark, and he had to rely on his hearing.
Before he began to question whether he took the wrong direction, or if he’d even be able to find his way back to his own room, he pressed his ear to another door, knowing he’d found what he’d been looking for.
Obnoxious snoring and mumbling, constantly moving around, it was definitely Laios. He went to open the door before he was met with a loud voice from behind him.
“Stop!”
Chilchuck froze and turned around quickly, dropping his light. It was startling. How couldn’t he hear this person? He would’ve been able to hear the footsteps all the way down the hall, it shouldn’t have been possible to sneak up on him.
“Oh, it’s you!” the voice said. A light was lit from the other person, revealing none other than Kabru. “My apologies, I didn’t know you were still here.”
Chilchuck grasped his chest and muttered a foreign curse to himself. “No, it’s okay. I just…” He thought about what to say, wondering if he should state his intentions or ask Kabru how the hell he managed to be so quiet. Kabru beat him to it, though.
“Laios is sleeping, did you need something?”
Chilchuck stared at him. “No. I uh, I was just…” He couldn’t think of a good excuse. His ability to think on his feet was faltering from the earlier scare.
Kabru looked him up and down, thinking for a moment before smiling gently. “No worries, I understand. I’ll leave you to it.”
Chilchuck furrowed his brows. “Leave me to it?”
“You make him happy; you know.”
Chilchuck opened his mouth to speak, but Kabru was already walking away. The half-foot felt like he needed to sit down and process that entire interaction, but his last words bounced around in his head like a resonating musical note.
You make him happy.
Well, sure, he knew that. Everyone makes Laios happy. He’s a happy guy. He loves everyone. But something about the way Kabru said it left such a specific feeling in his heart.
For now, he tried to shake it off, grasping the handle and opening the door. He tried to be quiet, but the building was old and the door creaked with every inch. By the time he had the door open enough to step inside, he was welcome with a light turning on. Laios was sitting up in bed, clearly tired and disoriented. He brightened upon seeing Chilchuck, however.
“For being a heavy sleeper, you don’t sleep that heavy,” Chilchuck scoffed, closing the door.
“I wasn’t really sleeping. But what are you doing up?” Laios’ voice was hoarse, and his throat sounded dry.
“I wasn’t sleeping either. Thought you’d want some… company.”
Laios smiled, being more than happy to have some company. “Well, there’s plenty room for you.”
Chilchuck ignored the heat traveling to his cheeks, walking to the bedside and setting down his book, climbing onto the bed to look at Laios. “You look like shit.”
Laios pouted. “Oh, come on, I’m beautiful and you know it.”
Chilchuck snorted with a smirk, putting his hand on Laios’ face and mushing it around as if he was re-sculpting him. He took his hand away and smiled. “Perfect.”
Laios felt his face. “Feels the same to me.”
They both laughed before falling silent again.
“Thank you, Chilchuck,” Laios says, looking up at him with his golden eyes. Chilchuck notices that they’re a little brighter this time around. “For visiting.”
Chilchuck rubs the back of his neck. “It’s no problem. I wanted to see you too. Especially since your earlier visit.”
“How come?”
Chilchuck gazed at him, his eyes softening. He looked vulnerable and open, a sight Laios was most unused to. “You seemed lonely. Maybe I was lonely, too.”
Laios’ brows knit together, and he almost seemed sad.
“Kabru didn’t even invite me, you know. I just showed up like you had done.”
Laios’ expression remained the same. That was until the large usual smile Chilchuck knew so well climbed back onto his face. Laios reached out and wrapped his arms around Chilchuck’s waist, pulling him down to lie with him. He buried his head in the half-foot's chest, gripping him tighter and tighter.
Chilchuck protested this with quiet shouts and started wrestling him, grabbing his hair and shouting his usual curses at him. Laios didn’t budge, holding onto Chilchuck for dear life.
Eventually, Chil gave up, settling into the embrace. The strangest part about it was that he didn’t dislike it in the slightest. He felt warm and comforted, safe and content. He felt happy.
“Are you still lonely?” Laios asks, shifting his head to look up at Chilchuck.
He bit his cheek. He hated saying how he felt. He hated thinking about how he felt. He hated feeling. But nothing about this feeling was inherently bad. Maybe he was just scared to admit that he liked feeling this way.
“…No.” Chilchuck looked away, feeling Laios squeeze him impossibly tighter. When he released, his muscles relaxing, Chilchuck looked back at him. “Are you?”
Laios shook his head. “Not anymore. Not with you.”
Chilchuck closed his eyes, wincing as he felt such unfamiliar butterflies in his stomach. Was he making a mistake, getting this close to Laios? He shouldn’t depend on another person so much.
He tried to think that Laios was the one who needed the company, just to make himself feel better. But as he relaxed and found his arm falling over Laios, he knew he was lying to himself.
After Laios had shown up to his shop that day, looking utterly miserable and worn down, he worried for him. He worried for his well-being and became anxious. He also remembered how much he enjoyed the man’s company after not having seen him in months. He remembered what it was like to have someone who enjoyed being around him. He hadn’t felt that in a long time.
So, as he drifted to sleep, he decided maybe he should lean towards acceptance. He hasn’t got much time left for him, he thinks he should take this time to live. Maybe he should write his daughters again, too. Invite them over. Laios would enjoy that. He liked seeing Laios happy. And that seemed to be a recent observation.
“Thank you, Chil,” Laios whispered.
Chilchuck opened his eyes to see Laios’. He was almost hesitant, but settled in and returned the embrace, holding him tight and close to him.
“Yeah,” he whispered back, hoping Laios would know his sincerity. Luckily, Laios knew. He knew those little words could mean something much bigger when Chilchuck said them. He loved those small things about Chilchuck. He loved most things about Chilchuck. He loved all of Chilchuck.
And the feeling was mutual.
-
Breakfast was delivered to them in the morning by Kabru, who smiled upon seeing them. He handed the sleepy Laios his itinerary for the day, but also mentioned that multiple things could be moved if there wasn’t the time for them. He then left the two men to their meals, who ate happily.
The two of them had just gotten the best sleep they’d had in ages and were eating a delectable meal in each other’s company, discussing their plans for their day and for the near future. Chilchuck discusses his shop and brings up the idea of inviting his daughters again, and maybe they could stay in the castle for a few days. Laios loves the idea and insists it be done immediately, to which Chilchuck sadly denies him, saying he has some important events coming up that he can’t miss. The events concern the work he’s doing for half-foots within the Kingdom and the island. It’s important stuff.
Laios explains he’s to continue his mundane daily tasks, but will most likely be working on the garden as a project to keep him occupied in his spare time. Chilchuck thinks it’s a good idea, and says he can’t wait to see it during his next visit. They promise to visit each other more often.
Their conversation devolves into mindless words, neither of them really paying attention to what they are saying anymore, just enjoying themselves.
Even though their feelings remain unspoken, despite being obviously apparent, they are content, and that is enough for them. Maybe sometime in the future one of them will confess, but the two of them are far too busy to maintain a kind of romantic relationship. They’re happy like this, anyway. Nights together in comfort, words bordering on romance but not quite getting there, they don’t mind.
What they both know is that they’re no longer lonely.
Being a King isn’t as lonely when Laios is secretly planning a date on his next visit with Chilchuck, buying his favorite alcohol and some hand-made pottery to hold the plants his daughter gifts him. The castle isn’t as lonely when there is now a designated room for Chilchuck, furnished to his liking with the books Laios learned he enjoys, his own clothes, and the same view of the garden. Laios isn’t as lonely when Chilchuck greets him with such a smile, becoming more open with his feelings over time, but not losing the usual embarrassment from receiving and giving affection that Laios finds charming in a way.
It’s no longer lonely.