they teleported elsewhere — not directly to the castle, as Caspian often did it — before teleporting to the castle.
"We're here," he said happily.
[@clovxby]
[@lykosneoma]
"Athan?" The mage blinked, and then began to look around.
How strange, they were together just a moment ago⸺ did he lose him? But tall werewolf isn't really easy to lose sight of, and the street isn't too crowded either...
something every child ought to know.
But, he couldn't think of what it was. Oh well; it should be okay. Probably.
"Okay, close your eyes."
He stepped closer and held both of the boy's hands. Ceri closed his eyes, and following a moment of concentration,
--
He reopened his eyes to look upon the sight of a smiling Athanasios.
"Mmhm, I'm 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 stupid Ceri," he responded so happily. Then, he giggled.
"I read that ghosts just look like people, except they're always wearing white and are transparent, like your hand would go
--
“You’re so stupid, Ceri.”
Despite those words, this time, they weren’t dripping with venom the way Athanasios’s words used to be. Right now, it was just a comment, perhaps even with a tinge of affection. Of course,
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@clovxby "You're not a monster, Athan," came his immediate response.
Ceri brought his face close — his cheeks touching the werewolf's and lightly rubbing it for a bit — before he let go of the other's torso to instead perch his hands on Athan's shoulders. Then, he rested the side of
--
𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩.
It was safer, and for Ceri, the most convenient way to get to the werewolf palace was through the portal in his room anyway.
[@clovxby]
@clovxby "Tell me about what you're thinking and feeling, Athan."
Truthfully, he already had an idea⸺ but as always, it was better to encourage communication. Even if Athan couldn't properly explain himself, it didn't matter; Ceri's response would remain the same.
@clovxby Ceri quickly moved beside the werewolf and watched as he flipped through the pages. At the sight of the artwork, amethysts stared at the silent Athanasios.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft.
The mage wrapped his arms around that toned torso and pulled himself closer.
--
@clovxby it happened before, I did a bit better when I tripped again, and that's why Grandpa's bowl only cracked!"
A very roundabout way of saying that one can get better at not being clumsy.
@clovxby Ceri blinked. Then, he giggled.
"Almost! The bowl cracked!
But... when I was even more little — as little as you — I definitely broke a bowl, and I also scraped my knee."
The mage paused, his smile shifting to a slightly embarrassed one.
"I tripped then, too. But because
--
@clovxby Ceri smiled at the werewolf⸺ it was a small one, but it nevertheless expressed the joy towards Athan accepting the little wooden robin. The mage held the bouquet close to his chest again.
"Do you want to keep looking here? But if you're going somewhere... can I come with you?"
Ceri appeared confused. Athan was about to lose a loved one, but he didn't seem sad about it⸺ but why?
His gaze was lowered to the flowers for a few moments as they walked. Without him giving any thought to it, the silver-haired male came to a slow stop. Amethysts focused on
--
“I know,” Athan acknowledged easily.
He passed by the vendors slowly, more so waiting for Ceri to take interest in something now than actually doing any looking around himself. And even as he addressed the foreboding truth of the two little words he had just said,
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