23.

“Resistance, pretty boy. How do you want to kill someone with your ability if they’re able to resist it?” Connie makes total sense, and Elai seems to get it, too. He opens his mouth and a soft oh comes out. “I think we fight more with our weapons than we do with our abilities. Isn’t that right, Arlon?” When the king looks at Connie, he can see the man grinning. Of course he’s one to try and pull words out of Arlon. Especially when he’s under pressure like this. He wishes to eye Connie and tell him to shut up, but Elai has his focus on both of them. He can’t do anything but smile and nod. “I have combined them, for example. My sword is made out of fire, but as sharp nonetheless.” Arlon raises his eyebrows as he looks at Elai.
There is a stunned look on the boy’s face, and Arlon can feel something ignite in his stomach. He wishes to say it is hate, but it is not. It has never been hate.
“That’s so cool! Did you make that for him?” Elai’s excitement goes towards Chat, who is sitting right beside him. He has his arm wrapped around Elai and his legs crossed, glass already empty. A smug look appears on his face; he enjoys Elai’s attention. Arlon recognizes that look from miles away.
“Connie and I made it together. He did the hilt, I did the blade.” It puts a smile on Connie’s face when he hears Chay share the honor. It even makes him blush. Arlon holds back a chuckle; Connie is cute when he gets shy. “I could make you one, too, if you’d like.” Chay raises his eyebrows at Elai, who lets out a small gasp.
“You guys make me feel so at home here!”
The words feel like a knife to Arlon’s stomach. He sounds so genuine. Maybe he is. maybe all of this isn’t a lie, maybe he really feels like he wants to build a life here. He’d understand if Elai didn’t want to go back to Lyle, to his father and brothers. He has no home there, at all.
“Mine come out of my back.” Connie points his thumbs towards his back and grins.
“Sure.” Elai doesn’t believe him, making Connie whine under his breath.
“You will see.” Chay then whispers loud enough for all of them to hear. Elai just shrugs. He hasn’t seen the power of green magic yet; he does not know what it can do.
“Am I too late? Is everyone stone-cold dead already?” Cesilia barges in like usual. She pulls of her coast as quick as she can and shakes her head. “You are late, Lia.” Connie tells her this every time, and to this day, it still makes Arlon smile. Watching them bicker is fun.
“Our forge was busy today. If it was your turn, you would’ve been just as late as I am, if not later.” Cesilia and Connie have one of the most famous forges in Turi. Connie believes it is because of their great craftmanship. Cesilia believes it’s simply because the civilains all have a thing for Connie. Both are most likely to be true.
“Yeah yeah. Excuses, excuses.” Connie holds up a glass for Cesilia to take, and she grabs it with a teeth-wide smile on her face. “Thanks, mayaka.” Brother. The old Turian language sounds so smooth when Cesilia uses it. It hits different.
“What have I missed? Any juicy gossips? And how was your shop today, Chay?” Cesilia drops all of the questions as she drops down right next to Arlon, who scootches a little closer to her brother.
“It was fine, actually! I got a lot more rest than usual.”
Connie watches Elai lean closer to Chay with his jaw clenched. Arlon can feel the energy beside him change, hand quickly placing itself on top of his friend’s thigh.
“Man, I’m jealous. When was the last time I got any rest..” Cesilia’s words are meant for Connie, and they both know it. The brother loses his focus and rolls his eyes. It was a good move of Cesilia; she knows he has a crush on Chay, too.
“I have the next two shifts, you know! You can rest all you want. It is not my fault you’d rather drown in between a woman’s thighs.” Connie crosses his arms and makes his friends chuckle. Even Elai does. “That is resting.” Cesilia doesn’t falter even a little; she has been immune to Connie’s attacks for her entire life. Not one word could make her gasp, no matter how rude or how confronting. Connie, on the other hand, is a sore loser when it comes to his sister. Even after all these years, he still sulks when she doesn’t bite back. As he does now, eyes looking away from Cesilia and arms wrapping around his legs.
“Don’t sulk like that!” Cesilia pats Connie on the back of his head, a soft chuckle leaving her mouth. “I’m sure you’ll get me next time.” And as always, she gives him the reassuring words that aren’t likely to be true. Connie keeps falling for them with ease, though, a soft smile appearing on his face as he straightens his back.
Elai watches them with a somewhat kind look on his face. He has had enough drinks to not be busy thinking about who these people are. He’s calm and excited to finally have people around him that make him.. smile. Arlon can see it all over the prince’s face; he’s having a good time. The king would love to ruin it for him and tell him he’s going to have to leave, but the more alcohol runs down his throat, the more he appreciates the company, too.
The king does not say much. He enjoys listening to the stories of Chay, who gets very chatty when he’s drinking. He has heard many of them before, but they don’t ever get old. Especially not now that there is someone new listening to them. Elai had dived even closer to Chay, head resting onto the alchemist’s lap. It is a pretty sight, if he wasn’t who he knows Arlon is. Chay allows his fingers to stray through Elai’s hair while his eyes look over at his three friends, story climbing up to its climax. Connie is just as invested as his best friend; but he is much more interested in the way Chay moves. Arlon can see how the short-haired man is swooning from the simple corner of his eye. It is ridiculous, but it is adorable. The story of the white tree’s children ends, and Elai tries his hardest best not to act surprised. He did not know of the creation of life, nor that the tree supposedly saved more lives than just Chay’s. He does not react, though. Besides Chay, no one knows who he is. In their eyes, Elai is a normal Turian born kid.
“I should head home, if I drink any more than this, I will pass out right here, right now.” Chay gives in after only a few hours, and it puts a sad look on Elai’s face. “Can’t you stay? You can sleep in my room!” He stops the alchemist from standing up and walking away. He feels the need to be in his company a little while longer, and so he holds onto Chay’s wrist as tight as he can. “That is alright, is it not?” Elai turns his head to be able to look at Arlon, who is unable to speak. The king had always been a lightweight; one too many drinks and he’d be nothing but a puddle. “Yeah, don’t worry about that.” Connie speaks for his friend as he smiles up at Elai. He is better at lying than Arlon will ever be; he does not show one bit of distrust towards their new claimed ‘friend’.
“Hm.. but I will be going to bed.” Chay nods at Elai, who happily stands up with him. “I will go with you. I am getting tired, after all and- well-“ The boy looks down at the drunk king, who is trying his hardest best to raise his head and smile them goodnight. “Let us start training together tomorrow.” Connie adds right before the two can walk out of the room. “I will make sure king Arlon here won’t have a hangover.” The man pats Arlon on the back with a soft chuckle leaving his mouth. Arlon responds with a groan and a thumb up in the air. He's clearly out of it.
“Deal. Have a good night, everyone.” It felt all too natural.