Morning Routines

[Existentially Odd]

If he\'d been smiling already, then the offer left Matthew absolutely beaming.  Gone was the anger from being drenched in muddy water by the carriage; it seemed that it had actually been just the catalyst needed to get the two housemates communicating properly.  Matthew stood up to put his belongings near the washtub and to tip the water into his bath, suddenly very excited.  "I\'d love that," he said honestly, and set off to get ready.

~*~

Later that night, Matthew let himself in through the back door of the townhouse in a far better mood, but a great deal more tired.  He\'d had a very busy day, in the end.  The trip through the market had been one of the best he could remember having, for he finally had an equal by his side (and frequently pressing against it, whenever his attention was sought or he needed to get Rico\'s attention by squeezing his arm), with whom he could speak in depth, discussing ingredients and debating the benefits of each.

After the market, he and Rico had worked as an efficient team again, with Matthew doing a lot of initial peering over Rico\'s shoulder, but then doing as he\'d done, learning by creating personally.  He\'d found the process fascinating and had been quite regretful that it had had to come to an end so the pies could be cooked.  They\'d gone over really well at the manor, too, with Lord Liari giving a great many compliments to Matthew as he ate - the Oberon native was greatly looking forward to reaching his own home so that he could try them for himself.

The manor\'s kitchen cleaned, he\'d left as soon as he could, rather wishing Rico had been there to receive the praise as well.  He really could not understand why the man was unwelcome there and had decided on the brisk walk home that he would ask.  He knew Rico was spending his time training and bathing while he was out delivering dinner at the manor and the two of them had organised that they would eat together when he got home.  Matthew would ask then.  Probably.

"The menu was very well received," Matthew announced with a smile as he walked into the townhouse\'s warm kitchen.  He\'d hung up his scarf and jacket on the hooks out in the hall and was dressed only in a snug pair of pants and a loose shirt that was tucked into their waistband.  He\'d left his boots by the back door and was walking about in his socks now, feeling warm and happy.  His blue eyes were glittering at Rico as he rubbed his hands together happily.  "I\'m looking forward to tasting it myself."

[Kysis]

Rico allowed himself a quiet smile, knowing the menu would have been well received before hand.  It was a rare occasion in Kreos when they would get filo pie, so making it was supposed to be a jab.  However, Rico\'s happiness over the menu being fine and well was entirely bittersweet.  Matthew had been the one bathing in praises that night.  Rico had been practicing his frustration out with a sword and a thick block of wood (that had quite a few chunks out of it now), and then taking a bath to rid himself of sweat before his housemate came home.

"I just started warming them back up." Rico was sitting near the fire, personal filo pies setting on a plate near the heat.  He had guessed when Matthew would be home, and that happened a bit faster than Rico initially suspected.  Interesting.  Usually (if Rico had noticed correctly), Matthew was never in a rush to leave the manor or the happy couple.

He tried steering his thoughts away from that, forcing a smile as he rotated the pies.  They smelled great.  It made his stomach consider grumbling, but no sound actually came out.  Rico had worked up quite the appetite earlier and was feeling it keenly now. "Congratulations.  You now have another Greek recipe at your disposal." Rico spoke it as happily as he could.  Right now he just wanted the damn food to be warm.  And to eat it.  That would be really nice.

[Existentially Odd]

It didn\'t take long before the two of them were sitting and enjoying the fruits of their labour, with a few of the vegetables that Matthew had managed to locate still for sale at the markets.  Everyone was looking forward to the change of season, so that new growth could start, that was for sure.

It took Matthew about ten mouthsful and the blanket of a comfortable silence around them before he finally dared broach the subject he was curious about.  Of course, he didn\'t manage to do it directly, for he wasn\'t that at ease with asking.  "So... do you think you will be okay to do lunch and dinner with me tomorrow night? A-at the manor, that is," Matthew explained, with an uncomfortable shrug as he looked over at Rico, from through his lashes.

[Kysis]

The pies really were good.  Hmmm.  Rico had not brought that recipe with him in written form, so he had to wing it.  Apparently his memory measured up this day.  He would have to write down what all they did later, so as to not lose it again.

The silence felt like a comfortable one.  It wasn\'t awkward, just, there, working.  Rico did not feel the absolute need to speak while eating, and it seemed like Matthew didn\'t either.  Until he spoke.  Then Rico considered that the silence had only been comfortable for him, and that Matthew might have been bothered by it.

Rico could see the line of questions coming up.  And he didn\'t exactly dread it.

"I don\'t know."  Rico shrugged, taking another bite of his pie, concentrating on the flavor.  The spices had infused it all the way through, which was good.  There were no inconsistencies.  Good.  "I guess I should try to ask Kysis on neutral grounds... since the ban hasn\'t been lifted yet, going over there to ask might make it worse."

What else did he want to say?  More would feel like rambling.  Rico cut it off at that.  If Matthew wanted to ask more, Rico would answer more.  They were living together, after all.  Being complete strangers would not do at all.

[Existentially Odd]

Matthew chewed and watched Rico thoughtfully, mentally debating whether he should push for details or not.  On the one hand, he knew it was none of his business.  On the other, he\'d really enjoyed his time with Rico today, for the first time, and knew that it had to do with the fact that they\'d negotiated common ground together.  He got a thrill of happiness every time he thought of it; why shouldn\'t he do something to help it continue?

"How come... you... what did you... why were you banned?" the older man eventually stammered out, his words exiting his mouth in rather more of a rush than he would have liked - somehow, it mattered to him that he looked foolish in front of Rico - but he was unable to change that.  It seemed that it was the only way he was ever going to say it, it was blurt it out or remain silent.

[Kysis]

Rico took another bite, noticing when he bit into a toasted pine nut, that great flavor filling his mouth.  Mmmmm.  He also listened to Matthew at the same time, swiveled slightly on his chair to face him a bit more.  Rico was alright with looking at him now, since he was clothed now.  It was not as awkward.  Though, somewhere in the back of his head, Rico still had an image of Matthew from earlier, stashed away for safe keeping.

"Well..."

How to put this?  Rico thought about it.  There were two ways to go about it.  Either he could be vague, dance around the ideas of a lot of past history, or he could just out and say it.  It was a hard decision.  Rico watched Matthew, wondering what the man would think.  Would it ruin their day?

Matthew did not seem like that sort of person.  In fact, Matthew did not seem like any sort of person when it came to that.  The man seemed more asexual than Kysis, and that was a feat.

"Kysis and I have... a history.  While we were sparring yesterday morning, he and I ended up in a compromising position, and I got kicked out." Rico spoke plainly, as bluntly as he thought he could.  That opened a whole \'nother can of worms, but Rico did not mind.  He was an open person for the most part.  Hiding constantly did not sit well with him.

[Existentially Odd]

Although the words were said in plain (if slightly accented) English, Matthew couldn\'t fathom what was said.  The words were almost exactly what Lam had said, about Rico and Kysis having a history, but he wasn\'t worldly enough to extrapolate on that knowledge and the words \'compromising position\' and come up with an accurate picture of what was going on.

"I... don\'t understand what you mean?" he eventually said, with an apologetic shrug, hoping for carification.

[Kysis]

Rico put down his eating utensils, letting out a long sigh.  Matthew really was innocent as a white dove, as the straight forward statement had gone over his head.  That was frustrating.  How did he put it lightly without completely alienating Matthew?  After the good day they had had together, Rico did not want to ruin it by making Matthew feel stupid.

It only took a few moments of thought, Rico swiveling so he completely faced Matthew, leaning close to him as though his point was extremely important.  He only left a few inches between their faces as he spoke.

"We were more than just friends before Kysis met the Captain."

How else could he really put it?  He spoke it quietly, as if there were ears everywhere.  It bothered him.  Rico wanted to just be himself with someone and with Alia dead, he did not really get that any more.  Matthew just happened to be there right at the time Rico was ready to come out of his shell.  Chance.

"We kissed and then he sent me away."

[Existentially Odd]

Matthew\'s eyes widened as he compreheded the \'more than just friends\' statement, then narrowed to a frown at the last.  He didn\'t move his face away from Rico\'s, for he felt that there was urgency in their proximity that warranted staying close.

"He kissed you and sent you away before he met the captain?" he queried in a conspiratorial whisper, knowing that this wasn\'t right, for it didn\'t make any sense, but unable to believe that someone who was engaged would kiss another person.  His pious expectations of people - especially honourable people like Kysis - were leading him to the wrong conclusion again, and he needed that spelled out.

[Kysis]

Rico saw the widening of the eyes.  Was that just the base realization of a like of men, or was it a realization of why stripping in the kitchen had been awkward?  Probably the former, Rico doubting Matthew was thinking that far back at the moment.  There were more important things on hand, things which had to be talked on now.  Matthew’s curiosity would not be sated just yet.

And hopefully the Captain did not hear about this, because if she did, Rico was positive he would not live through the night.  She was vicious.  But would she string up Rico first and forgive Kysis?  Or would she rip Kysis a new one as well?  It was a constant debate.  As much as Rico did not want to see Kysis hurt, that route was the only way to getting Kysis back, it seemed, which had been a major thought on Rico’s mind lately.

“Yesterday morning we kissed.  Then he just kicked me out.”  The frustration in his voice was thick.  It could be taken as confusion, but there really was none.  Rico knew he had tripped Kysis into the kiss, remembered how short it was before it ended.  It didn’t work like Rico had wanted it to.  But, he could play on that confusion, Rico realized.  He did not want to be villain-ized here.

“I just… don’t know what is going on anymore.  It’s so damn frustrating.” The last part was the truth, though he knew full well that Kysis was trying to move on and that it had been over for a good long while now.  That was the problem.

[Existentially Odd]

Now Matthew sat back, his food forgotten and a sense of dread and betrayal filling his body.  "He kissed you?" he asked hollowly, stunned to find out that Kysis would do such a thing to Lam.  His blue eyes skittered sideways, gaze moving away from Rico and onto the table, not really seeing anything he was looking at anyway.  "He kissed you yesterday?" he repeated numbly, his voice barely above a whisper.

It wasn\'t his place to worry nor to interfere, but Lam was his mistress and her best interests were always tantamount to him.  He knew of the hardship she\'d suffered at Lord Dagger\'s whim, because he had such a wandering eye and he\'d believed that those days were long gone when she became serious about Lord Liari.  He\'d not seemed the scoundrel type, he\'d seemed honourable, damnit, yet here Matthew fond out he\'d kissed Rico, who was a former lover, then ejected him from the manor.  Because he felt belatedly guilty?  Dare he hope for that?

"I... I just... I can\'t believe it," the blonde stammered, his gaze slowly making its way back to Rico\'s face.  "He... she... they\'re getting married in under two moons!  She\'s pregnant to him!  And he\'s kissing you!" he cried, horror creeping into his words with every new one that fell from his lips.  He was looking at Rico with wide eyes now, not because he was stunned that Kysis was kissing another man - there were plenty of men that liked their bread and butter in Oberon, after all - but because he was kissing anyone besides the woman he was supposed to kiss.

Matthew\'s sense of righteous protectiveness was heading into overdrive, though, somewhere deep in the back of his brain, the fact that Rico was now banned from the manor after that kiss popped up to get some attention.

[Kysis]

OOoooo that was not good.  Rico took a deep breath, considering carefully his next move as if he was surveying a chess board.  It would be a hard one.  Rico could see his folly.   He should have said before the engagement.  Perhaps still while Kysis was seeing Lam, but he could have lied a little, completely avoided Matthew freaking out.

With a groan, Rico pushed his filo pie away, arms resting crossed on the table, Rico sinking so his head was cradled in it.  He had to think quick.  He had to make it seem like Kysis was not such a bad guy (which he wasn\'t), and make sure not to make himself a villain in the process.  Matthew obviously cared a lot more about Lam than Rico had given the male servant credit for.  He had to make amends, and quick.

"And Kysis loves her with all his heart.  I feel so terrible.  I can\'t go back.  I just cause trouble.  I need.... I need to find someone else..."  Rico sounded absolutely miserable, which he was.  But he did not really want someone else.  He wanted Kysis.  Rico had been with other men before and it just wasn\'t the same.  There had been passion with Kysis where it had just been sex with other men.  And he was completely and totally miserable because of it.  The love of his life was getting married!  Was going to have a kid!

Rico could feel himself shaking.  It felt for a moment like he was confessing himself to Alia again.  That used to make him feel better.  She used to sooth his pain and encourage him.  Rico needed someone to spill his mind to, and Matthew just happened to be there.

[Existentially Odd]

Matthew\'s expression was baffled by the slight about-face in the conversation.  Not only was Rico suddenly implying that Kysis was completely innocent in the case of the kiss, but he was giving away his feelings for the Lord... he thought.  Being so unworldly had its disadvantages at times like these, when nuances in people\'s behaviour gave away clues that he, in his ignorance to society in general and Rico specifically, couldn\'t interpret properly.

"Somone you\'ll... love... like you love Lord Liari?" the older man hazarded, unsure of his understandings - and he wanted to be sure about that before he pursued the question about just how much Lord Liari had participated in the kiss.  It was hard to know where to start, because there was so much he needed to get straight.  He\'d known Kysis and Rico had had an existing relationship of some sort, and Lam had said it in such a way that there might have been another level of meaning in it, but he\'d been too blind to understand the full scope of it.

Of course, it didn\'t bother him that Rico loved Kysis; what bothered him was that he seemed to be making a mockery of the life Kysis was choosing to live now.

[Kysis]

Rico nodded into his arm at the question.  Originally Rico had been aiming to get Matthew\'s sympathies and support for wedging the two apart.  Now that he had opened up a little, a flood of all those pent up emotions had taken over.  Rico was not good at slinking around and hiding his true feelings from people.  He was a sharing person by nature, wanted everyone to be happy.  He just did not want to sacrifice his happiness for something he thought might not even be happiness for the other person.

But could he say that and be sure?

No.

And Rico would not lie about Kysis.  It just would not leave his lips even if it came to his mind.

"The only reason I am still here in Oberon is because Lam won\'t let Kysis send me back to Greece." Rico groaned this into his arm, telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth in that statement.  Being good at lying was no excuse for lying.  Plus, what had Matthew ever done to him?  Nothing.  So, neutrality.  Rico needed to be up front if he wanted any help clambering out of this black pit he had found himself trapped in.

[Existentially Odd]

"So he definitely does love Lam and wants to marry her?  But doesn\'t want to be with you or near you any longer?" Matthew asked supiciously, feeling like being up front was the only way to resolve this confusion of his.  It wasn\'t that he meant for his words to hurt Rico, he was completely ignorant to such consequences, he just needed to have everything plainly spelled out for him.