The grounds were all filled with noises of gratitude and pure happiness. The walls of the tavern were all restored with torches, having yellow bright flames lit up inside. The night was tranquil knowing it was just yesterday when their ears were replenished by unpleasant clangors and wreckage.
Now, these men are having the best times of their life and no one could ever withstand the joy they were all feeling.
The breeze entered the tavern, touching all the faces of these soldiers as they cheer on their booze and other sorts of drinks.
"Ah, thank you," Theon said to the lady who brought him a drink. He cleared his throat and looked at the bottle of liquor. He slowly sniffed it and the smell did not suit his taste at all, he looked a bit in between disgusted or sick. His gaze turned to his left and saw how Ambroz drank a jugful of it. He widened his eyes.
Ambroz placed the bottle on the table and looked at Theon who was looking at him in disbelief; mouth in awe. That's why he wiped the corners of his lips and cleared his throat. "What? Don't you drink your booze like that?" He asked.
Theon avoided his gaze and settled his bottle on the table too. "I... I don't drink liquor. Back when the village was still there, we only drink leafy liquids. This... This is not appalling to my taste." He admitted, mumbling.
Ambroz scoot over to him and grabbed his bottle of booze. "So, you're village did not allow you to drink?" He asked and sipped from his bottle.
Theon was caught off guard. What is with this man trying to twist his sentence? "You don't understand. It's not between allowed or not. We just don't do this kind of drink, it's bad for one health?" He reasoned out.
However, when he looked at Ambroz, he does not look too convinced and was even eyeing somewhere else. So, he followed his gaze and it led to Mikka who was practically drinking two booze at a time. Luca was even trying to stop her. His nose twitched and followed by his brow.
"So, uh..." He awkwardly turned his gaze to Ambroz, who was smirking at him.
"You're a lightweight?" He straightforwardly said to him and even widened his smile to pester him even more.
"Lightweight? No, psh, that is too strong to put it that way. I just don't like how it smells. That's it." He avoided his gaze again.
"I have seen everything. What are you even hiding from me? If you don't want to drink this, then suit yourself." Ambroz went and drink the booze himself. Like a drunk man, he is
Then again, even with this many people surrounding him. In the middle of this crowd, even with Ambroz by his side, he felt alone.
This man is seeing through himself way too vivid, it's terrifying. He was always used to hiding his emotions and thoughts sometimes, but almost all his thoughts is being read by this man. Always knows how he should feel and how he would feel. Even when he confessed to him that day at the cave, he was refusing it and was saying how he should have reacted. He perhaps predicted that was a possibility.
Now it's making him remember what Ambroz said when they split ways in the borderline. How Ambroz hated the fate that was brought to him, and how he even hated him. Even if that was a way for him to agree to escape, still, it surely was meant. He conceivably wanted to have a normal life, with a family, and be a good chief. And because of the curse, he was bestowed with such a fate. A fate he least expected.
'He said he wanted to die. It means he does not like this. Even if the curse has finally lifted, what does he want to do now?' He thought to himself.
After concluding all of these things. Theon thought that maybe it was because of the booze that he sniffed or the smell of the tavern. But he reckoned, that maybe Ambroz only ever was thankful for him because he subsided the curse, the curse that he hated was calmed by him and no one else did. Maybe he was just thankful that he helped him sort it out. And that does not mean he cares nor loves him. Just pure gratitude.
He slowly raised his hand towards his chest and held it. His lower lip was trembling and his hands were shaking. The ache kept continuing on his chest and now he regrets having these thoughts to himself because then he's making a bad reputation out of people. It was not such a good moral. So, in order to get this out of his head, he had to go outside.
He stood up but his wrist was held by Ambroz. "Where are you going? Escaping this booze, huh?" He asked, naive to Theon's thoughts.
"Uh, just heading outside to breathe. You can stay here, I will be right back. Please, let my wrist go." He faked his smile.
Ambroz then confusingly let go of his wrist and he immediately rushed outside. The cold breeze of the night welcomed him, he roamed his eyes around, and there were no people around as all of them were gathered inside the tavern or was already sleeping.
He went towards the forest part of the town and there were logs scattered around. He was wandering around that forest until he settled to sit on one of the logs. The tavern was a bit far from this side and it was a good thing. If he won't let these thoughts out tonight trouble, someone, later. He does not want that.
"I act too ladylike." He whispered to himself. Then he scoffed. "Ladylike? Ladies are far more strong-willed than I am, who am I kidding? The way to put it is me being a weakling throughout this centre." He took a deep breath and sighed.
He was there for a while now and he still could not let those thoughts out of his system. It bombarded him until he decided to go home and rest. Maybe he's just tired. As he walks back home, his chest was carrying such a heavy rock upon it. Throbbing and forcing his tears to fall yet they didn't. He figured that crying was too sensitive and not the way to beat around it.
He opened the door and it was all dark now, he peeked inside the youngsters' den and they were all asleep. He also saw Mikka sleeping like a log. He must have stayed too long outside. He just went past Ambroz's room thinking that he might have also been sleeping already, but when he entered inside his room, what hailed him was Ambroz's back, he was staring outside the window with his arms crossed, and his hair tied up.
"Where have you been? I was looking for you everywhere. I almost thought someone have already robbed you but I figured you would have beaten them to death. So, maybe you were just trying to enjoy yourself out of wherever part of this tow you were." Ambroz started off.
Theon gulped harshly and headed towards his bed. "Why are you still awake? You should head to your room and sleep. Now that you are a human and no longer has the curse, your body would react even more to nature, it's late and you might be having a bad day afterwards. You should be treating yourself better now." He avoided the issue and went to tell him his concerns.
Ambroz noticed how he was acting very oddly. "I'm not a lightweight. Once I finished your bottle, I went out looking for you but you were not anywhere near the tavern. And now you're saying this to me? Now, I don't want to ask you where place you stayed, but why this?" Ambroz sounded so sad that it made him face him.
"Why what? Did I do something wrong? I just don't like the smell of liquor and yes I get drunk quite easily. You can use that against me someday." He was trying to avoid the topic as much as he wanted, trying so far to scoop something that could only worsen their relationship.
Ambroz arched his brows, looking at him with worry. "Why are you doing this to me? Have I done something for you to avoid me? Something so terrible that you even created a character from it? I apologise if that's the case."
Then softened. "No, you have done nothing. I'm just tired, alright? I'm tired. I wish to take my sleep now, tomorrow I will bring you to different places. I am not avoiding you or anything of the sort. You should rest now." He said.
Ambroz took seconds to stare at him for a while, at his eyes and then nodded. "Very well, I will take my leave now. Sorry to have bothered you this late at night." He said and left Theon's room.
When the man was no longer he heaved a loud sigh before slumping onto his bed. He closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep. The next day came and he found out that Ambroz was already out the town, he came with Luca and Rubin, Mikka said. Along with Mikka's lady friends.
"I see, that's good. He's getting more lean and calm with communicating. He used to be very reserved and does less talking." Theon let out as he helped Mikka cut some of the vegetables.
Mikka laughed. "Oh he still is like that, Rubin only forced him to come with them because they were also doing errands around the town, so he figured that Ambroz should just follow with them. Although he was hesitant at first but it was easier than I expected. I thought he would wait for you to wake up and then decide if he goes or not. Such an odd lad but in a good way, I suppose?" She chuckled and shook her head.
"Mm-hm." He hummed.
Mikka turned her gaze to him and saw how spiritless he was. Just when he thought he was acting normal.
"Hey, are you alright? You seem out this morning. Anything wrong?" She asked and raised both of her brows.
He looked at him and nodded. "Huh? Yeah, I'm just as I am, like every sunrise. Perhaps, was I just a bit tired from last night's occurrence." He replied.
Mikka chuckled. "What? I bet you did not even drink last night, because you know you're a lightweight. Oh! But speaking of, I don't remember much last night but I think Ambroz was looking for you then. Where have you been literally?" She asked out of genuine curiosity.
He halted from cutting the vegetables and was staring blankly. "I just went outside, nothing to worry about, certainly. Anyhow, I came back pretty quick that time. You fainted till then, that's why you must have not known that." He told her a white lie.
Mikka furrowed her brows. "Right, I fainted, huh? Must have been an embarrassment that night." She sighed and shook her head at herself. "I should start drinking less than or I won't last a day." She said.
They remained in the kitchen, cooking, and chopping off veggies, readying the goods for the youngsters. They were too busy that they did not even talk about other things. Until Mikka groaned in frustration.
"I forgot something! I need to get to the market and fast. Can you come with me, Theon?" He asked Theon for him to company her and help.
"Not a problem, shall we go now so we could return soon?"
Then just as he said, he did follow Mikka and as they were walking down the road. Maybe it was just him hallucinating, however, when he roamed his eyes around. People started looking at him and whispering behind somebody's ears as if murmuring about him. Although, he was not certain so he did not assume.
'What is it? Maybe because we just left the feud with victory in our hands? So, they wish to thank me but won't attempt? Is that it? I'm not certain enough to assume.' He thought and brushed it off by shrugging his shoulders and ignoring it.
But, when they arrived at a store. They encountered three ladies who were even more suspicious because as they were buying, these ladies started whispering, "That's him. Go on, ask now."
So, he looked at them as he raised a brow. "Is... There something wrong?" He asked.
Mikka just hummed and lifted her head to see what was going on.
The lady in the middle cleared her throat and crossed her arms. "We heard that you and that legend dragon had something in between. We also heard that you two are in a relationship."
"And if it's true, then it really is odd. Two men have yet to be seen loving together. We're curious how it goes? Right, Thalia?"
"That's right, Evelyn. Is it not inappropriate for our kind to be loving someone with the same form of body? Karia here has a huge affection for that man, so if you refuse now. We will see."
The ladies kept on asking him questions. Asked if he truly was in love with a man. Everything echoed inside his ear and it never stop. He was starting to be anxious again, his thoughts attacked them again as he received a judgement from the people. Here he starts feeling conscious of what he truly does look like to some other people if he was treated as the black sheep of the kind.
His heartbeat was thumping at a ridiculous speed and he only stared at the unknown, when suddenly he heard Mikka shouting.
"What is with you people? Asking such trivial things and judging his individuality as you please. We know we have come from inside that land, but it does not approve that you could ask us these questions. And so? What if he does love a man and the other way around? What is so wrong with loving someone with their temperament and personality? Do you think you overpower people now that you hold such authority? This just tells you how many of the worst people you are. Say, mind your own business here and stop intervening in people's lives, won't you? This is by far, offensive!" She outraged the judgement and tell these ladies what they had to hear, they were stunned by it, even the other people who were listening from their stalls was stunned by it.
Theon panicked and bowed to the people. "My apologies, however, we are in nowhere relationship as you say. You may confess however you like to him and no one is holding anyone of whomever. Now, if you excuse us we have important things to settle in our house. Pleasant evening." He faked a smile and pushed Mikka back to their house, luckily, the veggies were bought already even before that started.
"Phew." He said and closed his eyes. When he opened it, Mikka's frustrated face appeared to him.
"Why did you bow? Why did you apologise? And on top of that, why did you deny it? Denied that you were truly in love with Ambroz? I don't understand it, brother. Why do you have to hide it like that?" She asked with her brows furrowed.
Theon giggled and patted her head. "That was very brave of you, however, you should learn how to control your emotions, alright? Settling things with anger is not a very wise thing to do." He placed the veggies on top of the table and smiled at Mikka softly.
"I just hated it, they just judged people like that, asking irrelevant things. I dislike it very much! And why did you even deny it? Don't you love Ambroz?" She asked again.
Theon sighed. "There are people like that in this world, so it's best if we just don't tell a thing about it. Remaining silent would be better for both of us. Let's not dwell on it." He was about to hold a plate when Mikka took the plate out of his hand.
"I should be the one telling you that, brother. That because of those kinds of people that you should not be bothered. Instead of letting them say something's like that, you shouldn't deny it. If you keep denying it, makes me wonder now if you truly love him or not. After all, you were the one who told me you do love him. Now, you're just escaping from it because what? People say it's irrelevant?" She heaved a loud sigh and shook her head.
Theon was eyeing Mikka, battling himself if he was to tell her his thoughts or he has to keep it to himself.
"Of course, I do love him. However, I can say the same for how he feels about me, Mikka. After all, the curse has lifted and he has all the freedom he has in this world. I don't want to hold that freedom away from him, Mikka. Not now or ever." He softly smiled at her and continued on what he was doing, facing the table and was coming to terms with the goods.
Mikka heaved a sigh. "So, freedom, family and his true happiness are what you mean? Has he told you that he indeed wants to have a family?" She asked.
Theon halted but then went back to what he preparing on. "Hm, accusing their happiness beyond them is such a huge mistake over an individual, I know. However, you should widen your thoughts, Mikka. He was cursed and all, I helped him with it and fell through the process. Maybe, the thought of me loving him made him think that we both share the same feelings."
"So what you are telling me is that Ambroz only felt gratitude? This is pure doubt, brother. I find it hard to believe, that is so." She furrowed her brows. "You should have talked to him. The flames only get bigger if you blow more air to it." She warned him.
Then suddenly, someone spoke. "Indeed, you should have told me that you doubted my feelings." It was a familiar voice that made Theon shiver through his spine.
"A-Ambroz." He stuttered. "How long have you been there?"
Ambroz walked towards the table. "Long enough to hear all of your assumptions." He exclaimed with a stern face. Theon was caught off guard.
Mikka shrugged her shoulders and pointed at Theon's room. "Now that the elephant's out of the bag, may you head there and settle it in that room? I do not wish to see your next loving sight."
Now the both of them were sitting on the soft bed of Theon's room. Waiting for one to initiate the talk.
"So that's why you have been down in the swamps. The liquor's smell got inside your head making you think all this nonsense." Ambro started off as he wrapped his back with Theon's blanket.
Theon frowned. "It's not nonsense when you put your head into it. After all, I do not hold your future. Your curse is lifted and if you feel as if you have something to owe me, then you have nothing to worry about. I am not materialistic." He exclaimed in one breath.
They were silenced and Ambroz laid his head on his shoulder. "I owe you my life. You don't understand, Theon. I did not want to live anymore. There was no light to hold onto but you came. Not just because of that heat I had, but long before that. You were filling my head with your words. I was numb again and I felt human that very same day. Theon," he held its chin and made it face him. "The reason I wished to live was that you were alive. I wanted to spend more time with you and I wanted to still hold on to the thread that kept me near you. That was the only reason I had to live on when my whole life I wished that I had died already. Now it makes me sad seeing how you avoided me thinking that perhaps you no longer love me." His face droops down.
Theon then held his face. "I apologise, I doubted your feelings for me. I was swarmed with my own beliefs- as if tightening you within my grasp."
"Tightening? Who? Me? Oh, Theon. You are way too loose, loose that I even need to embrace you to feel near to you. I feel as if I am a bird you are keeping with no cage. I love you just like that. If this is not love, then tell me what love is. Because at every definition, you are the only one I could fill in." Ambroz said with a straight face.
At this point, Theon was not able to hold himself back and broke into waves of laughters. Making the man confuse.
"What an old class man with these embarrassing lines. I understand now, Ambroz, and I love you most." He whispered as he stick their foreheads together.
Ambroz giggled. "I swear to the trillion Gods that I will properly reject that lady. She does not know what she has gotten into. It's a deep hole here that only Theon could light it up."
"Lady?"
"Right, uh, I followed Luca and they forced me to follow them. Makes sense how I saw you and your sister at the stall. However, I wanted to wait for you until you woke up but disturbing you in your sleep is a fraud. I was guilty of always worrying you out back in the cave." Ambroz explained.
Theon was in awe, he has never seen his love as vivid as this before and now he's loving it even better. "What would I do to deserve such a man like you."
"Apathetic one?" Ambroz continued.
"Pathetic? No, you are not, I envy your body and face the first time we met. Even the dominance in your personality. It was surreal yet intimidating." Thein admitted.
Ambroz had nothing more to say, so what he did was embrace Theon's waist and pulled him closer to his body. Now that they were wearing thin clothes as if every skin was felt. Ambroz then started running his fingers on Theon's back and Theon even had to press his mouth to avoid the grunts and moans.
"W-what are you d-doing, hah." He asked, shivering.
Ambroz did not answer and sniffed his neck, giving pecks there. His hands were starting to remove Theon's upper garments, inserting his hand inside and rubbing his back on the skin, without the clothes covering. But Theon knew what would happen if he let this man go on with his own way.
So he pushed the man, gripping his shoulders, and staring at him in the eyes as his face was red and he was flustered.
"Stop. It's morning and I have not eaten anything yet." He warned and stood up, arranging his clothes. "Mikka is worried sick about us, we need to apologise."
Ambroz followed and stood up beside him. "Of course," and landed a kiss on his lips, after that, he dashed outside and head back to the kitchen.
While Theon? Was too stunned to speak. Now even smoke was emitting from his head, like a kettle boiling. His face was ever so red and he blushed so hard.
Whispered, "I can just imagine how the rest of our lives are going to be."
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ABYSSCESS