"I would burn the world for you" (OxO Closed)

Bel sips quietly at his tea and sends off their menus with the waiter. He holds Nico's hand a little tighter and finds himself wondering how the shape of their conjoined hands will change with the addition of a ring. Bel's had no issue with jewelry before, but just thinking of a simple piece has his heart squeezing and mind wondering. The colors will be gold and purple. Bel will ask Miran if he'd like to walk him down the aisle, knowing fully well his father will want to part in whatever non-political marriage he's indulging in. Perhaps Val if Miran declines. Treya as a last resort, but he'd rather have his sisters as his bridesmaids–where will they even have the wedding? Blakkast? The scenery is gorgeous, the hosts generous, and the surroundings familiar and more homey than Araniel could ever be. But if they wed within the borders of Araniel, it would be a powerful move to have the first official, royal decree be such a stain on Bel's father's legacy.

Before Bel's mind spirals too deep into all the logistics, the waiter returns exceptionally quickly (or was Bel just zoned out for too long) with their food. It looks amazing, smells even better, and Bel finds his mouth just watering at the thought of it. He hums, already gripping a fork to slice into the egg.

"I won't," he answers with a smile as he takes his first few bites. It's just as good as he remembers. A decade ago, he was sitting in a similar chair with his mother across from him and his siblings sat around the rest of the table. Miran was grumbling over his bacon and waffles, Treya enamored with her yogurt parfait, and Val sipping at her porridge. His mother offered him a bite of her eggs, and Bel had accepted without hesitation. Maybe Bel will try and get this place to cater for a wedding. He would certainly pay very well.

The rest of breakfast passes quietly and pleasantly. The old man stops by at some point with the bill, one that Bel quickly pays. It's his turn. He doesn't want Nico to pay for anything any longer. "Did you like it?" Bel asks as he pokes at Nico's empty plate.

Bel smiles, raising an eyebrow challengingly. "Love, I have more money than grains of sand. I need something to do with it." Now that he's back in semi-familiar territory, it's a lot easier to access his funds. Sella won't notice if he pocketed a few coins from the room they were staying in. When he's back in Araniel he'll repay her and Nico tenfold for whatever they've bought for him. "Stop complaining and let me do it for once." When the waiter comes by again, Bel's quick to hand him the bill and more than enough coin to pay the tab. "Keep the change–" he instructs before the old man walks away, more than a generous tip left for him.

"Ignore the bill, I want to know how your food was." Bel licks a last bit of syrup from his lips, very sweet and tasting of a multitude of berries. He doesn't understand how Nico could possibly eat pancakes beneath all that syrup, but who is he to judge.

"Oh my gods, are you really going to be this person?" Bel raises an eyebrow as he tries not to smile. Nico's rapid insistence is… cute, almost and Bel has to use every ounce of self control to hold in his laughter. "Nico, love, I'm literally a prince. I've had things paid for me for my entire life. Let me do something I never get to do." He swipes his hand through his hair, the other still holding on tightly to Nico's hand. "We can both support each other tenfold with our respective balances. Stop getting so worked up over a bill, love."

With that, Bel stands, dragging Nico up with him. He waves good-bye to Mads buried in the kitchen, a promise to meet up again soon communicated wordlessly between them. They leave the small restaurant and head straight into the morning market. It's a bustling, beautiful place with stands upon stands of different goods. There are geodes from the mines, fabrics from the tailors, fine jewelry from the jewelworkers–it's nostalgia and wonder all rolled into one and Bel begins to study each of the stands.

"Mm, I like that idea," Bel responds, leaning his head into the brief kiss. As they turn the corner, Bel catches one last glance at his friend. It's been a decade since he's last seen Mads, and he's shocked that they've hardly changed. Sure, they're taller, broader, and older, but their dark eyes still remain the same–excitable, eager, and ready for a new adventure. Since the border got shut down, Mads must have been trapped here. As kids, Mads had already climbed nearly every peak in Blakkast, leaving hardly any more room for discovery. Hopefully Bel will be able to reconnect easily. He needs friends that aren't prone to violence.

The shop is similar to most he's wandered through. He smiles at the old women behind cauldrons of soup and humors the children who point excitedly to their own handmade bracelets. At one point, a child no older than eight struck up a conversation with the prince. Of course, Bel stops to speak with the kid, smiling and nodding and offering a few responses when the child stops to breathe. She's a sweet child and Bel buys a beaded purple bracelet from her to show his appreciation. He returns to Nico's side, wordlessly grabbing his wrist to secure the bracelet before entwining their fingers. "Children are sweet," he notes as they move on.

(1000!!! holy shit that's insane alksdjf)

They continue their lazy morning, weaving through the shops and striking up pleasant conversations with strangers (though it's Bel doing that far more than Nico. Bel's never been one to turn down a promising conversation.) A few things catch his eye, but not enough to purchase them. Maybe he should? After all, he has so much money and more than enough room to store them–plus, he could replenish his hobbies. The only things he has from a past life are his lute and his mother's book. Everything else is still lost with his wrecked carriage somewhere deep in the woods. How long ago had that been?

While Bel's enthralled with speaking with a man about cooking (both speaking in rapid fire Blakkian), an elderly woman behind a large glass stand catches Nico's eye. She nods to him and then to her massive case. A jeweler, one that specializes in rings.

Bel is so lost in conversation, he doesn't even notice when Nico pulls away from his side to cross the street. Bel laughs, covering his mouth on instinct, and responds to the shopekeeper's jest with his own. It's a comfortable environment, one that Bel's been robbed of for far too long. A pang of sadness rings through his chest. He could've been out to the markets of Araniel having conversations just like this. He could've been making friends and connections since he was a boy, but he wasn't even allowed to leave the palace walls without an escort. For the longest time he had thought it was for his own protection, but he's starting to believe that it was his father trying to protect himself.

The woman smiles as Nico approaches. Her face is old, practically wilted with age. Her hair, however, is a long, healthy silver, not a bit of it brittle nor breaking. She's not even missing a tooth when she begins to speak in an accented voice. "Hello there, sir," she begins. "I've noticed your emotions are… high." She clears her throat. "I am no mage, but I've always been attuned to strong feelings of others. Yours are particularly strong." She gestures to her wares, to her necklaces and rings. All of them are in matching pairs, the gemstones on them perfect matches to their twins. "I channel those strong emotions of others into my craft."

With her long, wrinkled hands, she pulls out a set of rings. Silver and blue. "These rings are connected. When one wearer feels a particularly strong way, you'll be able to sense it." The gemstones gleam in the morning light. "They're particularly useful when you're separated, for the magic knows no distance." Her eyes twinkle, a deceptively young shine. "And they'll always help you find your way back to your match."

(aldskfj no worries!)

The woman smiles, her lips curling as she stares at Nico, watches how his sight never leaves Bel across the street. "I think my prices for magical goods are fair–" she carefully pulls the set of rings from their display boxes and into shinier, velvet ones. Her wrinkled hands stack the boxes atop of each other. "Five hundred for the set, plus there's an included warranty if anything were to unfortunately happen to these rings."

She slides the boxes over to the blond. "I can tell that you love him, my boy, but let me warn you that love is a blinding, dangerous thing. Do not let this one prince stand in the way of the greater good. I say this for your sake, for his sake, and for the entire kingdom you're trying to salvage." Her eyes glimmer with knowledge, with wisdom, with decades and decades of experience. "I've seen far too many good monarchs fall because they refused to acknowledge the bad in those they love." She pats Nico's hand. "Good luck, my boy. May the gods be on your side." After she accepts the payment, she disappears into the door of her shop, leaving Nico with the rings and a bit of unsolicited advice. 

Just barely noticing Nico's absence, Bel perks up, excusing himself from his conversation to search the surrounding area. He's not concerned for Nico, he's just–well, he doesn't want to spend the rest of their morning alone.

(ACK SORRY I WENT CAMPING AND HAD NO SERVICE FOR MOST OF THE TRIP)

Bel takes a look at the shops behind Nico, briefly wondering what he could've potentially bought, but between all the different options, Bel gives up on trying to figure it out. He smiles into the kiss, positioning his head to rest softly on Nico's shoulder. "Just a little of everything. The man is a storyteller, one that's been around for a few decades." He had wisdom to share, tales to tell, and a joy in his elderly eyes that Bel aspires to hold in his own someday. "We talked of the kingdom, of the people and culture. He also gave me a decent recommendation for a waterfall hike if you'd like to take it."

Bel laces his fingers with Nico's, humming happily as they continue on their way through the multitude of shops. The back of his teeth taste like the spices that coated his breakfast, luckily washing out the unpleasant taste of his medicine from that morning. He'll have to inquire more on the sickness that plagues his family. At least some of his cousins might have it. They'll likely know how to prevent further attacks. Bel swings their hands between them as they continue to browse. The prince smiles at children and marvels at the hand-sewn goods. He would just love to buy the entire market. Perhaps when they arrive back in Araniel and Bel will actually be allowed to do so, he would love to become a patron for some artists and fund programs in the town for children to foster their creativity.

The noise, the people, the familiar place that's been more of a home than Araniel has ever been–Bel finds himself entirely at ease, breathing in the fresh air and wandering amongst the people. The beautiful Blakkian peaks surround them, the kingdom perfectly nestled in a valley shrouded by mountains. The peaks are snow-capped, the water draining in beautiful rivers all the way down to the gorgeous waterfalls. He always wished he could explore them as a child, now he's just excited to see them with Nico.

Bel sighs and knocks his head against Nico's shoulder. "Yes, love, I know. I've just been busy marveling at the shops and such." They're slowly making their way through the market side of the city and more into the part with actual brick and mortar shops, ones that would more likely house finer, sturdier clothing for them. "Lets try this shop–" Finding a particular window display that entices him, Bel quickly drags Nico towards the door. He pauses with a smile to let a mother and her son exit before slipping inside. It smells of flowers and the air is cooler than outside. Behind the desk is a young woman with lots of piercings in her ears and long brown hair. She waves and welcomes them.

"See anything you like?" Bel inquires as he plucks are particularly ridiculous hat from a stand. It's a garish pink with far too many feathers to be acceptable, but still, Bel places it right on Nico's head for the fun of it.

The face Nico makes is absolutely wonderful. The situation is so simple, so light-hearted and blissfully domestic–gods, Bel can't wait for the violence to be over. He can't wait to lay in bed without a care in the world, to go about his hobbies without the guilt of better spent time looming over him. Bel laughs, accepting the kiss willingly. He leans into it, pulling himself up on his toes to deepen it. He pulls away, a smile on his face. "Well, I find that hat rather charming, if I'm being honest. It matches your eyes." Keeping the hat on Nico's head, Bel turns and fascinates himself with the rest of the racks. 

There are nice coats, soft shirts, trousers with plenty of pockets–one of the pairs particularly remind him of one pair he had back when he lived in Araniel. He used to keep all sorts of his gardening tools in the pockets, a spade in one of the loops. He could spend hours in his little garden, tending to the flowers and vegetables. "Do you like gardens?" He finds himself asking Nico, pulling away from the nice leather coats. 

Bel leans back into Nico. It's clear that his love language is physical touch from how huffy he gets when Bel is away and how clingy he gets whenever he's nearby. Bel's never one to push away, for when Nico's with him, it also checks off his love language–simple, quality time. Val's way of showing love is the same. When the siblings are together, they just sit in the same room, happily going about their own tasks and enjoying being in the same vicinity as each other. Treya is gifts showing up every so often in their rooms. Miran's was harder for Bel to decipher, but he ultimately decided on acts of service. When the heir silently cleared Bel's dishes for him, Bel interpreted it as his own, quiet I love you.

"I had one back home." Home almost feels strange to say. Is the castle in Araniel really his? "I spent hours in there gardening. I also had a small tea garden on my balcony. I always woke up to the most wonderful smells." He finds himself smiling at the memory. "I had flowers too. Hyacinths have always been favorites of mine." He wonders if anyone tended to it in his absense. Mathilde has always been far too busy with her own tasks to take on Bel's meager hobbies. As soon as he's safe, he'll happily start it up again. 

Looking back to the jackets, Bel finds a rustic white leather coat, well-insulated and with plenty of pockets.  He reaches forward to feel at the material, sleek and expensive. He doesn't even want to check the price tag. Not that it's a concern of his, but rather he knows it doesn't matter. If Nico even as much notices Bel taking a liking to an object, he'll buy it immediately. Bel could almost laugh.

"You're excited," Bel murmurs, pushing back just a little before stepping away. He grabs the coat from the rack in one swift motion before pivoting to face Nico. He takes a step forward, briefly connecting their lips before whispering "later." They still have to find some clothes that fit them and then Bel promised himself he would fix his hair. As much as he would love to spend some quality time with Nico, he has to put it at the bottom of his to-do list. Can't blame a man with a mission.

Bel finds a nice pair of black trousers, straight legged and fitting around the thighs, and then a baby blue dress shirt with simple white buttons. It should go nicely with his new coat. He drapes them over his arm, but still continues to browse with Nico following closely behind him. Nico needs new clothes as well, and gods forbid Bel will let the man dress himself. If he could pick, Nico would live his life in beige leather armor. Bel turns again to face Nico, studying him briefly to figure what colors would best suit him.

"Absolutely," Bel answers with a smile. "Always looking for an opportunity to… improve your fashion sense." He looks at the ill-fitting clothes. Large. Bel finds it ridiculous that some people just lob all sorts of clothes into just three different sizes. Large could easily qualify as tall or wide and there's no way to split the difference. Infuriating. Maybe Bel should open up his own tailor shop. He would have to find the time to hone his sewing skills. Perhaps he'll try and get himself a machine at some point. Mathilde has one in her quarters that she uses to patch intense tears. "Or lack of, for a better word, love." 

"Do you have thoughts on lavender? The color, not the flower." He spots a soft violet shirt on a rack across the aisle, Bel almost leaping to grab it. It's what Nico would describe as large and Bel could always make small adjustments to have it fit nicer around the abdomen and shoulders. White pants, but those get dirty easily, so maybe they could go for the contrast of black. He finds a dusty pink color shirt about the same style as the lavender. "Pink?" 

Bel smiles at Nico's subconscious reaction. "Please, you'll look just fine." He holds the lavender shirt up to Nico, and then switches it for the pink. It's not even overtly feminine, the color closer to dust then to a sugary sweet lollipop. Bel may love dressing up, but he's never been one to go for anything especially avant-garde. "I'll even pair it with black pants and a heavy coat if it makes you feel better." Being so high up in the mountains, Blakkast is well-accustomed to cold winters and chilly nights. They're lucky they arrived in the early crest of summer where the weather is particularly kind.

Bel hands Nico the two shirts along with his own outfit as he busies himself with finding a good pair of pants and a proper jacket. Knowing Nico, he would probably prefer a heavier coat with pockets and probably buckles. Something, well, more intense without having razor-sharp spikes and blades sticking out of the elbows. Bel doesn't even think Blakkast would sell things like that–wait, maybe– Bel shakes away the thought about pointy fashion choices as he finds a pair of trousers that look like they'd fit Nico well. And then he catches sight of a cropped black jacket, built wide and purposefully baggy. The pockets are sturdy yet fashionable, and Bel wastes no time picking it up.