"I remember you saying something about fries?" Braith asked with a mischievous smile up at Neo. He couldn't think of the last time he had felt so comfortable around another person, or had felt so much like himself.
Neo smiled sheepishly, keeping his dusted-with-lavender eyes forward as he walked.
“Perhaps I did,” He purred softly, smiling a bit wider for no reason.
Braith's heart galloped in his chest, but he remained passive on the outside. No need to trouble him with that. This is nothing more than a King showing his subject where fries are. But he couldn't deny how his gift of fire lept playfully in the presence of Neo. It was taking almost all of his concentration to not burst into flames.
Neo smiled a bit more, more and more, until he was beaming. Was it more than subject and King? Neo wanted to kick himself for thinking so. It was just his body’s attempt to get a warm body next to him in bed.
Besides Braith, he thought grumpily You haven't even reached your hundredth year yet! You're a child in his eyes.
"Would that happen to be where the fries are?" Braith asked Neo, pointing to a merry shop teeming with people.
Neo followed his pointing finger and smiled. “Indeed. Right over there.” He led the way over to the shop, waiting patiently in the line, humming happily.
A few people glanced over, and even said hello to Neo, who returned the greeting merrily.
Braith stood stiffly next to Neo in line. There were so many people looking at them. He could feel the blush burning on the high points of his cheeks as he reached up to awkwardly pass a hand through his fluffy curls again. A sure sign of his distress. Why must they stare? I'm not doing anything bad…not acting on my urges…Please. Look away. His hands felt hot and he tightened them into fists, dousing any flame that had sprung up within his palms.
Glancing up he saw that Neo just looked happy. Relaxed. Something about this calmed Braith, his strained shoulders relaxing the tiniest bit. Could it be that the people here don't think that it's strange for men to be…to be…together?
Neo nudged Braith and looked down, his eyes glimmering.
“Relax. You can be yourself in this town. There is very little discrimination here.” He stepped forward in the line and boldly ordered an Xtra-Large tub of fries for himself and Braith to enjoy.
Braith gaped at him. I'm in a dream.
He couldn't help the tear that made its way down his face, but he ducked his head so Neo wouldn't see. I can be myself here. Truly. Myself. He'd been hiding for so long he wasn't even sure who that was anymore. He had always been the littlest, clumsiest, shyest child of the Sotta family. Marginally ignored, just because his family had been so big.The only thing that had been noteworthy about him was that he had a particularly strong gift.
But here…here, he could be Braith. Braith as he was truly in his heart. Starting with befriending a gorgeous King.
He cleared his throat, stepping up beside Neo, his head held high. "Do you like ketchup?"
Neo smiled down at him and nodded. “I was thinking we could douse it in some vinegar and salt it, then get a cup of ketchup. Maybe go out and sit on the beach.” He glanced over his shoulder. The beach was busy but it was beautiful and clean. He smiled proudly.
"That is a brilliant idea." Braith grinned. "Although, I've never been in the water before. Is it cold?" He asked as he collected copious amounts of ketchup for their fries. One thing Braith loved more than anything was food.
Neo took the fries from the cook with a thank you and paid much, much more than what he should’ve. He turned away just as the man called him back to give him change, Neo casually saying with a hand wave, “Keep it.”
He grinned down at Braith and started to heavily salt the fries and vinegar.
“Dunno. It shouldn’t be. But we won’t be going in unless you’d like to.”
"We?" Braith asked arching a brow at Neo. "Surely a King doesn't participate in such foolishness as gallivanting in the waves?" Braith was teasing him. He would honestly would very much like to see the sight. His own affinity for flame had kept him away from larger bodies of water his entire life, he wasn't sure if he remembered how to swim.
Neo chuckled at Braith’s worried thoughts. “Yes, Braith. We. That is, if you remember how.” He nudged the other before trotting off towards the beach.
“Anywho. If you don’t want to, we can always sit out in the sun.”
(KAT)
(SORRY . BUSY DAY AT WORK D:)
Braith frowned. How did he know I was thinking about that?
He shrugged off the coincidence, following his companion to the edge of the sand. Without thinking he kicked his shoes off and dove his toes into the warm sand. "Wonderful." He crooned, turning his face towards the sun. The sunlight itself seemed to manifest in his hair as streaks of curling flame.
Neo shed his thick suit jacket and plopped down into the sand, kicking off his large dress shoes and slipping off his socks. He wriggled the well-manicured toes of his large, pale feet into the sand and hummed happily, setting the fries down between them.
Braith sighed happily, still basking in the sunlight. Hearing Neo starting to munch on their shared fries, he pulled off his own jacket and spread it out on the sand before plopping down onto his belly. He grabbed a few fries and gave Neo a adorable grin before popping them in his mouth. "Oh…gods." He moaned closing his eyes. "These are heavenly."
Neo half-closed his eyes as he put a few of the still-warm fries in his mouth. They were heavenly. It was exactly what he was craving for weeks.
“They are,” He agreed before putting another handful of them in his mouth.
Braith munched happily as he watched the waves. He was lulled into complete relaxation by the sound and the company. His life had changed for the better when he left home. Now, he knew that for sure.
Neo half-closed his eyes and laid back in the sand. The cloth of his fancy shirt and the black suspenders got dusted in sand. He didn’t care much. It was relaxing to hear the laughs of the people near the ocean and the hush of the waves.
He looks so at ease… So different from earlier. Braith thought as he watched Neo from the corner of his eye. He regretted that he hadn't brought his paints with him on his day trip into the city. A rookie mistake for any artist, but he had brought a small pad and a few pencils. Pulling the pad form his jacket pocket, he shifted just slightly to get a better view of the King. Selecting a fine pointed pencil, he began to sketch.
Neo raised an eyebrow in the slightest when he heard the scratch of the pencil on paper. He didn’t say anything, nor did he move. He was comfortable anyway, laying there in the sun.
Braith was blushing again as he sketched. It was one this to admire someone from afar, but to look at them with an artist's eye was something else entirely. He studied the lines of Neo's body, the strength that was there. Sharp, yet still soft and elegant. Regal in his stoic beauty. Shit. Shit. Shit.
He cleared his throat, reaching out with the tip of his pencil to ever so slightly move one of Neo's fingers so it's shadow was less awkward. He wasn't sure why he was doing this, but he wanted to remember this day forever. This exact moment in time.
Neo smiled a bit at his spastic thoughts. Braith was such a sweet guy. It was hard to believe that he had liked someone such as Neo.
But, Braith didn’t know that Neo had Mind Reading abilities. Hell, rhe only person who did was M, who was also a Mind Reader.
Braith hummed, as he finished up the shading of the sketch. He tapped Neo gently on the shoulder, holding out the sketch. "Hey… Want to see something cool?" He said it looking down at his hands, shy as hell. He'd never shown anyone this little trick he could do with his art.
Neo turned his head in Braith’s direction and opened his eyes. “Sure pal. Show me what you have drawn.” He grinned knowingly.
Braith held out the sketch tilting it so Neo could see. Then very gently he tapped the page in the center with a flame tipped finger. The flame leaped across the page quickly, leaving traces of vibrant color in its place. After the flame flicked out on the top most corner, Braith swept a hand over the page brushing off any remaining embers. He peeked at Neo's face as he placed the picture in the King's lap. The vibrant colors catching in the sunlight. "What do you think?"
Neo looked rather impressed by Braith’s performance. He picked up the sketchbook and beamed, holding it closer.
“It’s wonderful, Braith! You caught my figure very well.” He winked and handed back the book.
"It would be a crime not to do that figure justice." Braith said a bit too casually as he closed the notebook back up. he refused to meet Neo's eyes for another few moments. Unsure of what to do with his hands, he popped the last few fries into his mouth.
