For the first time in perhaps a decade, Enzo lost himself into his task. Time, discomfort, even the occasional brush of Tiberius' arm as they shifted about, reaching for a scroll or journal, none of these things interrupted the flow. Phrases and equations were practically tangible in the air around him as he tried and retried the equations. He'd had to shift his work between a few different wax tablets, he was heating them to unhelpful softness from use.
"Hmm?" Enzo turned his head toward the sound of Tiberius' voice. He was standing, stretching. Another moment and his understanding of what had been said registered. "Oh..." Enzo looked back down to his hands. One held a wax tablet, the other a stylus. Around him, on the floor, he'd arranged several texts. He was squatting, he suddenly realized. How'd he get over here? And why?
Enzo stood as well, his knees raging at him for forcing them to hold such a position for so long. His back echoed their complaints. When had he gotten so old? Setting the tablet down on the desk, Enzo nodded and followed Tibs out of the tower. He was somewhat surprised to see the world so dark as they moved through the gardens to the main house. He prepared himself for Tiberius to amend his suggestion of a break, to suggest they meet again tomorrow or some later day. But those words did not come.
He was relieved. Partially because it was always difficult to return to this sort of work if one stepped away for too long, sure, but also because Tiberius was not sending him away. He followed his friend as he used to, keeping close. As if he might be reprimanded or banished if some servant found him on the grounds unescorted. As if he were still unwelcome here.
"Well. You might as well ask about her."
Ice poured along his spine and he froze, hand hovering over a slice of cheese. It was probably only a second, but it felt much longer. Finally, whatever gripped him relented and he lifted the piece of cheese to his mouth and chewed. He let that occupy him for a moment, an excuse not to look up as he busied his hands with collecting a few nuts. When there was nothing left to chew, he swallowed and leaned himself back against a counter. Only then did he allow himself to look up at Tiberius.
The man's cheeks bulged slightly as he chewed and Enzo couldn't stop the smile from catching the corners of his own lips. Was he really so casual about it? Was his heart not racing? Were they not on some precipice here? He wanted to reach out, to feel for the thoughts Tiberius was so good at keeping from his face. But he wouldn't do that. He couldn't do that. Not to Tiberius. Never to him.
With a huff, Enzo's smile widened slightly as his eyes lowered back down to the table. "What should I ask, then?" he said, pouring the handful of nuts from one hand into the other, like so many grains of sand. "She's a mage, of course. Any good? Is she..." he shrugged, looking back up to Tiberius' eyes, "...intelligent?" he chuckled slightly at how ridiculous that sounded.
Then, as Tiberius seemed about to speak, he couldn't stop himself. "Do you love her?"
"Hmm?" Enzo turned his head toward the sound of Tiberius' voice. He was standing, stretching. Another moment and his understanding of what had been said registered. "Oh..." Enzo looked back down to his hands. One held a wax tablet, the other a stylus. Around him, on the floor, he'd arranged several texts. He was squatting, he suddenly realized. How'd he get over here? And why?
Enzo stood as well, his knees raging at him for forcing them to hold such a position for so long. His back echoed their complaints. When had he gotten so old? Setting the tablet down on the desk, Enzo nodded and followed Tibs out of the tower. He was somewhat surprised to see the world so dark as they moved through the gardens to the main house. He prepared himself for Tiberius to amend his suggestion of a break, to suggest they meet again tomorrow or some later day. But those words did not come.
He was relieved. Partially because it was always difficult to return to this sort of work if one stepped away for too long, sure, but also because Tiberius was not sending him away. He followed his friend as he used to, keeping close. As if he might be reprimanded or banished if some servant found him on the grounds unescorted. As if he were still unwelcome here.
"Well. You might as well ask about her."
Ice poured along his spine and he froze, hand hovering over a slice of cheese. It was probably only a second, but it felt much longer. Finally, whatever gripped him relented and he lifted the piece of cheese to his mouth and chewed. He let that occupy him for a moment, an excuse not to look up as he busied his hands with collecting a few nuts. When there was nothing left to chew, he swallowed and leaned himself back against a counter. Only then did he allow himself to look up at Tiberius.
The man's cheeks bulged slightly as he chewed and Enzo couldn't stop the smile from catching the corners of his own lips. Was he really so casual about it? Was his heart not racing? Were they not on some precipice here? He wanted to reach out, to feel for the thoughts Tiberius was so good at keeping from his face. But he wouldn't do that. He couldn't do that. Not to Tiberius. Never to him.
With a huff, Enzo's smile widened slightly as his eyes lowered back down to the table. "What should I ask, then?" he said, pouring the handful of nuts from one hand into the other, like so many grains of sand. "She's a mage, of course. Any good? Is she..." he shrugged, looking back up to Tiberius' eyes, "...intelligent?" he chuckled slightly at how ridiculous that sounded.
Then, as Tiberius seemed about to speak, he couldn't stop himself. "Do you love her?"
06-11-2024, 08:09 PM
