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[ Who just makes an ear cuff, indeed. Joshua laughs, softly. ]

Don't worry, you wouldn't be mocking anything.

[ He tilts his head, lifting one hand to his ear and tapping the silver cuff there. ]

In fact, I have reason to believe he may have had a hand in this one, at least to a minor extent.

[ He knows that Clive gave Dion advice on some things. Who's to say he didn't give advice on this, too?

But Luca has the right of it. If a bracelet was too similar to their bracelets, he wouldn't have done it. Joshua nods, moving to retrieve the tea. ]

I am not certain... But the color is certainly reminiscent of Phoenix flame, or at least mine. Perhaps that had something to do with it? [ He hums, thoughtfully. ] To that extent, perhaps it would be suiting to choose a stone that is a deeper red... Something dark, like molten lava bleeding through cooled rock.

[Luca's head tilts curiously. There's a story there, and he's curious to hear it. He hasn't missed the sideways glances between Joshua and the new arrival to their group. Nor did he miss the urgency of the conversation between said man and Clive not long after. Still, he isn't sure that he's on the level to ask those questions just yet.

Asking about his brother's more intimate details, though? That's different.]

The color is unique, I will give you that. And it would suit his flame. [A frown.] That isn't too shallow, is it?

[ Oh, totally different. Entirely different. Because Joshua is fully qualified to dish on Clive in whatever way he thinks will make his brother's life happier. It is his brotherly duty. ]

Oh, not at all. In fact, I'm fairly certain that you could give him anything and he would fall to pieces about it. He is incredibly sweet on you.

[ He risks a sidelong glance, giving Luca a small, conspiratorial smile as he settles the tea into each mug and pours hot water over it. As though it's a secret how his brother truly feels. Everyone can see the way Clive looks at him. ]

But he is also very fond of the color red, so I'm certain he would like it either way.

[Oops. The ruff of feathers around his neck fluffs up, not unlike a Ghibli character. He tucks his head down quickly, trying to hide the worst of it.]

I am - sure that's...

[He trails off. He can't exactly argue the matter. There's plenty of evidence to the contrary. The sidelong glances at the bar could have been downplayed, maybe. But he can't deny the lengths Clive has gone to in order to make Luca's life better. Never mind how affected the man had seemingly been in the wake of Luca's death.]

I will keep it in mind. Thank you, Joshua.

[ Oh. Oops. Had he ruffled Luca's feathers? Joshua laughs softly, apologetic, as he carries one mug over to hand it to his friend. ]

My apologies. I did not mean to fluster.

[ He just... thinks it's cute, the two of them together. Luca makes Clive very happy, and Luca very clearly thinks fondly of Clive, if he's come asking for advice. Joshua will do anything to stoke those embers. ]

Clive is... incredibly important to me. And I pay attention to what is important to him. You are a good man, Luca, and you make him so happy. So I will support the two of you wherever I can. I trust you with his heart.

[Luca accepts the mug with a grateful nod. He lifts it up, carefully sipping at the liquid. It's nice to have something to hide behind.]

I understand. I would do the same, were Kiera interested in this sort of thing.

[Once upon a time, her lack of romantic attraction had disappointed him, solely because he'd never get to give the big brother talk. That was years in the past, though.]

I promise I do not intend to intentional hurt him. Unfortunately... [He trails off. Joshua doesn't need him to say it out loud. The Forest hurts, and it takes, and it corrodes. He can promise his intentions, but they both know it might not make a damn lick of difference.]

[ ... ah. Yes, Luca really doesn't need to say it out loud. Joshua knows all too well what the Forest does. There is no end to the suffering here. It's a fact of life. And that the Forest will turn their bodies against each other... ]

... Clive told me once, a couple of months ago, that what that thing does with us is not our fault. That we can't live blaming ourselves for it. I know you wouldn't hurt him intentionally. And that's why I can forgive anything that you might be made to do to him in the future.

[ Because otherwise, he would be a hypocrite. Clive had helped him to settle on forgiving himself, so why wouldn't he forgive Luca if the same thing happened to him? ]

Your intent means more to me than that false god's interference.

[Luca isn't so convinced of his theoretical innocence, but he at least he doesn't argue it. He's less worried about matters of possession or coercion, and more over his own actions. He'd only just thrown himself into the jaws of a snake to save his sister. There was no guaranteeing he wouldn't do the same again.

... Even if he had promised her to never leave again.]

I appreciate your confidence. And your assurance.

[The words are stiff, no denying the doubt there.]

Regardless, there is only one thing to do. Fight like hell to make sure it never comes to pass.

[ They are, all of them, a bunch of self-sacrificing types. Joshua knows this. Or, at least, he knows it about himself, and Clive, and Dion. He doesn't know the details of Luca's death, only that it had something to do with the snakes... But, if he did know, he would understand. He would do much the same for Clive, even if Clive was angry with him for it later. Clive has already died once...

To Luca's comment, Joshua firmly nods, playing with the string on his bag of tea. He can hear the doubt in the words before it, but... he will refrain from commenting yet. ]

Indeed. We may suffer the forest's wrath, but that does not mean we must succumb to it. It is as I told Clive back at home - we fight for our right to deny this fate that is being forced upon us.

[ He, too, settles against the counter, but with his hip rather than his back. Wings, and all. ]

And I would gladly fight beside you in this. You are welcome to call upon me any time, for any reason.

[Luca certainly doesn't envy Joshua his attachments. Nice though it might be for navigation, or perhaps a hasty getaway, it seems largely inconvenient in the grand scheme of things. One thing he can thank the Phoenix for, he supposes.]

Clive has said something similar to me before. [He lifts his tea, hiding a very soft smile behind it. He holds it in his mouth for a long moment, before swallowing.] When I told him it was my duty, my fate to fight, he denied the sentiment.

[His eyes close, smile rapidly fading.]

It feels as if he is the first person to truly allow me to be as I am. I am not beholden to the boy I was before, nor do I have to continue to be the man I am.

Who would not fall for someone like that?

[He pauses, realizing how sentimental he's become, and quickly clears his throat.]

All that aside... I welcome your help. And your kindness.

Edited 2025-03-27 03:27 (UTC)

[ Just hearing that Clive has echoed his own words makes Joshua's smile all the brighter. They both emulate each other in certain situations, he's found. They are each other's strength.

And hearing Luca's sentiment makes him laugh, softly, kindly. ]

Ah, then I have primed him well for you. As a child, I used to lament that everyone looked to me as the Phoenix, not as myself. Clive was one of the few who ever saw me as Joshua, not just as a Dominant to be praised and protected.

[ But he shakes his head, still smiling. ]

But no, I jest. I truly had no part in priming him for anything - that is just the sort of person he has always been. My brother is possessed of a truly kind heart. Not a cruel bone in his body, despite having every right to with all that he's been through.

[ His tea has steeped enough. He pauses, just for a moment, to remove the bag and set it gently into the sink. ]

I have no doubt that he will hold your hand through anything.

[Luca's fingers thread together against the mug. He sips again, not really caring about the tea bag sloshing around. It just makes the flavor that much more vivid. And maybe if he keeps it in, it'll be encouragement to not stick around too long. To not get attached to -

The thought settles uncomfortably within his chest. He shifts back toward the sink, carefully depositing the bag just as Joshua had. The returns to his same position, and offers a careful smile.]

I should hope that he does. [He glances toward the floor, thoughtful now. He taps his shoe against the tile once, twice, three times, before looking back up at Joshua.] And if he and I are to be so tied, then that means you are effectively family. And as I would do anything for my family...

Well, I am sure you understand.

[ Oh? The words make Joshua brighten, and he lowers his mug from his lips. To think of Luca thinking that far ahead already... ]

Oh, of course. I completely understand. And likewise, if the two of you are to be so tied, you are also family. Though, I am already keen on doing a great deal for you.

[ The smile that he gives Luca is entirely genuine, bright and full of a brand new sort of affection. A brotherly kind, almost. Not quite the same as his affection for Clive, but... Luca makes Clive happy. How could Joshua not also be happy? ]

But, family aside, you are also my friend. One that is very dear to me, for a multitude of reasons.

[Unfortunately, Luca is that kind of romantic. There had been many notebooks throughout the Aurelius home, with Luca adding their name to whichever crush he had that week. Back then, there was the tendency to fall hard and fast, and to have his heartbroken just as swiftly.

It's a little embarrassing, to be back in that state of mind. Embarrassing, but... perhaps not entirely unwelcome. Not when he knows he can trust those that he has fallen for.]

I am... glad to hear I have earned such a place with you. As a friend, I mean. I can be rather stubborn at times. And unfriendly at others.

[He offers up a sheepish smile.]

So. Thank you for sticking around. And approving of me so. The feeling is mutual.

Ah, then you're a Rosfield already. --in stubbornness, of course. It is a family trait, I'm afraid.

[ But one he isn't at all sorry for. Their father had been quite stubborn, too, according to their uncle. He laughs quietly, tilting a gentle little grin back at Luca's sheepish smile.

But then, it softens. How could it not, with a thanks like that? ]

I am glad for it. Truly. It would be quite unfortunate if I made a bad impression on my brother's sweetheart, after all.

Mm, are you sure that doesn't make you an Aurelius?

[He's grinning, both at the thought of being part of their family, and with the general mood overall. Things had been expectedly somber for him over the last few days. It was nice to share a laugh.

Albeit one that clams up when Joshua says that. He takes a long sip of his tea, before lowering it with a sigh.]

Beasts. It really is that serious, isn't it?

[He isn't put out by it or anything. It's just... something to marvel at.]

It might just. [ It's said with a laugh. ] Perhaps our families are more similar than we thought.

[ But it's nice to see Luca in such a good mood. Particularly after all that happened. Seeing so many people succumb to the snakes in one way or another, he'd have thought that the mood would be a lot more somber and difficult to shake for everyone, but a flicker of light in the darkness is never a bad thing. He's glad for it, honestly.

Luca's question, rhetorical or not, makes Joshua's amusement soften. He finishes his own sip of tea, before lowering the mug to tap his fingers against the side. ]

That is left up to the two of you, but... I will say that the way Clive responded to your death was something I've not seen from him before.

[ Or, at least, not that he was conscious to see. But he won't go into that here. ]

But it is abundantly clear that he cares deeply for you. Enough to spend so much time in your proximity. So, if you'd like an outside opinion... yes, it does look quite serious.

[Between the conversation he'd had with Clive weeks ago, and this one now, Luca has found himself reaching a similar conclusion. It warms him more than he might have thought, to know that where were such like souls around him.

As for Joshua's concern about Luca's well being, though... It helps that he has technically died before. The only unusual part was not having the Phoenix to drag him back the second it all went dark. Luca hadn't quite made out how he felt about that, there had been little time between comforting Clive and Kiera. There was no resentment in that regard, only an unacknowledged hint of relief.

But that would be a conversation for another time. Right now, he's left to turn over the depth of his relationship with Clive in his head. To hear Joshua confirm that his reaction was unusual evokes something within Luca that he hasn't acknowledged in years.]

May I ask you something, then? So long as you do not mind my continued prattling about your brother.

[ Joshua had been in the process of lifting his mug back to his lips, but Luca's question makes him pause. He lowers it again, tipping his head just slightly with a curious little smile. ]

Hm? Of course. So long as you do not mind mine.

[ He has, for a long time, felt as though his brother hung the very moon in the sky. The last thing he wants is to be overbearing. Thankfully, with Luca, it doesn't seem that's the case. ]

Not at all.

[The warm smile he offers should hopefully say all it needs to. He enjoys these stories, could listen to Joshua talk about Clive for hours. Or maybe he could listen to Joshua talk for hours in general. They are similar enough in mindset that it feels easy to simply stop and listen.

He almost feels bad, that they aren't talking about something else. He'll have to make a point of picking Joshua's brain outside of his brother again soon. Perhaps a game of chess.

But that's neither here nor there. Right now, Luca has something to focus in on, after all.]

Please keep in mind, I would ask my own sibling, if I didn't think they would roll their eyes. Matters of love and partnership are not in their field of interest, and so... [He lets out a nervous laugh.] Would you think me a fool for being in love with him so soon?

[ It does, indeed. And Joshua knows that the sentiment is genuine. For how little time they've actually known each other, he does not believe that Luca would have any reason to lie to him.

But... ah. That is quite the question. Joshua hums thoughtfully, looking down at his mug, as though thoroughly inspecting the liquid within, and the tiny hint of tea leaves that somehow escaped the bag. ]

I do not think so. Not you, not with him.

[ He takes a breath, gently swirling the contents of the mug. ]

Everyone experiences love differently. For some, it comes as easily as breathing. For others, there is a weight attached, making it feel difficult or somehow unsafe to offer or accept the feeling. I do not know which you would fall under, but... it is not a foolish thing to love him so quickly. The charm that my brother possesses is different from what you might find in someone on the prowl for temporary pleasure.

[Luca quietly contemplates Joshua's response. Everything he says makes sense, even if Luca's mind might try to deny it. Luca himself could relate to both of the described mindsets. Unfortunately, that ultimately doesn't help his situation.]

Once I would have described myself as the former. When I first arrived here, I would have said I was the latter. Now, I am unsure of where I fall.

[Still, even if he didn't need the reassurance regarding Clive's own feelings, it's nice to hear. Luca'd had his heart broken on many occasions before, intentionally or not. It's good to know that he could trust that Clive was genuine.]

I would just hate to say it and then find myself in doubt.

[... hmm. It's an interesting circumstance, for certain. Luca had been open at one point, then shielded, and now... he isn't sure. It reminds Joshua a little of Dion's situation, or at least the feeling he's got of the situation with the way that Dion sometimes comes off a bit stiff and awkward when presented with his affections.

He hums softly, thinking, and then turns his eyes up to Luca once more. ]

Pardon my blunt questioning, but... what is it that makes you doubt, exactly? Is something causing hesitation?

[What is his reason for doubt? Luca feels it, but has he truly put a reason to it? The anxiety wells within his chest, filling the spaces that the attraction, perhaps even love, does not. It was easier to ignore it in entirety, but Luca knows better than to think it the only option.

He shifts his posture, leaning further back against the counter. His head tilts upward, locking on a speck of paint against the ceiling, as if it might have the answer.]

I suppose... it might be two-fold. I am worried what he may think of me in the long run, and what I may think of him in that same time frame.

[He shifts his position once more, hesitantly meeting Joshua's eyes.]

When I learned that my father's... passing was meaningless, I lost myself. For years, I was committed to peace and protection. I wanted to do the right thing, wherever I could. I had even left my home, because I could not stomach the violence that had been committed in my name. And yet... after that, my own thirst for vengeance could not be quenched.

I killed without care, condemning anyone with even the slightest ties to the plot that laid my father low. I lost track of how many Castillan's I incinerated. And when they weren't enough, I crossed the sea to wreak havoc on another nation. I only returned home because my quest led me there.

[He swallows hard, willing the burning in his eyes to diminish.]

When I spoke of this, Clive seemed so willing to forgive it. But would that remain true, if he knew the depths of my sin? Clive is a good man. He... surely he will realize that he deserves someone better, kinder than someone like me.

[For the time being, he lapses into silence. He's yet to even broach the subject of his other doubts, yet he's already dumped so much onto Joshua. The guilt floods in, even as he waits desperately for assurance.]

[ That... certainly is a damn good reason to doubt. Joshua listens politely, taking it all in as Luca slowly bleeds out his reasoning, and Founder, does it sound familiar. Eerily so, in fact, but... perhaps it will be of some comfort.

He doesn't speak until Luca has finished saying his piece, and the silence between them has stretched just a little. But he is clearly thinking, if Luca looks to him during that stretch. ]

My brother is a good man indeed. That he has been willing to forgive this of you speaks to that. However... mm. It is not my place to speak of events that happened to him, as tangentially attached to me as they are, but...

When we were younger, Clive and I, our kingdom was attacked. Our own mother sold out her kingdom, and our father paid the price for it. In addition, Clive thought that I had died in a brutal attack. I was not able to reunite with him for eighteen years, but from what my attendants gathered in that time, he...

[ Joshua frowns hard at his tea. It isn't his place to speak of Clive's experiences. The Undying kept tabs on Clive for him for a while, after he'd awakened, but he doesn't know every minute detail. He doesn't know how Clive felt during those years. So, he shakes his head, turning to look at Luca. ]

It sounds as though his experiences may mirror your own in some ways, and it is not my place to speak of them, as I did not live them. But you should speak to him. Be plain about any worries you might have. He is a good man - but he is a good man that can make a decision for himself, and I already know that he is smitten with you.

[ And, close as they are, he can close the distance enough to place a hand on Luca's shoulder with a reassuring smile. ]

And you, too, are a good man. One's past sins do not reflect the kind of person he is today.

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