Cadmus scanned over him carefully, obviously checking to make sure he wasn't hurt anywhere else. He let go of Levi once he was content, a frown pulling at his lips. "Yeah, he's a real dickhead." Fi winced, opening his mouth to say something, but Cadmus quieted him with a look. "Sent me to the infirmary first time I ever met him. You're sure you're alright?"
“Yes,” he reached up to graze his fingers over the back of his neck, just for a second before letting his arm drop again. Fiori’s uncle sent Cadmus to the infirmary? He wasn’t surprised, and it made him grateful that Fiori was there to keep his uncle from doing the same to him. “It’s only my scalp, thank Ialdir. The part of me that hurts the worst is only my pride,” he admitted with a dark humored smile, even if he felt no reason for it to be amusing.
Cadmus gave him a considering look, gaze flipping easily between him and a stony-faced Fiori who, by the looks of it, hadn't realized what his uncle had done to Cadmus either. He rubbed Fi's shoulder gently to keep him calm. "Better your pride than your body, trust me." He let go of Fiori, pushing him towards the doors. "Go fight, Fi. We'll be rooting for you."
“I’m so sorry, Cadmus.” he rubbed his wrist. He looked at him apologetically with a frown more reflective of his emotions than his previous smile. When Fiori was out of earshot, he murmured. “His uncle is really terrible. I’m sorry that happened to you.”
Cadmus shrugged off his apology with a half smile, waving at Fiori until he was out of sight. "Don't be. The past is the past, and the regent being a bastard is old news. We've all got marks from him." He took Levi's hand, pulling him back towards the seats. "I'm just glad Fi finally worked up the balls to stand up to him, he's been scared of his uncle since he was a small thing."
“I don’t blame him,” he exhaled, taking a seat. “The regent is terrifying. With his sneer, and black eyes,” he visibly shuddered. “I hope I never have to meet him again.” He crossed his legs at the ankles. It was comfortable talking to Cadmus and Tharis because he knew that they knew what being a slave was like—even better than he did, in fact.
Cadmus sat down beside him, leaning back in the stone bench and spreading his legs out in front of him. "You won't," he promised, eyes on the ring. There were two men fighting, one tall and dark-haired, the other small and broad. "Fi fights him for control of the kingdom at 7 tomorrow, and we both know who's gonna win."
Levi twirled his silver ring around his finger, watching the fight. “Oh yeah,” he nodded, “I told Fiori I was going to root for him a couple days ago. Things are going to get better when he wins, right?” He glanced over at Cadmus.
"Yes. Fi's…" Cadmus paused, biting his lip as he thought. "He's been one of my closest friends for a long ass time. I know him through and through, and he's always been his momma's son. She wasn't like her husband or her brother, she was… softer. Kinder. She took time to think things through, always cared about the citizens and the slaves and the people less fortunate than her, and she gave all that to Fiori, even though he doesn't like admitting it."
“She sounds like a wonderful person,” he smiled warmly. “Fiori will be a good long, then, if he inherited his traits from her.” He glanced down at his ring. “I’m sure he misses her very much.” He sighed somberly, his thoughts turning to his own mother.
Cadmus laughed quietly. "Yeah, he's gonna do just fine when he gets the throne. Honestly, he's… beloved. You're gonna want to cover your ears when he comes out to right, people fucking scream for him." He softened a bit near the end, looking back at the fight with a soft sigh. "And I'm sure he would, if he ever gave himself time to grieve. He keeps himself so busy, I doubt he ever really… processes."
A soft smile spread across his face, “Perhaps…when he becomes king he’ll have time to process.” He wondered aloud. He imagined that if he didn’t have to worry about becoming king he would have time to grieve. But there was also the extra responsibilities of being king. “Are you going to be one of the ones screaming for him?” He glanced over with an amused expression.
"Maybe." Cadmus shrugged noncommittally. "There are so many duties that come with being king, I don't know if he'll ever let himself slow down. 'Course I'll be there to keep him afloat, so… maybe he will." He laughed a little at the question, turning to Levi with a crooked smile. "And who do you think I am? I always cheer for him, I'm gonna yell my throat raw for that idiot."
“Of course,” Levi snickered, “I think you two are adorable by the way.” He looked back to the men fighting in the arena. If Mordecai were the one fighting in the arena, he knew that he would be screaming for him as well. He did yell for him whenever Mordecai participated in playful sparring with the soldiers. Mordecai wasn’t an official warrior who went off to war, but he did train with them frequently.
Cadmus snorted and leaned over to ruffle Levi's hair. His touch was still light, enough that he could duck away if he was still tense from the regent. "Don't let the idiot hear you say that, his blush'll burn that pretty face of his right off." He grinned. "And that'd be a real shame for me."
Levi flinched at first, but he let Cadmus ruffle his hair. “Haha! I suppose it would,” he returned the grin. “I might have already said it to him a couple days ago when I first met you. I don’t remember though, and his face looks alright to me.”
Cadmus smiled, scratching gently at the back of his head for a few seconds before he pulled his hand away. "I think he's one of the hottest guys I've ever met, but obviously my opinion is biased. And anyways, his abs are the real draw. Have you seen how he walks around shirtless all the time?" He fanned his face playfully, smiling.
“Yes, I’ve seen,” Levi chuckled, mostly because it was amusing seeing Cadmus faun over Fiori. “When I first met him, he was intimidating. Almost as intimidating as his uncle. To be honest, I still am, a little bit.” Not that he felt like Fiori would hurt him, it was just his large build, and the way he handled him. Gentle, of course, but also possessive. That was what made him still shrink.
"Yeah, he's… he's kind of like a big dog." Cadmus remembered his first meeting with Fiori, how even when he was young he seemed to tower above everything around him. "A little scary at first, but… after you get to know him, he's really sweet. He'd never hurt you, you know. Even if he does get a little possessive."
“I know,” Levi nodded, and smiled a little bit when he remembered a handful of times when Fiori was sweet. The most recent being sharing his food with him. “I’m just not used to being, er… possessed, I suppose.” He smiled again, but more sadly as he thought about how he might not have much more time to get to know Fiori, if he was going to be freed at the end of the festival.
Cadmus laughed. "Oh! He's not… he does that with everyone, it's not because you're…" he trailed off, gesturing towards his own throat vaguely, trying to indicate the collar. "… you know. It's his way of being protective, I think. Letting you hide behind him because he knows nobody's gonna call him out for shit."
“Alright,” he returned with faint laughter. His fingers reached up to touch his own silver collar. “So that’s just him, it has nothing to do with my…status,” he reiterated to himself quieter. He pulled lips into his mouth to moisten them while he considered asking something that he had mulled over in his mind since he was on his way here. He wouldn’t dare ask Fiori, not because he was afraid of him, but it was just a strange question to ask him. He took in a short breath, “Not that I’m going to, at all but…” he began hesitantly, “What would happen, or what would have happened.” He cleared his throat, “If I tried to just…leave? It-It’s just a question. I thought it before I got here.” He finished the last couple sentences quicker than the dread that built up to the question.
"I mean, it might have a little to do with his status, but… it's not because he thinks you're his." He watched curiously as Levi went quiet, watching him think until the question was out in the open and it was his turn to mull things over for a bit. "Nothing good," he finally answered. "Fiori wouldn't have chased you, but his uncle would've. Some soldiers probably would've been sent out, if you managed to escape the castle, and they would've brought you back and had you flogged and then you'd be given to Fiori with a much bigger collar around your neck."
“I see,” Levi answered shortly with a nod. He wouldn’t have expected much different, but he still felt himself a fool for not fighting any of it, specifically when he was first brought in, the first time Fiori let him sleep and he went out to get his collar. He wouldn’t have known how kind Fiori is was, and things might have been easier. His brother would have fought, tried to escape multiple times, even. As for the flogging, he’d never experienced it himself because he was a prince. But he had witnessed prisoners in his kingdom being flogged. It looked agonizing, and he was glad he wouldn’t have to experience that.
Cadmus nudged him gently, just enough to snap him out of his little faze. "You're not an idiot for deciding to go peacefully, you know. Fighting feels good in the moment, but… it's not worth the prince. It's not worth the punishment, I can promise you that." He rubbed the top of his shoulders lightly, a faraway look in his eyes. "Flogging is… horrible. You're lucky you kept your mind steady enough to realize running is a fool's game."
“Well, I’m not very good at fighting anyway.” He blinked his way back to the present, his gaze returning to Cadmus. He noted the far off look in his eye when he mentioned flogging again. “You’ve experienced it?” He half assumed, half questioned tentatively.
(Happy New Year!)
(Happy new year!!)
Cadmus swallowed and nodded, pulling his shirt a little higher on his back before he let his hand drop. "Yeah. It's…" He stopped, unable to find the right words. "It's like I said; you're lucky you were smart enough to keep from running."
(:D)
Levi’s face wrenched into a frown. “That’s so terrible. Does…Does Fiori know?” He didn’t know why he wouldn’t since Fiori and Cadmus were so close, but it looked like Fiori had been surprised at learning his uncle sent Cadmus to the infirmary. But wasn’t this different? Flogging left bad scars.
Cadmus forced a laugh from his throat. "The scars aren't exactly discreet, Levi. He fucking knows." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Hell, I'd be surprised if the whole fucking castle didn't know at this point. It's not like I've got the option to wash in private."