The Judgement Of Divinity (TMOE #2)

Chapter 30: Skipping a beat (pt 1)

"We can talk about it later when I get ho—"

"Now," Lucius insisted, struggling to wrestle the door shut despite Anthony's efforts. "I know you're not that busy."

Anthony sighed, signature frown reappearing, but he reluctantly nodded his head.

"Fine, but not here."

"No?" Lucius raised his eyebrows. "Where else?"

"Let's go for a walk," Anthony said and reached for his coat, much to Lucius' surprise.

"You're actually gonna dress for the weather?"

"Or I'll get to hear it for the entirety of the walk." Anthony rolled his eyes and Lucius nodded in proud agreement.

As predicted, Anthony's demeanour changed as soon as he set foot outside his office, and Lucius shook his head as he followed their slow, for some reason stealthy, descent down the stairs and out the door. In fairness he'd wanted to avoid people as well, but Anthony had another relationship with the BBT crowd and it was hard to imagine he always acted that way.

"Why are you so scared of him?" was the first question Lucius asked as they exited the BBT grounds. "He's an asshole but he can't really do much to you, right? It's not like he could kill you."

"I know," Anthony mumbled, eyes directed anywhere except Lucius. "It's just... Better to be on his good side."

Lucius blew raspberries, and Anthony finally turned his gaze to give him a reprimanding look.

"I know you don't like being on people's good side, but I do," he continued, and Lucius held up his hands in surrender.

"Fair, but there's a difference between getting along with someone and walking on eggshells. Also, I like to think I'm getting better at the whole 'being liked' thing."

"You have been working hard these past weeks," Anthony admitted, shoulders relaxing a little. "I know you're ambitious but to be honest, I still thought it would be a little too much for you."

"Because I had no clue what I was doing?" Lucius had a disappointed look in his eyes, but in the midst of his success he supposed he could agree that he'd been in over his head initially. "Little did you know, I'm a quick learner."

"I do worry you're working a little too hard though." Anthony looked Lucius up and down, to the other's offence. "I never see you eat, and I'm not sure you're getting much sleep either."

"I... Guess I'll admit I've been neglecting my body, but I don't have the time to sit around and stuff my face." Lucius shrugged and kicked a pebble on the ground. "It's just for a little, while I'm building my reputation."

"Would it help if I cooked for you, or something?" Anthony suggested. "You're still in the process of hiring servants, so the real problem is the time it takes to make the food."

Lucius laughed, rather unbecomingly as he continued to kick the pebble in front of his boot.

"I've seen your kitchen in action."

"That was mostly Tom and Richard," Anthony protested.

"You grabbed a scalding tray with your bare hands," Lucius reminded him with a judgy look. "Hadn't you been you, your hands would've looked like Tom's."

Anthony's stern expression confirmed what Lucius acknowledged had been a distasteful comment on his part.

"Well, at least if you'd bring me food every day, maybe I'd get to spend time with you," he then said with a lowered voice, finally ceasing the pebble abuse. "I know I have a lot to deal with, but most of the time when we're together it's like you pretend we don't know each other."