—ARIC'S POV—
Aric peeled his eyes open to bright sunshine shining in through a dirtied window above him. He was lying curled up on the cold floor, a strange weight pressed up against him. It was only when Aric turned his head did he see that Japeth was curled up beside him like a sleeping kitten, Scims wrapped around the length of his entire body like a protective blanket.
Japeth's face was smooth and relaxed, lips slightly parted as breath escaped from between his teeth and his copper hair was messy as if he'd run his hand through it multiple times. Aric suppressed the urge to reach out and touch the sleeping boy's face. Seeing Japeth in that moment, Aric never thought his friend looked so peaceful than right than and there.
Aric recalled him and Japeth's conversation last night before they'd drifted to sleep beside each other, and Aric was glad to admit that he'd luckily had no nightmares. But part of Aric wanted to strangle himself if he could.
The words Aric had spoken to Japeth last night were fresh in Aric's memory, bringing with it a tinge of guilt that wormed in his gut. Ever since his mother left him, Aric had put a tough facade on. He'd pretended to act all composed and strong to show others that he wasn't some weak little boy. But last night, for the first time ever, Aric had shown his vulnerabilities, the soft side of him that Japeth had coaxed out.
But if there was one thing Aric hated more than anything, it was showing his emotions. Emotions were weakness and childish, yet Aric wasn't that angry for some reason. He may feel the urge to smack himself, but to be really angry...He just wasn't. Why?
Was it because Japeth truly had grown on him and now they were the kind of friends who'd share everything with one another, every secret and inner emotions as if their relationship was based on trust? But they'd only known each other a day and a half, so they couldn't be that far deep into this friendship thing.
Aric watched Japeth's head twitch in his sleep before the boy rolled over onto his back, eyes slowly fluttering open to reveal his beautiful, sleepy blue gaze. For a moment, Japeth's gaze was blurry and unfocused before it landed upon Aric watching over him. A small smile spread across his face that made Aric's usual smirk arise.
"Mornin' you sleepyhead," Aric greeted, punching Japeth's shoulder.
Japeth playfully slapped Aric's hand away and arose in a sitting position, looking around the room with a yawn. It seemed to be late morning or perhaps early afternoon based on the brightness of the sunlight.
Arbed House would've already started its classes by now, but Aric wasn't so eager to go back to that terrible school right now. He didn't care if the dumb dean punished him and Japeth for being late. All Aric wanted right now in this moment was to have Japeth by his side for just a little bit longer.
"Hey!" A sudden voice made Aric jump. There was a thunk sound of something hitting against the window, and him and Japeth's heads swiveled to see the person.
Aric expected for it to be that old man again, probably delusional despite being stabbed in the leg and thinking this was still his house, but instead it was someone entirely different. Through the window, Aric could now see a face pressed against the glass, blue green hazel eyes a whirling storm of anger, hair short and coarse, and lips pressed in a thin line of obvious distaste.
"Rhian?" Japeth asked, bewildered as to why his twin brother was here now.
Of all places Rhian had to show up. And of all people who could've stumbled upon Aric and Japeth together...it had to be him.
Rhian must've been lucky to run into his brother and his brother's friend or there was also the possibility that Rhian had caught Japeth sneaking out and followed him last night, only to show up this morning. Had Rhian been spying on them last night?
A hot flare of anger burst through Aric at the thought.
"What do you think you're doing?" Rhian's tone was hard as soon as Japeth rushed to open the window. Rhian's green blue eyes flickered from Japeth to Aric, back and forth, back and forth as if he were trying to comprehend the situation.
"I woke up this morning and found you gone, Japeth!" Rhian snapped, hands gripping the windowsill so hard his knuckles whitened. "I was worried sick. How dare you sneak out in the middle of the night with some outcast and not tell me where you're going—"
"Oh, don't you even start! Japeth lashed back, scims rippling among his body like they were poised to peel off and lunge at his brother. "I don't care what you think, Rhian. I don't care that you were apparently as you say, 'worried,' about me, and I don't care if Aric and I get punished for some stupid rule breaking. Why can't you just leave me be!"
Rhian's hazel blue eyes searched Japeth's face than lingered over Aric, sweeping over him from head to toe as if he were sizing him up. Aric glared back at him, defiant.
"Aric...is it?" Rhian asked, hands gripping the windowsill so hard his knuckles turned white. He completely disregarded Japeth's outburst like he wasn't even there.
Aric was surprised at Rhian's question. Rhian didn't seem to care about anything but fooling about with Kei and being a jerk to his brother. Why would Rhian care now about his twin hanging with a so called 'outcast?'
"What's it to you, 'your highness?'" Aric retorted mockingly, violet gaze flashing in warning. He felt a surge of adrenaline course through his blood as he locked eyes with Rhian, silently challenging him.
Aric knew he didn't know Rhian much, but seeing the way he would treat Japeth made Aric not want to get to know him at all. And now seeing the bitter look in Rhian's gaze made Aric feel the urge to punch the golden boy in his pretty little face.
And if on instinct, Aric found his hand inching towards the dagger at his belt, intending to show Rhian a lesson in proper mannerisms. To show Rhian that his neglectful treatment towards Japeth was wrong and harsh.
But right when Aric's fingers wrapped around the hilt of the dagger, a sudden hand lashed out, gripping his wrist to stop him.
Aric raised his gaze to Japeth standing in front of him, expression softening. Studying Japeth's clear blue eyes and plump lips, Aric's hand slowly fell to his side in understanding.
Although Rhian was a huge pain towards Japeth, he was still Japeth's twin. The only family Japeth had. And although Rhian hurt Japeth with his attitude, deep down Japeth still cared for him because he was his flesh and blood.
Aric hated the way Rhian looked at Japeth, how he treated him, but he wouldn't bring himself to attack Rhian. This wasn't Aric's battle anyway. This was a long feuding conflict against the twins. Aric needed to learn that his friend could fight his own battles. Especially ones involving his idiotic thick skulled brother.
"Classes are starting soon," Rhian pointed out, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to point outside. "We've gotta go now before anyone else notices you guys snuck out." Rhian took a step away from the window but saw Japeth beginning to open his mouth. Rhian fixed his brother with a stern look a mother would give a child and in an exasperated tone he said, "Don't Argue."
Japeth snapped his mouth close like an obedient pet but Aric could see the veins straining beneath his neck in tension. And without a word, Japeth slowly walked to the front door and went outside as Rhian moved away from the open window to greet him. Aric quickly stuffed his dagger in the back of his pants where it'd be hidden and followed his friend out of the house, closing the door behind him.
The sunlight blinded Aric's vision and he shielded his eyes from the view, feeling the flat blade of the dagger press against his skin. When he squinted to see down the dirt road marred with carriage and horse tracks, he saw Japeth and Rhian beginning to walk along.
Aric hurried to catch up with them and watched Rhian jerk his head in his direction, gaze full of warning as if he didn't want to see Aric anywhere near his brother. As if Aric was an infection that Japeth needed to be cured of.
Aric resisted the urge to scoff at the irony. If only Rhian could see that Japeth and Aric were good for each other and that Aric would never dare dream of hurting Japeth in any way possible. If anybody here was an infection it was certainly Rhian, not Aric.
The walk back was silent, but it was an awkward silence with Rhian silently fuming and Japeth not even giving Aric a glance as if he were embarrassed to look at him. It made Aric confused to be suddenly ignored by his only friend, but than he only felt angry.
Aric wasn't angry at the fact Japeth wasn't acknowledging his presence. He was angry at Rhian for being the cause of interrupting their time together.
Yet all Aric could do was follow the twins and sulk in his inner bitterness, glaring daggers at Rhian's back. The atmosphere was thick with tension that seemed to burn between the three boys as they headed back to school with Rhian only telling them to pick up the pace or they'd be late.
Japeth seemed to of had the last straw with his brother as soon as the Foxwood School came into view. When Rhian reached out to grip Japeth's arm he only jerked away like he'd been stabbed and shot Rhian an ungrateful look that made apart of Aric swell in pride.
"Japeth—" Rhian began, but he trailed off as his brother tore up the steps and disappeared into the building, door slamming behind him.
Aric intended to comfort Japeth, not wanting to be alone in Rhian's insufferable presence any longer but Rhian intercepted him before he could move.
Aric clenched his jaw, ready for a fight as Rhian stared at him, face an angry mask. Aric tensed as Rhian neared him, closer and closer, invading his personal space. Aric could feel Rhian's hot breath on his skin and smell his heavy scent of mint so unlike Japeth's scent. Japeth smelt more like an icy river, more natural.
"I don't know what your deal is with my brother but you stay away from him," Rhian hissed, gaze burning. He jabbed a finger into Aric's chest, forcing him to take a step back. "I know just the kind of person you are, Aric. I know you destroyed that garden and whatever the hell you two were doing in my old house—"
"So what?" Aric interrupted, shoving Rhian away. "You gonna tattle on me or something? Go ahead. I don't care what punishment the stupid Dean gives me. Just know that you don't wanna mess with me. If you do, you'll come to sourly regret it."
Rhian was tense, studying Aric's face as if to be sure Aric was telling the truth, but Aric was dead serious. He'd make Rhian regret ever hurting Japeth.
Fed up with Rhian's glare, Aric stomped past him to go into school.
"I've heard of you around school!" Rhian's voice stopped Aric mid step. He gripped the door knob tightly, back turned, but he could picture the bitter look on Rhian's face.
"Kids say you burnt your own house down," Rhian went on, tone all knowing and snarky. "Some say you burnt an entire village down and your family didn't want you anymore so they kicked you out. I don't know what Japeth sees in you when all I can see is some stranger whose become obsessed with my twin. I saw the way you two acted this morning and it sickened me. You think your friends, but deep down it's nothing—"
Aric didn't turn around. He remained standing before the entrance of the school, letting Rhian's words sink in like a pebble falling into the deep murky waters of a stone well...Down, down, down until it touched the bottom sounding like an undeniable truth.
But was Aric really obsessed with Japeth? Obsession was when one couldn't stop constantly thinking about someone and felt the urge to protect that someone no matter what. Aric barely knew Japeth though and Rhian was wrong to think he believed the kind of person Aric was.
Aric wasn't obsessed with Japeth. He couldn't be. If anything, Aric was more obsessed with silently wanting Rhian to go away.
"Says the little boy who refuses to grow up. Talking nonsense about being King Arthur's son," Aric retorted, angry. "You're the insane one, not me. You're the one who should stay away from Japeth. I actually believe that's the only thing you're good at."
Before Rhian could speak again, Aric had disappeared inside of the building. The raven haired boy stormed down the hallway, violet eyes scanning his surroundings in search for Japeth. But the only person who was in the hall was Kei, leant against the stone wall painted with cheap brown paint in an attempt to make it look like wood.
Kei's dark brown eyes held no surprise when they landed on Aric as if the boy expected to see him. He jerked his head to the side in a somewhat negative gesture like he were silently telling Aric no.
Kei most likely saw an angry Japeth come past him and probably knew Rhian had gone out to find him and Aric. It was obvious Kei seemed to be the kind of guy who drank in every awful word that came out of Rhian's mouth, so Aric guessed Kei had been told about Rhian's distaste towards his brother's new friend.
Just seeing the judgmental look in Kei's irises made a greater surge of fury to sweep over Aric. Than, he saw Kei's gaze quickly drop to the floor, a look of wariness upon his stony face. It was more than enough to show Aric that Kei was no threat. Kei was cautious of him, and that was good for Aric. Besides, he didn't want to have two enemies in Arbed House.
So far what Aric hated the most about Arbed House wasn't Dean Burnhilde and her annoying tactics, but Rhian. Rhian was worse than worse. He was disrespectful and repulsive.
Aric wished more than anything that Japeth's brother would just head to Camelot and never come back. Japeth definitely didn't deserve a brother like that insufferable Rhian!
No. Japeth deserved more. More than anything Japeth deserved real love, he deserved happiness. He deserved a life without the hardships of family threatening to bring him down and nothing more. Japeth deserved all of that.
Japeth was deserving. Aric felt it with every fiber of his being. And he wanted to give that to his friend. Aric wanted to give his friend whatever he desired if only it'd make him truly happy. Because as long as Japeth was happy, Aric felt like he himself would be okay.
If Japeth was as strong as to endure Rhian as a brother, than maybe Aric was weak. Maybe Aric was weaker than Japeth because he swore if he had Rhian as a family member he'd have killed him by now. That was the difference between the two friends.
Aric wondered how things might've turned out if his mother hadn't left his behind. His mother and him would be together as family, but would that family be enough?
Would Aric and his mother truly be happy together, or would they only grow distant like Japeth and Rhian?
Those thoughts didn't matter now. Right there in that moment, Aric knew he didn't want to be with his mother. He wanted to be with Japeth more than anything because with Japeth he didn't feel so hateful and bitter. In a way, Japeth kept Aric from going insane. What would Aric ever do without him?
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Sorry for not updating in a while! Forgive me please! 😣
Anyway, thanks for reading and next chapter should be up in a few weeks hopefully!
Bye!
—Alexis Peters 🥰