Chapter Text
“You are a merchant are you not? I do not recognize a single piece of merchandise around here nor the storage you keep it in. Have you sold all your wares in one night?”
Leo gets a small laugh out of Zephyr and watches the man pace around the room holding various items. “A good merchant would not keep his wares in his private spaces. I know you don’t think of me so neglectful to keep my prized goods where all can see, hm?”
Zephyr glances at him as he says the last few words before going back to packing.
It has always been this way, Zephyr enters town a few days before to sell fine, one-of-a-kind household decor and rare products from places you would have never dreamed of knowing. He would celebrate the Solstice festival with everyone else and give that time to be with peers he hasn’t seen in a long while.
Now, the solstice event for autumn has ended, there is no reason for him to stay here in town.
Almost no reason.
“I appreciate your company Leo, however there really was no need to see me off.” He put aside a rather large winter coat in his case and locked it shut. Wherever the man was headed next it seemed snow would follow. He set the case aside with the others and finally put his attention on the man standing at his doorway. “We got to share drinks the other day during the festival like usual. Unless there was something you wanted to ask of me?”
The older man takes off his coat and sets it on the hanger as he replies. “I had the time to visit so I did, that is all. And...I also wanted to properly thank you for your gift this solstice.”
Whenever Zephyr comes into town he greets Leo with the usual free commodity he had saved for the man, and this time they were ornate cuff-links he obtained from a noble’s auction. The cuff-links were sterling silver and square in shape, with a design of the rosemary plant engraved into it. Leo still hasn’t decided if he would actually wear them or keep them in mint condition, but he dares not to ask Zephyr for his opinion on the matter.
Zephyr nods towards a couch that’s on the left of Leo, a silent invitation for him to sit and get comfortable. Leo nods as well and does just that. The inn Zephyr stays at is one on the more expensive side of town, but it’s all very well worth it, and, needless to say, he very well has the money for such luxuries. It has a private powder room, a small closet and a closed balcony that gives off a view of the marketplace below; and since it is getting dark, the marketplace begins to glitter with lights beckoning shoppers in.
If you look beyond the busy streets, there’s also a clear view of a lone church, the one where a lone priest resides more hours in than his own home.
He requests reservation for this room specifically, for every visit.
Leo is looking towards that balcony now, seeing the hues of the sky get darker as the sun finally sets behind the mountains. Zephyr doesn’t interrupt him, he wouldn’t dare break this moment and instead tries to take in as much as he can before the other man notices. Leo is tired, the skin under his eyes is dark and his hair seems disheveled from improper care. He can see him slouching just a bit in his seat, leaning on a cushion as if he was about to doze off like this. The merchant guesses that the priest didn’t get any sleep last night, most likely working on scripts until sunrise again or got caught in a book and forgot the time.
Despite the visible fatigue in his face, the brilliant gold of his eyes never dulled, even now, with the evening settling in around them, they seemed to glow.
That glow flickered in Zephyr’s direction now, making him feel obligated to start a conversation.
“Is there anything else you wish to converse about? I can set up a kettle for you in the meantime if you’d like. I actually..”
He trailed off when he met Leo’s gaze. There was something in it that stopped all other thoughts, and couldn’t really pinpoint what exactly it was telling him. Or rather, he couldn’t confirm if what was telling him was true.
He got closer to the other man–for a better look, of course.
Leo didn’t take his eyes off of him the entire time Zephyr made his way to the couch. The weight shifted on the plush furniture as he sat next to the older man and faced him.
He could see it clearly now; there was a silent longing behind his gaze, ever growing as they indulged in a more intimate situation. Leo clearly didn’t realize it himself–there is something to admire about his oblivious crushes–but Zephyr on the other hand was no stranger to it, especially not from him. The younger man tilts his head to the side, enough for stray strands of hair to fall to his chest.
He keeps his voice low. “Haven’t you wondered what others would say about this encounter? Father Santana , requesting a visit into a private room that another man was staying, alone, so soon to nightfall? Did you hesitate before leaving your home in case people thought of the wrong idea seeing you enter the double doors of this inn?”
Leo blinked a few times, caught off guard by the sudden questioning of potential rumors and altered virtues. He certainly didn’t expect these queries but was not about to leave them hanging in the air. He broke the gaze only once to think of his answer.
Then there was hesitation before he spoke up.
“I…I see no problem with visiting a friend. The towns-people here know of my acquaintances, and that I frequently have engagements with them in their own homes or other private buildings. This visit, why would it be so different to them?”
“Because,” Zephyr leans closer, and through his mask, you can hear the smile in his voice. “You are not here for a simple engagement.”
He takes this opportunity to gently slide his hand over Leo’s. Normally, when he attempts to give these light touches out of banter or friendly flirtation, it is received with a flinch away from it all.
Leo, this time, does not flinch away.
“Are you?”
Leo tries to swallow but his mouth runs dry. His gaze weakens, yet still holds the same desire since he got here. He wants to deny it, the same way he wanted to deny his mind’s request earlier that morning that begged to see Zephyr before his departure. It’s so easy to say no, to reject him as he’s done so many times, to so many others before him. He could leave like he’s done before, go home alone and stay with his immodest thoughts like he always had. He has so many options before him, so many better options than the one the man in front of him was offering. He has to say no. He will say no. Whatever he is asked next, he will oppose it.
He releases an audible sigh he didn’t know he was holding in.
Zephyr takes this time to ask him once more, properly.
“What do you want to know of me?”
Leo does not hesitate with his reply.
“Everything.”