Hades's brief trepidation does not escape him - after all, they did not know each other for millennia for naught - but Hythlodaeus is not eager to dwell on things that would make both of them miserable today, either. The jab, however, makes him laugh, and he briefly strokes Hades's fingers before letting go of his hand to link their arms instead.
"Why, Hades, you insult me! 'Tis merely the stage that I have set. The performance begins now. Pray walk with me."
Hythlodaeus feels unusually nervous as he begins their slow stroll - which is ridiculous, a part of him muses. Hades has already responded favourably to his feelings; what is there to be afraid of? The accidental embarrassment caused by his younger self's clumsiness? There have been much worse things between them. And yet, the strange light anxiety in his gut isn't settling down.
"...'Twas some time after we both started attending the lectures at Akadaemia for pleasure rather than merely our studies," he begins after clearing his throat. "Do you remember? I would sit next to you, and you would oft scold me for ruining your concentration - sometimes by simply existing, apparently!"
Hythlodaeus gives his friend a grin as he directs their steps along the front of the building, the marble marvel on one side, the stretch of the lake some distance away on the other.
"But I digress. One morning, after the first lecture... We had some time for a break and discussion. We headed outside... much like this." He looks around them slowly, a smile on his face. "That lecture had been something else. You disagreed with the teacher, but the topic had moved on before you could have a say, and it was only after we left the hall that you gave voice to your frustrations. You built your arguments, with myself as your only listener, through all of our walk to the outside. And as you spoke, I looked upon you and thought about just how different we were."
"Though we shared the gift of the Sight at a scale known to few others, 'twas perhaps the only outward similarity. I have always been happy to simply watch the world around me, like a leaf blown along by the wind. But if I observed, you wanted to take action - correct mistakes, set things right, improve, create. In all things, little or big, you saw a better world... one that you wanted to share with all who lived on our star. I think... it was in that moment that I realized I wanted to follow you for as long as I can. To see your efforts come to fruition."
"And I could not help but think how lucky I was to have met you. Someone who sees the world the same way I do, but can show me the wonders of it that I would never have known otherwise. Someone who can bring such novelty, such colour into my life. And just mayhaps... someone I could do the same for, too." Hythlodaeus gives Hades a side glance, a hint of pink in his cheeks. He stops, letting go of his friend's arm, turns to face him and take both his hands into his. "Of course, I could not simply say all of that - not to mention that you were still talking. Yet I could not stay silent, either."
He closes his eyes, takes a quiet breath, a familiar mischievous smile appearing on his face.
"You truly have a gift, Hades. Between your eloquence and your unbending will, who could you not sway? After all, you have already swayed me."
...Was that his famous first ever confession line? Judging by the smug expression and a half-expectant look in his eye, it was.
read my 50k words emehyth novel
"Why, Hades, you insult me! 'Tis merely the stage that I have set. The performance begins now. Pray walk with me."
Hythlodaeus feels unusually nervous as he begins their slow stroll - which is ridiculous, a part of him muses. Hades has already responded favourably to his feelings; what is there to be afraid of? The accidental embarrassment caused by his younger self's clumsiness? There have been much worse things between them. And yet, the strange light anxiety in his gut isn't settling down.
"...'Twas some time after we both started attending the lectures at Akadaemia for pleasure rather than merely our studies," he begins after clearing his throat. "Do you remember? I would sit next to you, and you would oft scold me for ruining your concentration - sometimes by simply existing, apparently!"
Hythlodaeus gives his friend a grin as he directs their steps along the front of the building, the marble marvel on one side, the stretch of the lake some distance away on the other.
"But I digress. One morning, after the first lecture... We had some time for a break and discussion. We headed outside... much like this." He looks around them slowly, a smile on his face. "That lecture had been something else. You disagreed with the teacher, but the topic had moved on before you could have a say, and it was only after we left the hall that you gave voice to your frustrations. You built your arguments, with myself as your only listener, through all of our walk to the outside. And as you spoke, I looked upon you and thought about just how different we were."
"Though we shared the gift of the Sight at a scale known to few others, 'twas perhaps the only outward similarity. I have always been happy to simply watch the world around me, like a leaf blown along by the wind. But if I observed, you wanted to take action - correct mistakes, set things right, improve, create. In all things, little or big, you saw a better world... one that you wanted to share with all who lived on our star. I think... it was in that moment that I realized I wanted to follow you for as long as I can. To see your efforts come to fruition."
"And I could not help but think how lucky I was to have met you. Someone who sees the world the same way I do, but can show me the wonders of it that I would never have known otherwise. Someone who can bring such novelty, such colour into my life. And just mayhaps... someone I could do the same for, too." Hythlodaeus gives Hades a side glance, a hint of pink in his cheeks. He stops, letting go of his friend's arm, turns to face him and take both his hands into his. "Of course, I could not simply say all of that - not to mention that you were still talking. Yet I could not stay silent, either."
He closes his eyes, takes a quiet breath, a familiar mischievous smile appearing on his face.
"You truly have a gift, Hades. Between your eloquence and your unbending will, who could you not sway? After all, you have already swayed me."
...Was that his famous first ever confession line? Judging by the smug expression and a half-expectant look in his eye, it was.