Lance leaned down to the ear of the information trader. Thane's insistence went in one ear and out the other as he remained focused on the task at hand. An odor of decay was all that lingered from the cackle they rasped to beckon Lance forward.

"You hesitate, but the haste in your step foretells a secret threatening to bubble over," the old crone whispered as Lance worried at his lower lip.

"I'm the mayor's son, the one everyone was talking about several years ago. I tried to kill myself when it became too much for me." Lance felt his chest seize as he recalled that bygone time.

The crone inhaled deep through their nose as the single crimson eye within their cowl appeared to squint. "Now that I get a better look at you -the real you- a bit of information won't do any longer."

"What?" Lance asked, fear overtaking his hushed voice. Thane's whimpers of displeasure fell upon deaf ears.

"No wonder my poes are so taken with you, sonny. They see a fragmented soul like yours and want nothing more than to gobble you up."

"I don't understand. Are you going to tell me about the toadstools or not?" Lance asked, voice cracking as he squared his shoulders.

The crone laughed under their breath. "I wonder just how long you'll last without your container."

A loud crack resounded against the cobblestone alleyway as Lance began to back away.

"Yes, yes! That is a fitting exchange, sonny."

"Just to give you the benefit of the doubt that I've suddenly developed a hearing problem, I'm going to ask you to say that again," Bael said, still draping his arms over Lance's shoulders as they rode under the archway over the entrance to Milk Road.

"We're going to arrange a meeting with the Valerio family Don and explain everything with Aka and Ao. With some advanced notice I think the leaders of Ikana City could stance a chance to fight back. It could give us a chance to kill Aka before anyone has to get hurt," Lance explained, eyes focused on the darkened road. The first inklings of the orange of sunrise cracked across the eastern horizon, but the land of Termina remained cloaked in shadow.

Bael reached a hand up to firmly pinch Lance's cheek, pulling the skin taut and causing him to wince with a groan.

"Cut it out, Bael!" Lance whined, slurring his words while unable to rest his face free.

"I'm just doing this to make sure I'm not dreaming. At least, that's what I've heard people say. Right, Nyx?"

"Other way around, B. Right now you're just checking to see if Lance is dreaming," Nyx answered, lazily fluttering her wings while resting atop Oberon's head.

"Oh. Huh," Bael mumbled, releasing his vice-like hold.

Lance groaned again, fervently rubbing his cheek. "You don't even sleep, why would you be dreaming?"

"I do too sleep, thank you very much. Anyway, you do me now." Bael lifted his arm in front of Lance's face with the shirt sleeve hurriedly rolled up.

Lance swatted the arm out of his face, pulling the reins roughly to the left to avoid steering off-course. "Pinch yourself, and don't block my eyes unless you want a mouthful of muck and gravel."

"On second thought, I know this is real. If this was my dream we'd be doing something a lot more fun. Only the real Lance would tell me we're going to walk into a gangster stronghold to ask for help," Bael hissed, fingers clenching into Lance's sleeves.

"Clearly you don't have any better ideas, so I think I'm permitted this gamble." Lance's voice remained steadfast despite his hands quivering.

"After everything I did to conceal you from them you just want to hand yourself over on a silver fucking platter? I hope you're only so keen to do this because you've repressed the memories of how they hurt you," Bael spoke low as his grip tightened.

"My body may not remember but my mind certainly does. The thought of even going to that city again makes me want to retch."

"Then why?"

"We can never move forward toward the future if we keep running from the past. I choose to learn from it. Working alone -it's what you've always done. For me, well, I've always depended on others. I let you shoulder it all and that's not how this will be won. I want to- will be a person you can depend on. And the only real power I have is my voice."

Lance could feel Bael's tension slack but his consistent physical contact remained. He didn't respond, but Lance could feel Bael's head nod against his back.

"I know that sounds like complete hogwash considering how clearly standing up for myself is not an aptitude of mine. People terrify me, truly and deeply. Yet, when it comes time to speak and someone depends on me? I change. I thought only my mother could make me brave, but you Bael- I want to be brave for you too."

A heavy pause settled over them, aside from Bael's persistent sniffling that he claimed was residual from last night. Lance was visiting Romani Ranch once again, and again he needed his best friend. It was different this time. He wasn't running from a problem, nor was he alone.

Tap. Tap tap tap. Tap tap.

THWACK.

"Why don't you just launch a damned tree through the window?" Lance hissed.

Bael merely rolled his eyes and resumed tossing pebbles up to the second story window. Albeit this time they rarely made contact with the glass or the roof, and Lance shot another look towards Bael to find him blindly tossing stones into the sky. What a child.

"Nyx, would you go up to look if Aryn is awake?" Lance focused his eyes on Aryn's all too familiar bedroom window.

"Oh, is Nyx here? Funny, I thought we'd forgotten all about her," Nyx answered flatly, slowly floating into view. Her fixated stare on Lance spoke volumes of her irritation.

A pebble flew by just overhead of Nyx and himself and Bael sighed with an exaggerated shrug. "You kept pushing for us to get along, not liking it so much now that you got what you wanted?"

"I think I just forgot how nauseating you can be. It's better than being at odds, sure, but only marginally."

"Guys can we do this another time-" Lance began but was quickly cut off.

"I've played third wheel for you how many times now? And every time I've always-"

"Whined the entire time, B. Whined like a big baby. You sure can dish it out but you can't ever take it when it's your turn."

"To be fair your taste in 'companions' has been…" His expression was downtrodden before shifting towards mischief.

"Better than yours?"

"Please, let's not wake up the whole-"

The window slid open in one swift motion causing the three of them to jolt. A billowing wave of burgundy hair concealed the face of the person they had awoken. A small hand pushed against the mane, pressing it back and flat to reveal an exasperated young woman.

"Lance Arthur Wisteria, you better have a good explanation for waking me up thirty minutes before the cuccos- oh, you've brought a friend." Aryn leaned forward sticking her neck out as she squinted. "Is that a bloody fairy?"

Lance turned an irritated stare toward the two siblings.

"Sorry," they said in unison.

"Wow, I can't believe it was that easy," Bael said, walking several paces behind Lance and Aryn as they headed towards the stable.

Aryn, with swiftness developed over years of routine, cooed her gelding awake and began preparing him for the impending trip. After Bael spoke she exhaled sharply through her nose before throwing Lance a disapproving look. "I can't believe you dragged him here without making it clear that I'm your cool 'ride or die' best friend. Lancelot, I'm disappointed."

Lance's body became rigid as he emitted a small guttural yelp. He cautiously turned his head to gauge Bael's reaction. The other man blinked but remained otherwise expressionless with his lips mouthing something indistinct.

"I mean," Lance began with a nervous cough, "I never doubted you'd be one to help me out in a time of need. It's just that, you know, I haven't even explained what it is even that we're doing."

She finished adjusting the final strap and gave the speckled horse a comforting pat on the neck. "Well sure, you've never really asked me for anything this weird before, but when have I ever turned you down when you've asked?"

Lance smiled. "Only when I asked you to let me out of the water closet the night you locked me in."

"When have I ever turned you down when ignoring you wasn't in your best interest?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped promptly to duck when a currycomb flew by a hair too close to his head.

"I know what you were going to say so just shut up. It's not like I won't get you to explain, it'll just be later. For now" —she cut her eyes towards Bael before returning to Lance— "I wanna know more about this whole thing." She clicked her tongue before strutting over to Bael, a beaming smile on her confident face. "I don't reckon I introduced myself, my manners aren't the best before I've had my coffee. My name's Aryn, Lance has been putting up with me since we were little kids." She stuck out her hand in greeting. "What's your name? And yours as well, little fairy."

Bael blinked, clearly stupefied by the events that were unfolding. Here Aryn was, a head shorter than him and kind as could be, yet his hesitation was palpable.

Nyx flew between them, her body appearing more illuminated and vibrant than it was moments prior. "I'm Nyx, and this is my little brother. I know that must seem strange to you, but we're as close as any family ought to be."

Aryn reached her other hand that was not awaiting a handshake to lightly tap Nyx on the head, eliciting a surprised gasp from the fairy. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nyx. And don't you worry, I'm not in the practice of judging others. Family is all about who makes us happy and taking care of one another, the rest is just extra steps."

Nyx produced a chiming noise, akin to the sound of a small bell. "Thank you," she said, soft and low.

Suddenly Bael grasped Aryn's hand, his grip wrapping around her wrist as they stood locked in place. "I'm- my name is Bael. It's nice to finally meet you, um, Aryn."

Aryn hummed, head nodding up and down as she did so. She clicked her tongue before tilting her head to the side. "He's cute, Lance," she said unabashedly. "Where'd you two meet?"

Asphyxiating in a roaring inferno under the knife of Bael's condescending scrutiny was the memory that came to mind. Maybe that was too much, how about flat on his back under a literal weapon under threat of death? No, that wouldn't satisfy Aryn's desire for a conventional romantic tale. It was evident from the manner she rocked to and fro on the balls of her feet. Besides, those moments weren't when Lance really met Bael. Those were times he met an apprehensive stranger with a deep distrust of humans. When had he truly met the other man for the first time?

"In the forest, believe it or not," Lance answered calmly, his typical bashful response to being the center of conversation abated as he watched Bael buckle from the weight of whatever was on his mind. Lance walked over to Bael's side, pressing the side of his arm against Bael's and smiling at the small sigh the gesture earned. "My stability was fading fast due to stress and I ran to the forest. It was a strange compulsion, but it appeared to be exactly what I needed. I met someone who saw my pain, but in turn I also saw his. I guess I should say we both found something we needed."

Ice-cold skin brushed against the back of Lance's hand. It was uncertain, cautious, and Lance so badly wished to hold it tight. Fear of the unknown dissuaded him, so he settled for bumping the hand back in kind.

Aryn clasped her hands together in front of her face as a large grin overtook her face. She beamed at them both, causing a lump to form in Lance's throat. "If it weren't for waking the whole farm I'd be a squealin' right now. I'm so happy for you!"

I think maybe, just maybe, I'm finally learning how to be happy without you.

"So how long?"

Lance lingered in stillness for a beat too long, the knuckle of his finger drawing circles on the back of Bael's hand. He blinked as it registered he was being addressed. "How long what?"

"What do you think?" she asks, eyes darting quickly to their not-so intertwined hands before returning to meet Lance's once more.

He first concluded that the answer would be weeks, of course, but soon realized that his accounts of time spent were not contiguous. How long had it really been, and just what is this starting point she's asking about? Since they met? Realized his contempt had vanished only to be replaced by infatuation? Or perhaps it was the moment it was made known that Lance felt a certain way, and much to his surprise Bael felt it too.

There was no clear cut definition of beginning, and the time they spent belonged to worlds whose knowledge of existence belonged to them alone. It was entirely unconventional; the realization of which spawned a seed of uncertainty deep within his belly.

"A couple of days, I think," Lance answered, voice distant as he remained trapped in contemplation. His confidence in his feelings deflated as quickly as they had originally ignited.

Aryn clicked her tongue. "I take that to mean nothing has happened between you yet," she paused, waiting for a response.

Lance squinted but noticed Bael hurriedly shake his head without a word.

She then nodded. "We can talk more about it on the road. I've got Snickerdoodle saddled up, so you go make sure Mousse is ready too."

Lance was patting Bael on the back and turning towards him. "Would you mind waiting by Oberon for me? I'll be out in just a second."

Bael began to open his mouth with an evident question on his lips but let it drop as he did what was requested. He seemed all too keen to leave the stable on his own, but Lance decided to pay it no heed. There was something more immediate on his mind.

"Hey, can we talk for a minute?" Lance asked once they were alone.

"You're getting me to go and talk to Rachel, aren't you?" Aryn's face dropped the previous jubilance.

"I can't slip much by you, can I?" Lance offered a small smile, unsurprised by her suspicion.

"I've known you too long. I know that you want to fix other people's problems even when there's nothing for you to fix."

Her words were like a hot knife slicing across his flesh. He bit his tongue as his eyes clamped shut for a moment. "You think much more highly of me than I deserve."

"In most times that wouldn't be a compliment, but at this moment I value that aspect of you. Though, I'm beginning to wonder..." She pulled her horse from his stall and gazed up into his eyes.

He dared not volunteer to answer her silent quandary.

"Are you having second thoughts? I'm certain when you asked me you didn't expect to meet someone so soon after."

Lance shuddered and his knees began to buckle. He was forced to support himself against the wall as he lost the ability to stand unaided. Aryn reflexively reached a hand to help him, but retracted it once she saw his wide-eyed expression.

"I'm sorry!" she shouted, "we don't have to talk about this now. I'm grateful you wanted to help me regardless of what comes."

"When I asked you to talk it wasn't about Rachel," Lance spoke slowly, eyes closing as he grew dizzy. "I wanted to lead into it slowly, but you've always been able to read my mind. Always throwing me off when I try to be ahead."

She smiled once more, but with genuine fondness. "I'm older; you'll never be able to outfox me."

"Aryn." Lance took a deep breath. "There's something I need to tell you- have been needing to tell you. For a long time."

Her head tilted to the side with a raised eyebrow.

"I didn't" -his eyes clenched shut, fingers idly trailing over the aged wooden walls of the stable- "I didn't ask you to marry me with wholly kind intentions."

Aryn squinted, but otherwise didn't press for more information. She waited patiently for him to divulge further.

"I would never have had the guts to do so if you hadn't been under threat of betrothal to the Gorman family, or your younger sister for that matter, but still my motives are marred by something else. I" -his fists clenched, biting down on his lower lip until his tongue was coated with the taste of iron- "love you, Aryn. I always have for a long time. I just- I just wanted to pretend you could feel the same way about me. Rachel was always right to hate me, and you should hate me too."

This wasn't going to assist with any of Lance's grand plans, hell, it would likely only serve to hinder them. If he had to abandon the Aryn and Rachel plot, so be it. He had a few other back up plans, fatal though they may be. He cared about her too deeply to choose to do otherwise.

The stable fell silent, aside from the periodic deep breaths of her horse as his excitement climbed. His eyes remained closed, which led to his surprise when two arms wrapped around his waist.

"You shouldn't never be ashamed of loving somebody. Loving someone is the greatest gift you can give them," she whispered before pressing her forehead against his chest.

Moisture rimmed the edge of his vision. A gasp, barely above a whimper, escaped his throat.

"I've loved you since the day your mama brought you to play with me when we was little. My mama thought maybe a 'delicate little boy' like you could calm a tomboy like me down. Neither of 'em knew the hell we would raise together. Bless those women."

Her hand raised to settle against his cheek, scratching it against the flecks of stubble along his chin. "I've always known you felt it more strongly than me, but you're still my best friend. I'd rather die than hate you for caring about me."

Lance returned the hug silently, curling down until he was at her height. She hummed a familiar melody.

"You just don't get it! I can feel everything you're feeling and almost as intensely. I'm a couple dreamy-eyed stares away from snogging him myself," a small feminine voice said.

That was the first thing Lance heard as he rounded the stable door, with dried eyes and a bounce in his step. The sound of hushing quickly followed. Lance locked eyes with Bael, the other man looking sheepish as he pinched Nyx between index finger and thumb.

As the two men eyed each other, Aryn placed something atop Lance's head as she sauntered past while donning a hat with a wide brim and high crown. She spun on her heels, walking backwards with a playful grin in the direction of Oberon. "A Romani doesn't saddle-up underdressed, Lancelot."

"Aw, but I look awful with hat hair. I'm only wearing it because you're helping out. Bael, I don't want to hear anything-" but Lance stopped as he caught Bael's look.

Bael's eyes were wide and blinking intensely. His lips were slightly parted and Nyx was now able to easily escape his grasp, all the while groaning and gagging.

"Lance, sweetie," Nyx began before abruptly shaking her body as if surprised by her own words, "I'm flying on ahead to Ikana City and will meet you guys at the city gates. If it weren't for the girl I would have a request for you, but that will only have to wait. Maybe dump him in the swamp a few times for good measure."

She was gone before he could seek an explanation without sparing a look back. Lance took a quick glance at Aryn to see she was paying them no mind in the interest of providing Oberon with some welcome affection.

"Hey- uh- if I ask am I going to get an answer?" Lance inquired.

"Nope," Bael answered, already at Aryn's side to cautiously offer a hand for Snickerdoodle to smell. "Aryn, was it? Why do you call his horse 'Moose'?" Bael asked as he stroked the neck of the spotted steed.

"Aw well, if you're gonna have an owner it's important you have a name, right? If he won't give the horse one it's the least I could do to show him the courtesy. Plus, don't he look the color of a fluffy brown mousse?"

Bael tilted his head to the side as he stared at Oberon in contemplation. Lance rolled his eyes as he pushed the hat down on his head and got into the saddle. "Well I'll have you know he has a name now: Oberon." He announced the horse's name with a satisfied clap on the horse's side. "Now, are we gonna wait for the whole farm to wake up or can we get going?"

Aryn clicked her tongue but cooperated nonetheless. "Now I know you didn't come up with something that fanciful," she teased. Soon after she meekly gasped as Bael followed her onto the horse, taking his usual seat behind the saddle. She lifted an eyebrow as she looked back at him.

"Oberon looks a little tired of always carrying two people is all. Really," Bael hurriedly explained. "As he was saying, we really should make our way to the canyon."

Lance met Aryn's worrisome glance before she peeled down the pathway out of the ranch. Oberon knickered in excitement as he watched them disappear into the morning fog. Something unpleasant wound its way tightly around his stomach, but all he could do about it was frown.

"Alright boy, mind if we take a quick stop by the swamp on the way?" he asked with a laugh.

The emerald green of Termina Field became the only thing Lance could focus his eyes on.

He trailed behind the pair riding up the path while intentionally maintaining a healthy distance. From what he could observe they fell into a comfortable conversation he was just out of earshot of hearing. On occasion Aryn would turn her head back to look for him, shooting a befuddled expression but otherwise leaving him be.

Lance loved Aryn and his feelings for Bael were blossoming into something even deeper, so why did seeing two of his favorite people together stir such an unpleasant sensation within himself? His stomach roiled as his palms became uncomfortably sweaty. Watching Aryn's head toss back in exuberant laughter or Bael wrap his arms around her waist became an irritating sight.

Oberon whinied, and Lance's attention were drawn to his ever faithful companion. He combed his fingers through the thick black mane, soothing the beast's distress.

"Things are really different now, aren't they old friend? I've barely had time to process it myself, I can only imagine what you must think of it," Lance whispered, scratching Oberon on a favorite spot right behind the ears.

"I always thought I would have to learn to be content as an observer of others' happiness and I'd made peace with that. Despite the tribulations thrust upon me, I've ended up stumbling upon the answer to a long suppressed wish. There's no time to really process how anything makes me feel, because there's always a new trouble or catastrophe. I've just been going with the flow and riding the waves of satisfaction as they come."

Lance sighed, foolishly allowing his eyes to coast up to see them once more. "Truth is, I've not taken into consideration what I want out of any of this. Am I just excited for the attention? Is that why it burns to see what I believe to be mine doled out to another?" Lance asked, the obvious answer burning in his mind but deciding to be resolute in avoiding it. "Or is this something real? Maybe I'm losing my head in this all too quickly. We've known each other, what, barely a week technically? I'm not sure there's even a timeline to discovering you want someone's eyes on you and only you."

Oberon's ears flickered as Lance slacked in his own attention, causing him to chuckle at the similarity. "Things are so much easier for a horse. If you fancy a mare you have your instincts to tell you what to do without a second thought. It's a lot trickier for humans, and for me especially. Especially since all my lessons about courting a lady have flown out the window. How does a man tell another man his interest in him? And how do you know who is supposed to do the initiating?"

Lance felt silly confiding in a horse, but it was nice to speak without worry about the judgment of someone else. Besides, Oberon had always been an excellent listener. With a few sugar cubes you'd have his rapt attention for an entire evening.

"And of course, it's not escaped my mind that there are other things between men I don't understand. The only one I could ask is Bael, and well, I'll admit I'm not entirely ready to ask him those kinds of questions."

Oberon knickered, causing Lance's train of thought to divert completely.

"I'd like to see you ask a pretty girl how in the world you're supposed to have sex with her, because that sounds like a quick way to get laughed out of town," Lance spoke, quickly realizing how idiotic what he just said was and thanking the heavens the others were out of earshot.

"You know, I was just kidding about the extra request. Didn't know it was something you'd actually been thinking about," piped up Nyx, hovering just above Lance's face.

"...how much of that did you hear?" he asked, face heating to unbearable temperatures.

"Enough. So, Mr. Not-a-Cherry-Boy, getting cold feet already before you've even opened the door?" Nyx asked

"Please pretend this conversation never happened. Name your price and it's paid."

Nyx exuded a bright shimmering noise, and given her excited bouncing he could only interpret that as a laugh.

"Have it your way. Think of my price as a promise you'll make to me. I know you're young, even by human standards, and I can feel the powerful emotions you're experiencing. If you ever want to talk to someone who won't judge you I'll listen," she said, settling into the crook of his arm as a wave of calm washed over him.

Lance nodded meekly, too shy to verbalize a reply. Though, something else occurred to him in that moment. "I thought you were meeting us at Ikana? Why are you here?"

"Oh, the other two are already past the gate heading towards the city. They said you were looking like a sad puppy, but the girl seemed too eager and left you to me. As for Bael, well, he's still just being weird."

Before Nyx finished her reply, Lance was spurring Oberon into a gallop as he sped off into the city. A fear not unlike what he felt staring down the giant god Odolwa filled his being.

He couldn't let Bael find out the wrong things. Not this soon.