but anyway

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do

Shooting his friend a wry look, Everet can only give his head a shake. "Let me get this straight, you think that while I was away I learned how to fuck so well that I could keep an ancient's core body temperature high enough in the cold to keep them from turning to stone?" He knows what Mateo meant of course, but a half-season of sex-lessons or not, he just wasn't that good.

"Good idea, I will." Surely someone around the hot springs would have the information that he needed, and given how easy it was to be in Isla's company, Everest knew that even if things went poorly, the pair could probably have a very nice time just sitting in a pub somewhere talking. Still, he really did want to impress the Remedy and taking her on the same date that she'd likely been on time and time again didn't belie the sort of effort he was keen to show.

"Maybe I will do that. Besides, I'm sure you'll want some time to yourself now that you have La Verbena back."

champagne, cocaine, gasoline; and most things in between

Scoffing into his tea, Mateo can't help the musical laughter that rings around the interior of his ship. "Everest Hart," he scolds. "I was thinking more that she could snuggle up to your side while you walked through the Celestine, or that you could offer her your coat, or warm up her hands. But sure, we can go straight to fucking her so hard she catches fire."

Taking a more earnest drink of tea now that it's cool enough, he hums a note of near bliss and sinks back against the wall, comfortable and at peace at the world now, apparently, that both his friend and his house are back in his life. "Honestly, I just want my bed," he says, meaning every word. "If you and Isla want to come back here and fuck on my couch, by all means. Just stay out of my bedroom."

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do

Blushing more because of his mistake rather than because of the subject matter, Everest could only raise his eyebrows apologetically. "Well..." Finding no excuse forthcoming, the aviator just huffs and takes an obnoxiously long sip of his tea. "Maybe we'll look for extra mittens and a lighter so that she never needs to be without a bit of flame." He decides with a laugh.

"I appreciate that." Having been treated to some of the nicest places to have sex in all of Caido, the thought of bringing the Remedy back to Mateo's houseboat to fuck on his couch, while charming, was not ideal for a first date. Or maybe it was exactly what Isla might have wanted, honestly, Everest had no idea what she saw in him. It didn't weigh on him the way it might have done with others, but nor could it guide him to emphasize the traits about himself that she was drawn to.

"Enough about me. How have you been? Anything exciting happen in the last half-season?"

champagne, cocaine, gasoline; and most things in between

Offering his friend a wink over the rim of his cup, Mateo doesn't need to twist the social knife any further, and he accepts Ever's ideas without comment. Letting out a long and content sigh as he finishes his tea, he sets the empty cup down and wrinkles his nose as the other man turns the conversation back at him. Ordinarily the botanist has no qualms talking about himself, but especially now that Ever is more likely to know if he's not being forthright, it's not an easy subject to breach.

"Not really," he says. Others might disagree; fucking an Ancient on a picnic blanket and cavorting his way through Mother Molly's and any other den of debauchery offered by The Silk Houses certainly sounds exciting. But of course that sort of thing is just a regular Tuesday for Mateo.

"I have not been doing too well, to be honest. It has been hard, not having anywhere to come back to. My family have all seemed pretty busy as well. I have just been waiting for you to get back, as sad as it sounds." Wincing, because gods, it really does sound pathetic when he puts it that way, Mateo gives a quick and airy shrug. "But here you are, so it hardly matters now."

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do

Taking a moment to commit all that they've said to memory—Ever had stopped carrying around notebooks for the most part, though sometimes he thought maybe just a small one in times like these might be appropriate—the aviator drains the last of his tea with a satisfying ahhh.

Frowning as Mateo begins, even had the botanist shrugged and said he was fine it wouldn't have taken any great emotional detective to read between the lines. "I don't think that sounds sad." The aviator interjects softly, setting down his mug and leaning forward with his hands between his knees to give his friend his undivided attention. "And I'm sorry to hear you haven't been doing well. Is there anything I can do?"

More tea, perhaps? A cuddle? A spa day?

champagne, cocaine, gasoline; and most things in between

However much Mateo has been here for the changes that his friend has gone through, it's still startling for the botanist to feel Ever's too blue eyes on him with such intensity. He finds himself fussing with his sweater rather than being able to hold the other man's gaze, and the sincerity he knows suffuses the aviator's words is enough to have tears scraping at the backs of his eyes. Smiling despite it and blinking quickly, he shrugs again and gives his friend a wobbly smile.

"I really just want to take a nap," he admits, "if you don't mind staying." Because as nice as it will be to collapse in his own bed, it won't really feel the same unless he's got Ever with him, in whatever shape the aviator finds most comfortable.

Whatever the other man's decision, Mateo sniffs and rises to his feet, despositing his empty cup on the counter and reaching up to untie his hair, letting his curls fall carelessly around his shoulders.

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do

"Then a nap you shall have." Ever says immediately, rising and snatching Mateo's cup away from him as he fusses with his hair. Giving each a quick rinse, the aviator sets them upside down to dry before turning back to his friend.

"I can be me, now." Ever explains as they walk into the familiar bedroom. "I can be a dog still, but it doesn't bother me anymore." Though certainly Dahlia's kiss and the subsequent lavender fog had been the catalyst, having spent so much time being touched in all sorts of ways, the aviator felt abundantly comfortable in his own skin now, for the most part.

"It might actually be nice." He suggests, before tugging his shirt over his head and folding it neatly before placing it on the little chair in the corner of the room. "Besides, then I can do more than whine at you to answer questions." Ever adds with a laugh.

champagne, cocaine, gasoline; and most things in between

Feeling himself relax despite never once expecting Ever to say he wouldn't stick around, Mateo smiles at his friend and trails after him. Working his fingers through his curls and wiggling out of his sweater as well, already he can feel the pull of familiar sheets and pillows and the ease of having his creature comforts all around him.

"Oh?" Smiling crookedly at that and nodding - it might be nice, yes - Mateo drops his sweater rather than folding it and promptly crawls beneath his blankets. "I never mind you whining at me," he says with a soft laugh, "but a person can hug back better than a dog, it's true."

Grumbling something in the travelling tongue that doesn't really need translating based on the botanist's delighted tone, eventually Mateo's curled head pops back up above the sheets and he offers a sleepy smile to his friend. "Thanks for looking after this place so well."

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do

Taking the extra moment to take his pants off as well and not thinking anything of it, he folded them as well before placing them on his shirt. Glancing at the bed where a familiar Mateo-shaped lump had formed, the aviator smiled affectionately as he too slid beneath the sheets.

Assuming that he'd be the big spoon—both because he now identified as a top and because Mateo seemed like he might need it—Everest slunk his way lower into the bed and spread out the arm nearest the botanist to act as a secondary pillow. "Of course. La Verbena feels very much like an extension of you." Everest remarks as if to imply he'd not treat her with anything but his best.

"Is everything alright with your family, by the way?" The question rises suddenly in his mind as Ever belatedly realizes that perhaps the reason they'd been so busy was because of some incident or other. They'd all seemed fine when he saw them at the Ball, but that hardly meant anything.

champagne, cocaine, gasoline; and most things in between

Very happy to be the little spoon, Mateo wastes no time in shifting back against Ever, clutching at one of his pillows and spending a moment or two in getting comfortable before relaxing bonelessly into the mattress. "Gods it is good to be home," he grumbles, eyes already closed and voice muffled by the fabric of the pillow.

"Mm...? I do not know, truthfully," he mumbles a touch sadly, though it's easier to forget now that he's in his own bed and with Ever's familiar voice rumbling near his ear. "I went down to Torchline a little while ago, but I did not see any of them. They must have been busy with their own lives." As is their right, of course, but it certainly hadn't done any good for the botanist feeling lonely.

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do

Wrapping Mateo up in his arms before settling his cheek against the pillow, Everest only had to shift once or twice to keep from inhaling his friend's tangle of curls. It wasn't like spooning Isla, though Everest felt no less content to hold his friend's body close to his own. What he'd ever been so bothered about all his life that had kept him from doing this he couldn't recall at all, even less so with the botanist's voice rumbling against him.

"The three of them were at the Ball, recently." He murmurs. "And they all did look fairly preoccupied." Flora, with being the loudest and shiniest thing in the room, but Ever had noticed the way Remi and Ronin had stalked around the room before settling down. That they had settled down, the aviator only noticed because of who the Bastien had been dancing with.

"Not that it's an excuse." The aviator adds gently.

champagne, cocaine, gasoline; and most things in between

"I suppose if I had gone, perhaps I would have been able to speak with them," Mateo murmurs, though he doesn't feel any regret about it now. If he had shown up to the ball he'd have either been too high, too social, too much as if to compensate for his own inner feelings, or he'd have said or done something better left locked in his own thoughts. And besides, there were always other opportunities for that sort of thing. And Mateo can't dance in any capacity befitting a ballroom anyway, so it's likely for the best.

"It does not matter now, anyway," he decides, smiling over his shoulder at Ever. "It is good to have you back, and I will help you plan your date with Isla as best I am able. I am sure you will wow her, and she will never want to leave Stormbreak." Grinning properly now, it's with thoughts of Deepfrost-worthy dresses and flasks of spiced liquor that he settles down to nap.

And I'm split in half, but that'll have to do

"I can always kidnap them for you." The aviator offers breezily. "And just bring them up here right to your doorstep." Grinning against the pillow, Everest knows it's ridiculous, but then, with his newfound confidence he was fairly certain he could pull it off. Flora would be the only difficult one and if nothing else he could probably just pick her up if he needed to.

"I'm not sure about that, but so long as she feels appropriately valued and cared for, that's all I need." Ever agrees, smiling sleepily at the shards of blue he can see over Mateo's shoulder as the botanist twists. Letting his eyes slowly fall closed, it strikes Ever for the first time that meeting Dahlia was perhaps one of the best things to have ever happened to him. His friendship with Mateo was probably the best thing, but following that? Everything positive in his life had all been possible after having met her.

"I love you, Mateo. I don't say it often enough, but I will from now on. And I want you to know that I'll always be here for you." The words are soft, but close as Ever's lips are to his friend's ear, there isn't need for much more than a whisper. Still, the aviator makes sure that the words are as clear and heartfelt as he can make them short of using the attuned bond.

champagne, cocaine, gasoline; and most things in between

Scoffing into his pillow at that, Mateo finds himself grinning at the mental image of Everest strong-arming two demigods up to Stormbreak to visit their son. Even if he's not quite as convinced that the other man will succeed, it's enough to know that he's even willing to try. "Or," he murmurs softly, "perhaps I will just write them a letter and see if they would like to come and see me." It sounds very doable all of a sudden, especially now there's a place for them to visit again.

Awwwing appropriately at the aviator's comments about Isla, Mateo nudges him gently. "I think you are going to be the best boyfriend," he informs him, foreign as the word seems on his tongue when it comes to Everest.

"I love you too, Ever," he says softly. "And do not worry. I knew it even when you were not able to say it so easily."