Arthur stood up, needing one crutch to do so, and shook Cyrus’ hand. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about you,” he said. His hand felt strangely frail in its shake. Cyrus smiled and nodded to the man, painting a picture in his mind of the family dynamic. The husband is possibly frustrated from not being able to contribute as much as he would like to; the mother had to work and manage the whole household, from keeping it clean to making sure the finances were up to date; Sasha and her younger sister living in this environment with parents who loved them very much, but who suffered under a great deal of stress because of this.
He didn’t think magic could help with old injuries like what Arthur had experienced, but he figured at least it might be good to inquire about it and see if such a thing might be possible. Maybe Imogen might know if there was decent white magic out there to heal old injuries.
“You didn’t mention howhandsomehe is,” Emily whispered, but so that everyone could hear. Sasha groaned while the mother looked as if she had wanted to voice this exact sentiment too.
This… could be interesting.
Thankfully, the more intrusive questions toned down, and Cyrus found himself able to enjoy the hospitality. Right until the food was served in all its glory – food that Sasha had helped her family to buy and prepare, which looked and smelled delicious.
He took a moment or two just to indulge in the scent explosion the whole meal held. It had a warmth and soul about it that was never present in the meals he’d experienced with his own family. Everyone sitting around the tiny table, with barely any room to have everything on it, picking through what they wanted from the selection offered, with smiles and warm conversation. Again, he thought it fortunate Aleera didn’t come – it might have been very hard to squeeze her in around the table, even if it could theoretically seat six people.
“I hope you enjoy,” Roxana said, glancing anxiously at everyone as they plated their food and began to eat. She clearly wanted to hear what everyone thought of the food. “This one here, it’s extra spicy,” she said, pointing out the meat that had been drowned in spice. He accepted and bit into it, enjoying the fiery explosion of spice in his throat combined with the meat.
“Delicious.”
Roxana stared at him as though he’d grown three heads. “You were right,” she murmured to Sasha. “He really doesn’t care about the spices. That’d burn a human’s mouth without issue.”
“Well, he’s not quite human, as you know. So it’s normal that he’d like some things that are different.”
“Not human, you say,” Arthur said in his gruff voice, smiling. “But it doesn’t cause any issues if you were to date?”
“We’re not dating,” Sasha added hastily. “He’s just my boss and a good friend.”
“Suuuuure…” Emily drawled, looking very sly about the whole situation. Cyrus stifled a smirk as a small argument broke out about how they werejust friendsand how unconvinced the parents seemed to be of the matter – it seemed they really wanted to see their daughter settle down at some point. His own parents were like that too, but unfortunately, their version of settling down meant heavily scripted interactions and marriages.
Certainly, no free, easy conversation like what he experienced now, with no rancor, just some teasing, smiles, and enjoying the atmosphere of people gathered together for good food.
Though he smiled and agreed with Sasha that they were just friends, he desperately wanted that to be not true. To have things progress between them further. To maybe one day call her his partner and more. Although he didn’t want to announce that in front of her family, or her until he was certain she felt the same way. He didn’t want to sabotage the arrangement they had with each other. She helped his business, and he helped her to rise out of the poorest bracket in a way that was more stable than just gambling on fighters winning and losing.
Now her family offered more hospitality compared to his. It made him a little emotional on the inside, though he tried his best to not show it.
“This is probably the fanciest meal I’ve ever been able to make up,” Roxana said with a smile. “Usually I’m having to be careful, on budget, and plan everything well in advance. But thanks to little Sasha here, we’ve been able to go all-out on the quality. Told her she didn’t have to, of course, but wouldn’t hear the end of it from her…”
“Mom, you’ve literally been complaining for years about how you can’t do things the way you want.” Sasha pointed a fork at her mother. “Now you can. Shush about it and let’s get the conversation away from budget and money, it’s always depressing to hear.”
Cyrus snorted as the mother blinked slowly, before nodding. “You’re right. It’s just… it gets to you when you have to calculate everything down to the last cent. Before you know it, you’re just a walking calculator.”
“She could become a damn mathematician if she wanted,” Arthur grunted. “I tell her she can do whatever she wants, but she just wants to make everyone else happy.” He smiled ruefully. “But, eh. The women of our family can be stubborn as mules.”
Cyrus locked eyes with Sasha at that moment, and she smiled, one eyebrow quirked. They held the gaze for a long time. Long enough to see a faint flush cover her neck, and to send a small thrill of excitement through him.
Those types of glances happened enough for him to become fully aware each time they happened. To the point where he wondered if she was deliberately messing with him during the dinner, especially when she smiled suggestively or looked him up and down.
Because her father and mother happened to be keenly watching as well, Cyrus kept his expressions as neutral and polite as possible, not wanting to give them the wrong idea of his intentions.
They ate until their stomachs bulged from the effort, and then everything got put away, leaving room for wine and a quiet game of cards around the table. The atmosphere compared to the tense gatherings Cyrus had experienced in his life felt like a fresh breath of mountain air, in all honesty. Sometimes with the cards, he ended up brushing over Sasha’s fingertips or hands. One time accidentally, the other time deliberately, and the hitched breath reaction made itcompletelyworth it.
The mother, after getting bored with the cards, insisted on cracking out a baby photo album at which point Sasha groaned theatrically while Cyrus had to nod politely at Sasha crawling around in a nappy or sitting on the beach with a huge floppy hat to protect her.
She also had a little drawerful of Sasha’s achievements from school, from medals to essays that received high grades, and some random mask sculpture that Sasha did in art class one time. A small window into the past of a family that loved one another, evident from the smiles in the photos, the warmth in their voices, and the comfortable mock arguments that emerged as the evening settled in.
It left a small lump in his throat. Several times, Roxana apologized for the state of their home, saying how he must be used to so much more grandeur, but honestly, it felt likearealhome. Lived in and loved.
All too soon, it got late and he needed to go to the hotel room he’d booked. Roxana practically wept when he got ready to leave, and insisted on bagging up extra food (all the spicy food, he noticed) so he could take it with him. Arthur sidled up to him before he left and murmured, “I saw the way you were looking at Sasha this evening. You like her, don’t you? Even though you both insist you’re just friends.”
Cyrus froze at the moment, wondering if the old man happened to be angry or disappointed. Instead, he saw a little smile dancing around the older man’s lips. A gentle crinkle of the eyes.
“We’re just friends… for now,” Cyrus replied carefully. “But I hope in time we might be something more. But… only if she wishes for it. I do not want to ruin the arrangement we have now. It’s worth it to keep her in my life, you know?”