InsaneJournal

Ever since that incident, there was a part of Gil that was scared to be alone, especially at night. It seemed like such a childish fear: what was the big deal? It could happen during the day while he was at work. But all it took was two very vivid nightmares of him waking up in cold sweat, and he knew that he couldn't keep doing this. Especially with Rowan going out of town.

Besides, Ari didn't seem to mind his company, something that Gil was still very careful about. They agreed to meet up on Saturday evening after their shifts to watch movies. What movies? Gil had no idea. But he could pick up some actual food (this "chinese" food - whatever that meant - was good), and bring it over.

Glamour dropped, and he was itching to have Ari show up. Not to mention the fact that his body itched period, as the cuts healed. It took time, and he wished he had the salve to make it stop. But for now - he could just wear long-sleeve shirts and pants, and at least then he wouldn't make the scarring worse.

Ari, who had stopped to pick up Chinese on the way, let himself in after asking Gil to unlock the door earlier on. He toed off his battered trainers and then raised his voice. “Do you know how to use chopsticks?” he called, by way of greeting. “I stuck with pretty mild stuff so we can test what you do and don’t like, any anything left over Rowan can have when he comes back.”

He’d been worried about Gil, so when Rowan asked him to stay over and keep an eye on him Ari didn’t even hesitate. And since Gil was averse to being alone it all worked out pretty well.

“Sorry I’m a bit later than I thought, the queue was pretty crazy even though I’d called ahead and ordered. I figured we could Netflix movies?”

Gil was combing out his long silver hair, because unlike his usual perfect glamoured cut - well, this one was just more of a tangled mess. Yet another thing that Lord of the Rings got wrong: no way Legolas' hair was that perfect through the adventures. It was not a wood elf ability. Clearly, Tolkien just had an elf fetish. He pricked up at the door opening, but then he heard Ari's voice, and a calm settled in.

"Chopsticks? What are chopsticks?" He gave one final tug, before walking out of the bathroom and over to Ari to help with the bags. The windows were closed because no one should see him, and he smiled. "Are you going to teach me? Is that an instrument? A weapon?" what? He didn't know! Bags grabbed, and he went over to the table. "This smells good. What do you mean mild? Spicy? Or what is it?" He snorted at the idea of Rowan finishing it up: "Yeah, he eats a lot, and yet he complains about me."

He put the bags down and then pulled Ari into a hug, really thankful that the other fae would come and keep him company. "Thank you," he mumbled. "And you can be yourself here. Or not. Whatever you prefer." He looked at Ari: "What's Netflix? But sure, whatever you want. Be my guide. You have my bow, or whatever that line was."

Ari giggled as he was tugged into a hug, loosely locking his arms around Gil’s waist, not wanting to squeeze him too hard lest he hurt his friend accidentally. “You just said a lot of things really quickly then,” he teased, “so I’m gonna gloss over a lot of it. Chopsticks are in here, you use them to eat but you can also do fun things like mini lightsaber fights or becoming a walrus. Netflix is just a… a library of movies in one place so we don’t need a disk like we did for Lord of the Rings.”

He sorted through the dishes, placing them on the table one by one. “I got some egg fried rice, and some vegetable fried rice, some chow mein, some fried chicken, some… some beef dish? Oyster sauce I think? Spring rolls and prawn toast.. I didn’t know what you might like so I got a lot.”

Gil often talked a lot. It was one of the things that Lumin said endeared him to people. When really himself, Gil was excitable and emotional whirlwind of energy. The years of being on his own tampered that down, but it could still come out when the elf felt safe. And right now - at his home, with Ari - he felt safe. The giggle was appreciated, and Gil nudged Ari as he let him go. "I won't break, Ari." His impression turned sheepish. "Sorry. I talk fast. I'll slow down. This is me speaking slower than in Elvish, you know." He bit his lip. At the explanation of chopsticks, Gil just grew more confused. "Lightsabers? Walrus? Wait, what?" No Ari, he knew none of those things.

“I forgot,” Ari lamented, “you have so much pop culture to learn. Don’t worry, Padawan,” he said to Gil’s retreating back, “I’ll teach you.”

He walked into the kitchen to grab plates, and napkins as he came back out, watching all the dishes. "You are trying to feed an army." He teased, as he blinked at the whole "prawn." "Umm, what are prawns? Birds? Fish?" He shrugged. "I like to think that I'm easy. Do you have favourites here?" He looked at the chopsticks that were together: "And do I just stab things to eat them?"

“I’m not trying to feed an army, I’m feeding you and I’m probably also inadvertently feeding Rowan. Plus leftovers last forever in the fridge, so you’ll have them for a few days.” He poked around in one of the containers, snapping the chopsticks apart with practised ease and picking up a prawn. “Prawn. Falls under seafood. Is technically a…crustacean? Doesn’t really matter, tastes okay though!”

"As long as they can last," as he came over with the plates, and watched Ari snapping chopsticks apart and using them with ease. "Okay, this implement is weird. But I'll try it." He looked over at the prawn. "Oh. Shrimp. I got once invited to a dinner on a boat, and thought I was going to die, but all the guy wanted to do is set us up for a blackmail while getting into my pants. It was weird." He tried to hold the chopstick in each hand. "Wait, no, this doesn't work. What do you do again, magic man?"

“Wait–you got invited to have sex with a blackmailer on a boat? Your life is wild,” Ari said, watching Gil hold the chopsticks. “Here, look, they both get held in one hand like this.” He demonstrated, clacking them together. “Let me—hang on.”

Carefully, Ari reached out and manipulated Gil’s hand until the chopsticks were resting against his fingers. “And then you…pinch?” He picked his own up again and clacked them once more.

Gil snorted at Ari's surprise, and shrugged. "You know, there are positives and - as you've seen - clear negatives to it." He let Ari manipulate his fingers, appreciating the touch. He loved being touched - and always missed it. Somehow, it seemed that Ari was happy to be more tactile, and Gil was more than encouraging the fae. "Umm … " he tried to pinch, the stick going past the other one. "This is seriously dark magic." He gritted his teeth a bit, trying again. He was definitely going to get it. Or set the chopsticks on fire.

“It’s just dexterity and practise,” Ari said with a little smile, sneaking a bite of food. “Do you have any hair ties or elastic bands in the apartment? I can help a bit and make it easier until you get the hang of it? If you want to use them. You can just use normal cutlery…”

Gil was really concentrating. He was pretty dexterous - could pick locks really, - but this was weird. He bit his lip, sitting down to try and pick at the prawn, and then having it slip out. Cursing loudly in elvish, he tried again, and again failed, and then one of the chopsticks caught on fire. Cause if Gil didn't like something? It usually caught on fire. He ran into the kitchen, chucking it into the sink and running the water before looking sheepishly at Ari. "I might need to stick to forks. Don't hate me?"

Ari, who had yelped in surprise when there was suddenly fire, just nodded his head, looking surprised and slightly frazzled by what had just happened. “No, no hating. You might set me on fire if I did,” he teased with a wink, settling on the floor in front of the coffee table that had the food stacked on it. “Help yourself, and tell me you can control the fire thing. That’ll be so handy when we go camping and want to make s’mores.”

Gil looked guilty about the fire, as he moved closer to Ari and hugged him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It happens when I'm not on my guard as much. And I just… I feel really good with you. And so I just don't focus on it as much." He pulled back and looked at Ari. "Wait do you seriously think I'd set you on fire?" He settled next to Ari, looking really concerned. "But yeah, I do. Here." He reached out his usual ice cold hand, and then set it on Ari's leg and let it warm up. Slowly. "See?" He paused, and then continued looking sheepish as he picked up the fork. "I've been trying to figure out how to shape it differently. Right now, I mostly just do rays. But I've been able to start making it into a sphere." He poked at a spring roll with his fork. "This is actually really good."

Ari was relaxed when Gil touched him, feeling the warmth ripple up his leg from where Gil’s hand was resting. He couldn’t help thinking about how that would be great for when the colder weather came calling: how he could snuggle up with Rowan and Gil both (because what was a single snuggle if the option to be surrounded was there?) and be warmed up in the cold since he was sure he might have been the only one that truly felt it. “It’s okay, you don’t have to apologise for it. Your magic’s cool, it just caught me by surprise, that’s all. I don’t think you’d set me on fire, at least I’d hope not. Maybe one day you can show me?”

He looked at Ari, and grinned: "You want to go camping? Cause I"m down for that. Like 100%."

“I love camping,” Ari enthused. “Honestly, and it’s somewhere you can do your magic, and where Rowan and I can do our thing without worrying about anyone seeing us, right? ‘Cause you know all the best spots for us to avoid people.” He smiled, a little wistfully. “It’ll be awesome, like our own little world, you know? Just the three of us.”

Gil thought about it, as he ate slowly. "We'd have to be careful about my magic, because there's just a lot of kindling in the woods, but -" his brain finally caught up to it, and he looked at Ari. "You'd let me see what you are? Really? Or do you just mean your fae form? Which is always also welcome, because your hair is really cool, and you have wings, and your eyes -" He stuffed a roll into his mouth because it was better than putting a foot into it. Continuously. You got Gildor comfortable, and he really was an excitable, unfiltered mess. And with Ari - Gil felt that comfort.

“I mean, yeah? It’s not like you’d be telling anyone. I just– like I said. Last time it got out I got kidnapped so it’s something I’m supposed to be careful about.” Ari popped a piece of chicken into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully, “not that I think you’d kidnap me. I’m normally a better judge of character than that but you know… some people are just so good at hiding their true intentions and then bam! It’s too late and you’re being yanked into the back of some truck and– Well, yeah.” He flushed a little, realising that he’d been complimented and ducking his head, lips twitching up into an embarrassed smile. “Yah stop you’ll give me a big ego.”

Gil tilted his head to the side, and reached over Ari to grab a piece of the chicken. "Okay, A, this chinese food is amazing. B. you are a friend, and I owe you my life - like why would I do anything to hurt you." He listened closely, and fixed Ari with a look, his golden eyes flashing a bit of almost fire in them. "People who kidnapped you. Where are they? Are you safe now?" Because would he go and burn them down? Potentially. That whole adorable bit, and he leaned over, pressing a kiss to the top of Ari's head. "You deserve the big ego and everything else. Now stop hiding. Please? I do mean those things." He was going to say something about how he never learned to lie with compliments. "Tell me, Movie master, what are we watching?"

“I’m safe,” Ari promised quietly, “besides, neither you nor Rowan would let anything happen to me.” He said it confidently, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that they’d protect him. Not that he needed it here. The kiss made him giggle again and despite being told not to hide, he did, covering his face with one hand for a moment to control the way he could feel his ears heating up. Between them, Gil and Rowan would be the death of him for very different reasons.

He cleared his throat. “Right, movies. Yeah. Okay, so there’s a few to choose from? I mean Netflix has loads but we can narrow it down by genre. Scary movies are out, but we could—oh! Fuck it, I know. Howl’s Moving Castle. It’s a classic, you gotta see it. Pass me the remote?”

"We wouldn't." He said reassuringly, and took another piece of chicken. "Whatever you are, you get to be protected. And I promise - I'm good at aiming. Really." He saw the ears turn red, and reached out touching them. "They get so warm!" was he teasing Ari? Only slightly. He didn't want the other fae to be too uncomfortable. Seriously.

Ari made a sound that was somewhere between mortified and surprised, not flinching from the touch but he did playfully bat Gil’s hand away, ears an even darker pink. “Gi~il… it gets worse if you look at it.”

"No scary movies. I don't think I need more scary things." He knew that he was still on edge after what happened, and he'd seen enough monsters in person to really enjoy seeing them again on film. "What's Howl's moving castle about?" He passed the remote, grinning. "See? These things are still really magical. Like way more magical than anything I can do."

“Magic and technology are two different things, technology I understand. Magic I…do not.” Ari turned on the television and moved to Netflix, looking up the movie as he talked. “So it’s about someone called Sophie who gets cursed and a wizard called Howl. It’s gorgeous and such a good story and I didn’t realise until I saw on Tumblr that Howl’s been looki—shit, almost spoiled it for you!”

Gil was picking at the food, mostly because that's how he always ate: ongoing, small meals to try and keep the energy up. "You understand technology? I still don't understand it! I write something into the phone and answers appear! Like how? HOW? And sometimes it knows what I want to ask even before I finish the question!" He was fascinated, as Ari watched it. "Magic - it's just about letting yourself feel grounded, and trusting yourself. I've seen you do it!" His face scrunched up at the word wizard, but then he listened closely. "So magic and curses?" He arched an eyebrow. "Is there a lesson you want me to learn from the movie?"

Ari would have commented about science and technology but then Gil talked about cursed and lessons and Ari’s chest clenched painfully and a panic gripped him. “Oh, heck, shit—Gil I—I didn’t mean—I don’t even think of you as—we can watch something else?”

Gil always forgot how sensitive Ari was. He was definitely joking, and his tone was light - but he supposed to his friend watching the cuts appear on him was probably more traumatic than it was to him. He put his bowl and fork down, scooting over and wrapping himself around Ari, his arms around the shoulders, legs over the other fae's lap, who was definitely almost vibrating with panic. "Hey, hey. You didn't. I didn't take it as such. I'm not cursed. Just in a contract." He sighed as he ran his fingers through Ari's hair. "Really. I was teasing you. I know you wouldn't lecture me."

Ari, who was hugely tactile and had been more than a little touch-starved until he’d met Rowan and then Gil, melted into the touches, especially the one to his hair, the fingers gently petting his head causing the worry to drain out of him. “I really didn’t mean anything bad by it,” he murmured, turning his head to hide his face against Gil’s collarbone before he pouted, fully aware of the effect as he leaned back to look up at Gil. “You were teasing me. I was worried I’d offended you! Now you have to watch it with me. And love it.”

Gil loved touches. He missed them so much ever since his transformation that if there was anyone who showed him any physical affection, the elf would melt into it. He could feel Ari relax slowly into the snuggle, kissing the top of the fae's head. "I know you didn't. I don't think you would. If you wanted to tell me 'i told you so' or something like that, you wouldn't have then volunteered to spend a weekend just to make sure that i sleep through the night." He let Ari pull away, but GIl's body wasn't moving, as he stayed still holding the other fae. "I must love it or else? What's the or else?" He got a bit of a mischievous grin: "you know, I do read the fine print." He was clearly making fun of himself as he mentioned: "Also, your glamour hair is cool, but your fae hair is even cooler."

“I wouldn’t leave you here alone,” Ari told him sincerely. “Not when you need me here.” He hated the thought of Gil being alone and afraid. His fingers curled loosely in Gil’s shirt before he forced himself to let go.

He hummed, “Pfft, you think I’d just include the or else in the fine print? I’m leaving it as or else.” He smiled, “I’ll probably just pull this face at you:” he pouted again, wide-eyed and sad looking, glamour dropping a little to let his eyes get even bigger, freckles popping over the bridge of his nose. “So. You’ve been warned.”

He didn’t say anything in response to the compliment other than to duck his head shyly and drop the rest of his glamour so the two of them were sitting there, in their natural forms (save for his wings as they got in the way).

“Shall I press play?”

Something about Ari saying that he wouldn't leave Gil alone, and Gil was the one holding onto Ari a bit tighter. He wanted to say a lot about it, but Ari was moving away, and he reluctantly let him, shifting, but still maintaining contact with the other fae. "That face is just unfair. You can get whatever you want with that face," he reached out and tapped at the freckle on the nose. "So just know that it's a lot of power you possess, magic or otherwise."

Ari winked at Gil mischievously. “I know, Rowan’s weak for it too. I’ll use my powers for good, I promise.” Gil heaved an exaggerated sigh of relief.

He watched the glamour disappear, and reached out to touch the branches softly, watching Ari be all shy. "See? Awesome," as he bit his lip. "Okay okay, press play, but only with subtitles. Sometimes I find it hard to listen to everything they are saying."

“Sure,” Ari said easily, turning them on and increasing the volume slightly, stilling just briefly when Gil touched his hair again, lips curling upward softly. He nudged Gil’s elbow gently.. “Get comfortable, no more talking. This movie deserves your whole attention.”

"So you keep telling me," he sighed as he curled up next to Ari, knees to his chest and watched the movie quietly. It was a different kind of magic, and he sometimes felt like the story was going over his head, but the house looked cool. It was an interesting story of love and curses and … he half-wondered if there was someone in Faerie who was feeding at least some of this information back. There were shape shifters and conditions, and all of it makes sense. He continued to pick at dinner, as he looked over at Ari afterwards, raising his hand to see if he could now speak.

Ari spent the whole time watching the film, focused intently on it as though it was the first time, bright-eyed and enraptured with the film. When he spotted Gil’s hand raised he chuckled. “Mm?”

The occasional glance at how enraptured Ari was just made Gil smile. He could relate to being totally engrossed in a story, but Ari took it to a whole other level. It was so intense. Like there was nothing there. "So wait, all of them live together happily ever after? Or did i miss something?"

“Yeah, Sophie helps Howl break the curse and get his heart back, and Calcifer decides to stay, and they all live happily ever after, with Howl and Sophie being in love and–yeah. It’s just– different to the books I think? But I haven’t read them.”

Gil hummed, and shifted, as he leaned over and stole a room temp chicken, but it was still good. "There are books?" He clearly didn't know enough about it. "I like the idea of having a happily ever after with adventures." That's all he ever wanted. He glanced over at Ari: "I just like the idea of also breaking curses. Or whatever."

“Yeah, there’s a whole series Ithink? But I’m not—I mean I like reading but I don’t like reading, y’know?” Ari smiled a little, looking over at Gil. “Happily ever after with adventures sounds pretty good to me, too. Maybe when we’re all older, the three of us can have our own adventures. I mean, once we’ve helped you find your things.”

Gil looked at Ari for a second, wondering if the other fae was making this up. Like he wasn't actually thinking about sticking around with Gil for that long. Was he? But Ari seemed so sincere in his statement, and he just wasn't sure how to process it. He bit his lip, avoiding eye contact for a bit, as he tried to figure out why the other fae even cared for him. Rowan? Well, Rowan was stuck with him as a roommate. But Ari was just… nice. With very little in return. He looked over at Ari again, his golden eyes almost confused: "Why would you want to go on adventures with me?"

“Why not?” Ari countered, unaware of Gil’s turmoil and getting to his feet to start packing the food away, “You’re a proven adventurer, I know I’d be safe with you and Rowan and I’d get to spend more time with you. Why wouldn’t I want to?” He tipped his head. “I do enjoy your company, Gil. I don’t hang out with you ‘cause I like Rowan.”

Was Gil even a proven adventurer? He was proven in getting into trouble. But did he want to keep his people safe? Sure. He bit his lip, not really knowing how to parse all of this information. So his mind latched onto something that made sense: Ari liking Rowan. He was pretty sure the feelings were mutual, but that's about it. "I mean - I think you should tell him that. I think he'd like that," he got up to his feet to try and help putting the food away. There was a lot left over. "I just… I'm not the easiest person to be around." He said softly. "Though I guess if you hang out with me, you might run into the Aragorn lookalike." Maybe he'd cross paths with Lumin again. Maybe not. He wasn't sure which one he hoped for. He grabbed two containers, walking towards the fridge to put it away.

“I should tell him what? That I like him? He knows he’s my friend, I’ve told him that.” Ari huffed and closed another container, pushing the fridge open again to let Gil out his way, too. He gave the elf a side-eye. “I told you the Aragorn lookalike is off the table. Even if he does look like Aragorn, messing with him is like…breaking the bro code.”

Gil looked up, confused: "What's the bro code? I umm… I probably wouldn't be messing around with him even if he showed up again. We had a bit of an odd relationship. But like… he actually stuck around." And that was a lot there.

He poked Gil’s shoulder. “Is it that hard to believe that I like hanging out with you? No one’s easy to hang out with all the time, friends make it work anyway.” He wasn’t easy, all emotions and stuff, Rowan would probably have his moments too being a dragon and all. It was just…Ari figured they’d make it work. It was what you did with relationships you were invested in.

"It… is," he said softly, appearing smaller than his usual 5'9" lanky frame. "Not many people did. And I… well, since i started looking like this and such, there haven't been that many people who wanted to hang out with -" he raised his hands as if quoting, as his tone changed to mimic his teacher's voice - "this waste of space. Or was it lost cause? Both really. Definitely got called both." He walked back over to grab more of the containers. "So I guess, thank you. Thank you for sticking around." He coughed, to mask some embarrassment. "And you should tell him, cause judging by the blushing there's more than just friend thing going on." Yeah, great transition Gil.

Ari’s brows furrowed into a frown, focus narrowing to the words Gil was seemingly quoting. “Wait what? Who called you a waste of space?! They should have their oxygen intake reduced dramatically. That’s a shitty thing to say to a person. And no one’s a lost cause, what the fuck.” Ari wasn’t one for swearing all that much but what he knew of Gil was enough that things that impacted his self esteem were the last thing he needed.

Gil actually stopped dead in his tracks, as Ari cursed. For the time he'd known the fae, he hadn't heard him swear. So he put the containers he was holding into the fridge, and walked towards Ari, a small smile on his face. "Did you just literally wish death on someone? Really?" he tilted his head, almost curious: "And did you also say 'fuck'?"

Ari’s eyebrows lifted and even though there was a hint of embarrassment on his features at being called out, his expression was set. “I said what I said.” And then, in a smaller and much shyer voice, looking away, he added, “No one gets to say mean things to you or about you.”

Gil watched Ari get embarrassed, and then look away, his hand coming up and softly guiding Ari's face to look into his, though it took some coaxing. There was a lot of kindness there, and loyalty that he wasn't sure he deserved or earned. But it was there. He could feel it. His tone was soft, as he looked at Ari: "Thank you for caring. It means a lot." He paused and then added. "You mean a lot. I promise that no one will even touch a hair on your head, unless you want them to."

Ari smiled again, curling his fingers around Gil’s wrist and squeezed lightly. “You mean a lot too,” he said sincerely, “and I know. I trust you. Both of you. If you aren’t careful I’ll be moving in, I like it here so much.”

Gil looked down at the hand on his wrist, curling his fingers. Ari felt so solid and real and genuine. "I won't be protesting. You can move in, if you ask me." He bit his lip as he looked at Ari: "I kind of was glad when you agreed. That way I can cuddle you." Cause last time, Rowan was in the middle as an "anti-cold" protection. And then quickly added: "if you are open to that. Cause I can bring extra blankets and then sleep on top of them so you'll still be warm." He did think about it. A lot. Mostly because he needed to get better at seeing if he can control the fire outside of his waking hours. He looked at Ari a bit impishly: "Can I touch your hair?"

Ari laughed and squeezed Gil’s wrist again. “We’d have to check with Rowan before I start packing my stuff up,” he said, thinking about how difficult it would be as an omega living with an alpha. Their…times would be difficult to handle. “I mean Rowan’s bed’s big enough for us both and extra blankets, so we can go there?”

He tilted his head and nodded, stepping away slightly to pick up another container, “And yeah, you can touch my hair but we better finish putting the food away first. I might fall asleep on you.”

"I think he technically is the one on the lease, so yeah," he looked down again at that warm hand around his wrist, his mind flashing back to when he used to grab Lumin's wrist to prevent the other from disappearing on him. Now, now he was feeling like someone didn't want him to disappear. It was such a strange feeling to be wanted and cared for, and he wasn't sure how to even parse that. "I mean, my bed would fit us, but it's a bit of a blow up…" he looked sheepish at that, as he grabbed all the containers. "You can fall asleep on me, mellon," he smiled. "I might pet it, I might kiss it … you know, wild times."

Ari laughed again, nudging past to put the containers in the fridge, “Wild times. We should look at getting you a proper bed too, since you’re sticking around. A blow up mattress isn’t comfortable or good for your back.”

The place looked mostly put away, as he grabbed their utensils, and put them into the dishwasher, looking at Ari, as the other finished up. "I mean, if you want wild times, we could, but - hear me out - those get really awkward on the blow up bed." Because he - ahem - had an experience. "Oh? You going to help me find a comfy bed to sleep on?" His golden eyes glinted. "Cause I do want your opinion on it."

Ari coughed, choking on his inward breath at the mischief in Gil’s eyes and he smacked his friend lightly in the upper arm. “You’re the worst,” he teased with a big smile to show that yes, he was only teasing in response to Gil’s teasing. “But in the interest of protecting your spinal health… yes, I’ll help you get a comfy bed. Though we might need Rowan’s help to put it together and carry it in. I’m not strong enough to help you with my noodle arms.”

Ari's blushiness was adorable, as he mentioned to Rowan before, but then there was the choking and coughing. "Hey hey, you okay." He grinned. "I get it. I'm not the one you want, and that's okay." And that part was said with total sincerity. He would never want to make the other fae feel like Ari had to want Gil. He didn't. And Gil really was okay with it. Maybe pouty - but okay. He squeezed Ari's upper arm, and grinned: "you know, I bet you have more strength there than you give yourself credit for." He nodded out of the kitchen. "Okay, so, where are we sleeping tonight? And I think we can still go to get furniture - wherever that is. It'd be a quest. For the bed." His eyes went wide. "The one bed to rule them all– " But then he started laughing "oh god, One bed to rule them all and in the darkness bind them. Wow, that sounds … wow." He was giggling, truly not expecting that sentence to end up the way it did.

Ari looked delighted at the butchered Lord of the Rings quote, clapping his hands and nudging the fridge door closed. He wasn’t sure why his chest tightened in something like…something? Something not nice when Gil said Ari didn’t want him. It wasn’t true, but Ari—well, Ari was confused about the way he felt for Rowan and Gil.

“Even though that took an unexpectedly kinky turn, I’m very proud of you. We’ll go furniture shopping before the weekend’s over and then when the delivery comes, I’ll make drinks and watch you two carry heavy things around.”

"You know, I discovered that this alcohol does nothing to me. Like - I can barely get tipsy from it," he teased, and held out a hand to Ari. "See? I remember something from that elf and hobbit propaganda film." Because it seriously was. "Okay, but this time you are also ending up shirtless." Last time it was just him and Rowan for obvious reasons with the blood. It'd be much more pleasant for everyone if that wasn't the case. He pulled Ari a little closer, and leaned in to presse a kiss to the fae's forehead. "Thank you for being you. I'm very lucky."

Ari smiled and hummed a little, pleased and touched enough that he didn’t have any words for it. He just waved a hand demonstratively and then in a sort of ‘me too’ gesture. Clearing his throat, and falling back into a tease that was easier for him to process, Ari said, “I’ll need more than soda and Chinese food to get shirtless,” and then with a grin headed out of the kitchen area in search of blankets, throwing over his shoulder as he went, “and no I will not be elaborating.”

Gil snorted, as he followed Ari to the closet to grab blankets and whispering: "soda and Chinese food and a willing pair of hands," as he wiggled his fingers at Ari, clearly teasing. First, blankets.

Blankets, after all, would be needed.