More Paperwork

[Pearce Lockheed]

Just when Aralore seemed to be settling in, something else inevitably happened. People wondered why the nobleman was so nervous all the time. But he had lived through multiple wars, the deaths of monarchs, the kidnapping and near assassination of another, an entire small nation migrating to a new home...and every time, he knew it wasn't the end of conflict. He still hoped it was.

The death of the foreign king had been alarming. He did not miss the man, but he had had an alliance. He had pulled Tresteria together. Now, their ally was floundering with a child King (due to their own stagnant traditional values) but either way it left both Tresteria and Aralore vulnerable. It was up to other allies.

He had been a soldier once. Briefly. Hilariously. After all the teaching his father had forced on him, Pearce had turned his sights on educating and building rather than fighting and destroying. But he had relented, once. And after vowed never again. He hoped to keep that promise.

Pearce was reviewing student reports and instructor reports and worker reports, running a casual eye over the papers. He would have to really read all of them later but right now...he leaned back in the comfortable chair in his study, turning to look out the window at the new city and the old castle. There was always something else to worry about here.

He sighed and then jumped as his cat chose that same momwnt to vacate the top of one of the bookshelves. She was a large sleak blue leopard printed beast (still very much a house cat, but she behaved wild enough) and she owned the manor. As such, she leapt onto the desk and curled up on the papers. "I was reading those, Breeze," he observed. The cat swished her tail, unconcerned and likely not even listening to him. Pearce watched her for a moment and then looked back out the window, enjoying the evening warmth that coated the isle in gold.

Zander Brogthamon

[Zander Brogthamon]

Zander had finished his first shift of the day and done his training now he wanted to relax. With his sister off playing with some of her friends the boy took to going to see his other closest friend in Aralore, Pearce. Though they'd been living in Aralore for some time now he still got anxious being away from his sister for extended periods of time. He worried about her safety when he wasn't around. Since he knew he couldn't keep an eye on her all the time the nobleman had been to one he'd began turning to to ease his mind.

Zander was far too familiar with the manor and its servants. They barely paid him any mind at all anymore. After asking one of the maids where he could find the head of the house he made his way to the mans office. After three quick knocks he entered the room with a bright smile. "Honey I'm home." He called playfully as he shut the door behind him. The redhead made his way towards the desk to give the cat an affectionate scratch under the chin before turning his attention back to Pearce.

[Pearce Lockheed]

He found himself with quite a lot of acquaintances due to his work as a teacher. Two such were the Brogthamons. He had become especially close with the elder brother, Zander and the two sought comfort and an ease from anxiety in the other. He wasn't sure friends was the right word, but it certainly wasn't the wrong one.

His servants were also far to familiar with the young man, as if the man lived at the new Lockheed manor.

Pearce jumped slightly at the knock and then chuckled. "You can't just say that, Zander." Aralore was rather accepting and progressive and not particularly worried about romance all things considered, but it was still not appropriate in an unofficial setting. Luckily this was a private setting at least. There was still a lot of pressure on the head of the family to actually marry and have his own heir. Not that he was really looking.

Despite the comment, he returned the young man's smile. "You're worse that she is. Acting like you own the p-place. Anything exciting today on duty?"

[Zander Brogthamon]

"Funny, because I'm pretty sure I just said it." He teased with a soft laugh. Of course he knew what Pearce meant. The nobleman was quite a bit older than he was and there were some expectations on him. Even if no one really cared about particular sexual preferences it still wasn't exactly appropriate. Not that the boy really cared about that.

"I own ever place I walk into." Zander stated with a confident smile. He really was far too much like a cat. Speaking of he watched the feline jump from the desk to circle his legs as he stretched. "Nothing much really. Though it did start raining a little during training which was kind of weird." He said with a shrug of his shoulders before walking around the desk to stand closer to Pearce. "Anything exciting happen with you today?" He sat on the edge of the desk, careful not to disrupt any papers that the man might have been working on. "Why don't you take a break?"

[Pearce Lockheed]

Pearce rolled his eyes. Sometimes, Zander impressed him with exactly how annoying he could be. It was still largely endearing, unforunately. He liked having company, especially one he felt he could talk to about practically anything. They were still refining that relationship of course. Zander might not care, but Pearce worried enough for both of them. He had a family line to continue somehow. Eventually. Maybe.

He took it back. Zander was worse Breeze. The two seemed to get along, at least, which was a good thing because Pearce wasn't about to tolerate any cat fights, especially not in his own home.

He raised an eyebrow. A little weird. It hadn't looked like rain today.

"Ah, yes actually, a v-very large talking feline sat on my paperwork. He was rather enjoyable to converse with, though he needed to be taught a repeat lesson on personal space." He teased. Pearce felt a lot more comfortable with Zander around. He stammered a little sometimes but not quite so much.

"A break?" He asked honestly. And when did he had time to do that? Well, actually he sort of had been taking one but. "It's just reading." Maybe some editing since the papers from today's students were more advanced. Sometimes he taught children, sometimes adults, sometimes basic letter, and sometimes proper grammar. It wasn't alwaus in a classroom setting but often as a one on one tutor. He tried to remain flexible and most instruct he did on a weekly as opposed to daily basis, expecting practice to be done in spare time. Which meant he was busy rotating through a lot of pupils. But he enjoyed the work.

"Perhaps, if you would like to read the history papers on how the war with Saelis started? Then I can be free sooner?" Because Zander could brush up on his reading too. It shouldn't be new information at least. Just proving that the specific class of young adults could put their understanding of history into words on paper.

[Zander Brogthamon]

Zander rather enjoyed annoying Pearce. Of course he had fun being a general pest but the nobleman was the most fun. Watching him roll his eyes only served to fuel his desire to tease him. The comment of a 'large feline' sitting on his desk and disrupting his work made the boy snicker. "Oh yeah? And do you plan on supplying that lesson?" He purred with a flirtatious smile.

Zander was a flirt. He had been since he left home. Some people had started considering it part of his charm. He found it most fun to flirt with Pearce though. He wasn't entirely sure why though. Okay, that was a lie, he was fully aware why. He just didn't want to admit it.

The idea of reading some history papers made him groan dramatically. When he was living with his parents Zander hadn't exactly been taught to read. He'd certainly picked up a bit but it was very basic, and not something he was proud of. Pearce had been the one to really start teaching the boy to read and write but he still struggled with it but he was getting better. "Can I sit on your lap while I read?" It was partially a joke, partially not.

[Pearce Lockheed]

The nobleman was keenly aware that Zander liked to make him mildly uncomfortable. He understood less why exactly that was but he did know Zander never liked to push him too far. Usually. The young man was an aggressive flirt.

"Perhaps. After these p-papers." He knew exactly what the boy was getting at. Whether that happened or not was a different matter, but he didn't make promises only to break them.

He didn't need to groan outwardly for Pearce to know he wasn't thrilled about being roped into such a thing. Pearce hadn't been surprised the boy and his sister hadn't been taught to read. Not very many were. But it was something he wished to changed. To make better about his home. To keep himself busy. Teaching Zander was one of those ways. And it had started their relationship but not defined it.

Pearce blinked at Zander's words. He wasn't sure he had heard the boy correctly. Sitting on his lap? Perhaps not the most forward thing they had done together but it was still a bit new. "Ah, s-sure?" He shifted a bit in the chair that was not designed for two grown people. But the more he thought about it the more he blushed. "Cats don't ask, at least," he mumbled, smiling.

He patted his lap softly.

[Zander Brogthamon]

"I'll hold you to that." When the man pat his lap Zander couldn't help but wiggle happily. It might have been an odd request but he was glad that the man had agreed. The comment on cats not asking to sit on his lap made him chuckle though.

"Well, I'm a bit bigger than your average house cat." He commented as he plopped himself onto Pearces lap. He leaned against the desk to keep some of his weight off, not wanting to break the chair that wasn't meant for two adult mens weight. He grabbed a few of the papers that were labeled with history. The reading wasn't anything new to him but it was good help to brush up on his reading.

[Pearce Lockheed]

He sighed, partly resigned, partly amused. Hold him to it then and see what would happen.

Plopped was a fitting word for it. Pearce grunted faintly, even as the boy tried to keep most of his weight off of him. He had little doubt the chair could handle it. His lap...well it remained to be seen.

Breeze hopped back up on the desk the moment Zander vacated it, keen on claiming the warmth he left behind. Zander would have to nudge her off the papers before he pulled them up.

Pearce leaned forwars around the young man so he could look through the rest of the papers. It was only eight in total at least. "Just don't expect me to read out loud to you, hmm?" Implying Zander was capable himself. But it was also nice to tease him back. "Sounding out loud can help if you need it." Pearce shifted through the papers quickly enough. He'd always been a quick reader himself. He settled his free hand around Zander's waist when he didnt need to move the pages.

[Zander Brogthamon]

Zander was gentle enough to pick Breeze up before setting her on the ground at their feet to grab the papers. It seemed she was happy to hop right back up onto the desk and rub her face against his hand as he tried to hold the papers. The boy pet her head for a bit before shooing her away again trying to focus on the words in front of him.

It was still fairly embarrassing for him to struggle. While he knew there were plenty of people who couldn't read, his sister was also still learning, it was a sore spot for him. His brows furrowed a bit but he was a bit surprised he found the page easier to read than the last time he'd helped Pearce with some of his paper work. Occasionally he'd pause to ask the man what a word was or ask for help pronouncing something but it wasn't as often.

After he'd read through the papers he set them aside and stretched out to lie his torso across the desk. "There, finished." He grumbled with a soft sigh. Zander crossed his arms to rest his head on them with a sigh.

"Are we done now?"

[Pearce Lockheed]

Thankfully, wild though she sometimes was, Breeze was quite a friendly creature. And considering Zander showed her all the affection she could want most of the time, she didn't hold his nudging against him. She leapt from the desk to make a tour of the manor after that.

Pearce liked having the feline around. Sure she couldn't understand him but she was someone to talk to. And she liked to cuddle and go for walks. Both things he needed.

Pearce didn't tease about Zander's slight inability to read. Encouraging him to read more though...that he did. But when asked for help, he offered gentle nudges. In truth, the boy was quite good at it. Beyond what most commoners might have hoped to achieve. It was clear from his need to ask less and less. When he did, Pearce provided gently pronunciations or hints to what the word meant until he landed on it himself.

"We are as long as those all made sense?" Pearce would read them again and made notes later.

Pearce finished reading his before Zander did but he didn't rush the young man. He smirked at Zander's dramatics. "If you're that exhausted, the intimacy lesson can w-wait," he suggested, while at the same time setting down his own papers and wrapping his other arm around the boy and pulling him into a hug. Because if nothing else he needed one of those.

[Zander Brogthamon]

Zander knew it would take him longer to read through the papers than it would Pearce. Unlike most people though he didn't rush the redhead to finish or offer him 'help' in the form of just telling him what the words were. The papers had made enough sense to him to a degree though he was second guessing himself. Not that he would admit it. "They made sense to me." He had no doubt the man would reread the papers later but it was still a good brush up on his reading skills.

"I'm not terribly exhausted." He purred with a grin. As he was pulled into a hug Zander couldn't help the brighter smile that crossed his lips. It was nice to be able to be close with someone that wasn't trying to hit him. It was still a feeling he was getting used to, mostly with men. "Have you eaten anything recently?"

[Pearce Lockheed]

He prefered to let the young man achieve at his own pace. And he wasn't in a rush to get him off his lap. He trusted Zander and his reading level enough to knkw there were no glaringly obvious problems. This specific class seemed just about finished, at least as far as the level he was set to bring them to.

"Oh really?" He hummed the question, nuzzling his face into Zander's back. Pearce had been through a lot in his life. And he had a feeling Zander had too. Not what exactly, but the nobleman was more than a little opposed to hurting anyone for quite a few of his own reasons already.

Food. Right. "N-no," he said with a blush. He leaned back but didn't remove his hold on Zander. He was thinking about something other than food right now. He sometimes forgot about things like eating and sleeping, maybe a little too focused on his work.

[Zander Brogthamon]

He tensed for a spilt second as Pearce nuzzled into his back. Given the scars along his back it was a sensitive area for him. Something he was still trying to get past. It was easier with the other nobleman though. Though he still had a knee jerk panic reaction he was quick to relax again.

It wasn't too much a surprise to hear he hadn't eaten but Zander still frowned. "Well how about we have something to eat first? I'm starving." He wasn't really that hungry but Pearce needed to eat. "I think it should be dry enough to eat outside if you want." The boy reached back to affectionately run his fingers through the mans hair for a moment before pulling himself up from his embrace. "After that you can give me that lesson." He teased with a wink as he offered a hand to help him up.

[Pearce Lockheed]

He knew the young man was sensitive in more ways than one. But he was gentle and he really liked the young man and wanted hin to be comfortable with him and comfortable in general. It wasn't that he was specifically in the moment trying to tell the boy he loved and cared about every inch of him, but it was just a simple gesture of affection that really meant all of that.

Pearce probably would ha e shied away from that frown if he could see it. Not in fear per say but because he knew he was guilty of not looking out for himself.

"The cook likely has something almost prepared," he said. He wasn't ever specific about what he wanted to eat, just expect there to be food. He glanced out the window and it was rather nice out still. "Outside is lovely," he said, leaning his head into Zander's touch.

He took his hand and stood. He did need it, after having been sat on. "Oh you mean this invasion of space wasn't the lesson?" Pearce smiled. It wasn't a no to his teasing.

Pearce led them to the courtyard of the villa, pausing to request dinner outside this evening. While table and chairs and places were set, as well as food finished, they walked the rear grounds. The villa itself was a small three story footprint with and extended addition for a library as well as an external garden area. The central courtyard was made of large square cut stones and waa just now in shade for the evening. A few new vines were being encouraged to grow up the sides of the building.

"How is your sister?"