Everything is Awkward

[Pearce Lockheed]

He had gotten used to dinner with Percival. Almost. It had been a little awkward at first, explaining that Zander was in fact a friend as well as a student and his younger sister and he lived...nearby and he found them good company. He was positive his cousin didn't approve, but he couldn't complain too much seeing as he needed a place to stay.

Pearce largely stayed out of Percival's business when he was at the manor. From what he saw, the man made use of every ounce of his allowance. The noble couldn't help but wonder if the man had made any friends. Perhaps he should talk to him more. Even if he could be a bit frustrating to speak to.

Normally after dinner, he retired to his study to review papers or reports or even just to have a personal moment to himself. Often he drank tea to help him relax, especially before bed. Occasionally, Zander joined him descreetly. He had relented in the face of the stress and backtracked on his rule of Zander not sleeping with him with his cousin around. It was risky maybe, but he didn't sleep well otherwise and he simply liked having the redhead next to him. And banging him. He liked that too.

Tonight, however, he invited Percival and Zander to join him for a walk in the garden. With brandy or whiskey for them and tea for himself. He wasn't sure he could even stand the smell of alcohol anymore after last time he got drunk.

Polite chitchat had been covered over dinner, such as daily routines and gossip and what Briella was studying and if Zander had fought any thugs and Pearce's tentative position as royal bookkeeper and whatever it was Percival was up to. But he sort of wanted to know more and if he could do more. "You've settled into the house?" It had been...a week or so already.

Percival Lockheed
Zander Brogthamon

[Zander Brogthamon]

Zander was not comfortable at all with Percival staying at the manor. Not only did he now feel like he needed to walk on eggshells every time the other blonde was about. It was bad enough he couldn't be affectionate with Pearce as much as he wanted in public but to also have to contain himself at his home. Not to mention not being able to just travel as freely around the manor as he had before.

Still, he kept his frustrations to himself. He understood more or less why Percival was there. Something about his family sending him away. He knew that Pearce was stressed about the whole situation as well and he didn't want to cause anymore trouble for the man. As much as the spoiled brat made his blood boil he'd grit his teeth and smile. At least he was allowed to sleep next to Pearce some nights. He would have exploded by now if that weren't the case.

Walking in the garden was made easier with a glass of whisky at least. Briella stayed in their little home with their puppy as Percival stared at the redhead. The small talk fine enough but Zander just wanted to be alone with his boyfriend.

When asked if he'd settled into the house Percival nodded. "Well enough. Though the girl chasing around the dog and your cat gets rather annoying sometimes." Zander visibly tensed at the mention of his sister and took a deep breath to try and steady himself.

"Her name is Briella." He tried to sound civil but there was almost a growl to his voice.

[Pearce Lockheed]

'Exploded' might be a bit extreme for the nobleman, but he too would have been even more frazzled if not for the small comfort of Zander in his bed. It was the only real private space the couple had in the manor, after all. If not for those moments and a few others, Pearce wasn't sure what would happen. He was honestly amazed Zander hadn't punched his cousin yet. To be fair to Perci, he hadn't been entirely an asshole. Yet.

"Ah, well...b-be glad she does or my cat might bother you more." Breeze was friendly. Sometimes too friendly. And of course, Percival lived in her house so she was well within her right to be nosy.

Pearce knew he shouldn't be so stressed. But family put him on edge and Perci did so easily. Having Zander around was both a blessing and a curse for his nerves. At least he could look at the redhead and draw some confidence from the man. He tried to in turn provide Zander some reassurance, giving hin a small smile.

"Breeze is apt to bring newcomers...p-presents. In the form of mice." He winced. She had brought him one the other day. Needless to say he had promptly fainted.

[Percival Lockheed]

The way the soldier spoke to him made Percival scrunch his nose at him in distaste. The idea of some commoner speaking to him like that was enough to make his skin crawl but he wouldn't say anything for now. As much as he didn't understand why he did know that the redhead was close to Pearce for some reason. Perhaps the man was just too soft hearted. Though it made him question if the man could truly handle being head of the family he wouldn't say such out loud.

The idea of Breeze bringing him some other dead creature made his skin crawl. He certainly didn't want any of that. They'd had a few mousers at his family manor but they certainly weren't kept as pets. They were simply there to keep out any pests. "I would much prefer she didn't do that."

Percival watched as the redhead dragged his fingers through his hair. He didn't understand why the man seemed so upset. If he didn't like being around him so much he could just go back to his own home. "My family didn't keep pets but we had three mousers that wandered the grounds." As Zander took a long drink from his glass he was taken aback and laughed a bit.

"My father also always said children were to be seen and not heard. He'd be having none of running around like that. Especially from a commoner."

Zander turned a snarl on the blonde and grit his teeth. "Well luckily for us, your father isn't here." That comment made Percival sneer himself as he glared at the soldier.

"I suppose so. For you."

[Pearce Lockheed]

He had rather hoped his mention of Breeze occupying her time with presents in the form of dead animals would convince Percival to lean off of Briella. It did seem to work. For a few moments.

Pearce kept his anxiety to himself however and finished his tea quickly. Too quickly the stuff didn't taste all that much better with lemon. Also, it didn't seem to be helping. Maybe he could get Zander and Percival to drink some of it and it would help them cool off. Even when he had been that age, he had not been so aggressive. They both presented as more alpha males than he did, he supposed.

Of course their bickering was largely his fault. Zander was slighted just by having to deal with the man's interferance with his personal life and Percival was slighted because he was an inexperienced man of wealth who didn't know any better than how he had been raised. Well, granted Pearce couldn't do much about how Percival was raised but...well he could perhaps attempt to be a more constructive influence than his father had been.

Seen and not heard. The noble shivered. No. No, he refused to go down that line of thinking.

"Even were Pierre here, he would not...not hold any authority," he interjected, attempting to remind the young men to behave. They had poked at each other a lot over the last few days and it was clear both understood how to get under the other's skin the most. "Briella has my permission and does not need anyone else's. Besides p-perhaps her brother's."

[Zander Brogthamon]

If looks could kill Percival would have been dead ten times over. Zander was a soldier, a disciplined man as much as he often appeared impulsive. He knew how to control himself but the blonde seemed to know just the right strings to pull to really rile him up. Though his own frustrations didn't matter. What mattered to him was making sure Pearce was happy and if that meant he had to put up with some rich little brat then so be it.

Still, it made him wonder if Perci and Pearce were actually related. They were so starkly different from the way they talked, how they treated others, even down to how they walked. If they were related their upbringing couldn't have been much different so why had Pearce turned out so differently? "Bri knows to be on her best behavior." He stated in a much softer, sweeter tone than he'd been speaking just a moment ago.

"Is that what you call best behavior?" Percival asked with a laugh. Even the mans laugh was enough to make Zander want to hit him. With a grit of his teeth he set the glass in his hand down before he was too tempted to smash it over the blondes head. Calm and collected. He needed to stay calm and collected. Still, he couldn't help the way his hands balled into fists at his side. "You look ready to fight." Percival observed with a snicker. "Are you always this angry?"

The question made a sinister smile curl on Zanders lips. "Yeh wanna find out, ya plucsheadáinín?" For years Zander had done his best to cover his accent so as to not make himself stand out so much. Though it seemed the more furious he got the heavier it came out.

Plucsheadáinín=Swollen-cheeked little parasite

[Pearce Lockheed]

Pearce realized finally that the problem wasn't their situations but each other that the two young men couldn't stand. They seemed opposed to each other on principle. Which...come to think of it, from what he knew of the two they were very different. Well, besides in how annoying they could be. They both had that in spades.

Pearce had, in fact, been raised to be a spoiled brat who wanted more affection from his family than he actually got. Until he got said affection the wrong way. He had discovered quite a lot about himself but only after his parents were put of the picture was he finally able to be himself. Zander had a similar plight. And Percival...well, hopefully being away from his own less than stellar parents might help.

The obvious difference between the two, as far as Pearce understood it, wasn't something he wanted to think about.

He listened to them argue over Briella hoping for the other to give them an excuse to start a real fight or admit defeat, closing his eyes for a moment. Maybe this walk had been a bad idea. Pearce had no idea what Zander called his cousin, but he understood an insult when he hesrd one.

"That's...that's enough, both of you," he insisted. It was was more of a plea than an order. A hope that one or voth of them would step back and calm down. Before he made them. The noble would, if he had to. He just prefered not to. Being pushed to the end of his rope wasn't something he embraced. As long as they weren't in each other's faces or fighting...

[Zander Brogthamon]

The rumbling sound of thunder in the distance only served to prove just how far the blonde was pushing him. Though he didn't understand it either the insult made Percival scrunch his nose in disgust. "Oh nice, gutter talk. How fitting for someone like you." That only made Zander laugh. Insults thrown at him directly didn't have any effect on him. Not the way someone insulting his sister did.

"Oh yeh 'aven't heard gutter talk yet ya bogán." As he took a threatening step forward Percival quickly took a step back. As much as he tried to appear unafraid he'd never been in a real fight before. Still, the comment from Pearce made him pause. Zander turned to look at the noble and chewed on his bottom lip. Weighing his options on whether it was worth hitting the other blonde.

With a deep breath he took two steps back, as if he were backing down. That is before a wicked grin crossed his lips. As Percival huffed and nervously straightened out his shirt Zander flicked his wrist causing a very strong gust of wind to pass him and knock the unsuspecting boy over. It had been a very long time since the redhead had actively used his magic on someone. It felt good.

Percival hit the ground with a surprised yelp as Zander bit back a snicker. "Ya, alright there?"

bogán=a spineless person

[Pearce Lockheed]

The thunder made him jump slightly. Less because of the thunder and more because he knew that meant Zander was angry. He and Percival had argued a lot but never to the point of...well, insults. Pearce put up a tentative warning hand when Zander stepped toward Percival but it seemed his cousin's reluctance to get into a fight defused some of the pressing tension. He could tell none of it made Zander feel any better.

"P-perhaps we should go back inside?" He began, glancing at the storming slowly building overheard and then at both men, lingering on Zander for a bit longer.

The gust didn't hit Pearce directly, but wind took up a lot of space and he certainly felt it tug at his sleeves and shirt and hair quite powerfully. He surprised and confused for a moment, especially at Percival being pulled entirely off his feet. At least until he caight the smirk from Zander. The noble bit his lip, refraining from calling the boy out. It wasn't his place to mention Zander's magic. In fact, Pearce hardly even glared at Zander until he snickered.

He offered his cousin his hand and would help him to his feet if allowed. "There's a st-strong storm coming in. Zander, you should check on your s-sister." He gave his boyfriend a meaningfully stern look. He was not happy. Just because he hadn't directly touched his cousin didn't mean he condoned this sort of use of magic. This was exactly why people feared such things. If it weren't for making sure Percival was alright and the fact Zander was his boyfriend, Pearce might have felt afraid himself.

Needless to say, the noble had a lot of words for the redhead. A lot.

[Percival Lockheed]

Percival was less surprised by being knocked over and more surprised by the wind. Where the hell had that come from? The weather was perfectly fine a moment ago and it hadn't looked like there was any kind of storm approaching. Suddenly there was quiet thunder and heavy wind? It didn't make sense. When Pearce offered him a hand back to his feet Percival took it but frowned. "That was odd." He grumbled mostly to himself as he looked at the darkening sky.

The suggestion to check on his sister seemed to make the redhead surprised. Percival watched his eyes widen a bit before he frowned like a kicked puppy. Still, Zander nodded and turned to walk. "Enjoy your walk home in the storm." That comment seemed to make the redhead pause and laugh.

"Oh don't worry, boy. It won't be a long walk." That confused Percival. Were there commoners living very close to the manor? Still, he followed his cousin back inside as the thunder became louder overhead. "It was good of you to send him home. Commoners get so violent." He stated with another small huff.

[Pearce Lockheed]

Pearce wasn't pleased with either man's behavior at the moment. Zander being outright aggressive, even if Percival didn't know it, was not okay. Granted the nobleman had never rrally seen Zander in a real fight outside sparring, but he had come to expect more self control from the young soldier.

"Percival, sarcasm d-doesn't look good on you," he advised, watching Zander walk away. He did not move from his place in the gardens. Not becaise he didn't want to, but he was a bit...well, he worried Zander was mad at him again. Had he been that harsh? He simply wanted to give one of the two an excuse to walk away before a real fight happened. He wasn't sending the man away out of embarrassment. He was sending him to get some air.

"I don't control him. And Zander is not violent," Pearce noted. Was Zander martial? Was he inclined to meet a physical act of violence with his own physical confrontation? Yes. But seeing him lash out like that had been surprising even for Pearce. Perhaps that was what had him rooted to the spot. It was concerning. Maybe...he should rethink some of the words he had initially wanted to share.

Pearce glanced at his cousin finally with a frown. "I don't want to hear you refer to him like that again. His name is Zander. Aralore might have an upper and a lower class but you are hardly entitled to superiority you have not earned." The words left his mouth almost before he even realized it and he snapped his teeth shut with an audible click. It took all of his willpower not to blush. He did not, however, feel any need to apologize.

[Percival Lockheed]

Percival didn't pay much attention to the comment on his sarcasm. Most of the time he was simple told to shut his mouth or keep quiet. Given that he was in a space he hadn't been told that yet how he talked wasn't really his concern. Zander at least recognized he needed some space away from Percival to blow off steam. Still, he didn't like the idea that Pearce was upset with him, but he wouldn't apologize for what he said or did to his cousin.

"Not violent? Are you sure about that?" Just moments ago the man had looked like he was ready to rip Percivals head off. And he was quite certain he would have had his cousin not said anything. At least it seemed the redhead respected him that much.

For a moment he was stunned silent by how Pearce stood up for the redhead. He wasn't sure if it was because he'd never heard his cousin speak like that or if it was fear of a man in authority being upset with him that made him hold his tongue. Still, he looked down and fiddled with the hem of his shirt nervously, unable to make eye contact with Pearce. That was certainly because of the fear. "Why defend him? Why do you care so much about him? My father says people like him are beneath us. He's not even from Aralore. Did you hear him? What language even was that?"

[Pearce Lockheed]

Honestly, Pearce was not so sure about that. He didn't say anything further on the point and only grimaced uncertainly at Percival's question. No, he knew Zander wasn't like that normally. His cousin's mouth had the older man worn a little thin too, even without Zander around.

The silence only made the noble more embarrassed and alarmed at himself. Was he an authority figure? Yes. Of course. He knew that. But it wasn't often he pushed that authority around. And now he had twice between the two young men who lived with him. It didn't make him comfortable. But he supposed theirbickering was more stressful, especially since it had come to blows. Almost. Still...Pesrce didn't appreciate that it took him being upset to have a peaceful evening.

And really, Percival was not allowing it to be any more peaceful than Zander had.

He took a deep breath and tried to calm down despite the barrage. So much for that tea. Pearce closed his eyes for a moment but that hardly helped. He grit his teeth and massaged his temple against a growing headache. Just breathe.

"Because I...I care about him," he asserted, knowing full well he was mostly repeating Percival's question back and not really answering but he didn't have an answer he was comfortable giving. "T-Teronnian. I...expect you to tr-treat him - and his sister - as equals." He was less and less confident as he spoke, the wave of frustration passing and settling back to anxiety.

He shifted uncomfortably and then turned toward the manor. The storm wasn't nesrly so bad but he wasn't sure it would be disapating any time soon. He needed to ask Heather for more tea before he asked for brandy again. There had to be something else he could do to get a moment to relax.

[Percival Lockheed]

Percival couldn't wrap his head around why Pearce cared about the redhead so much. He was some nobody soldier. What could he possibly provide to a noble that was of any value? "He's just some nobody." He grumbled as his arms crossed over his chest. The comment on being expected to treat them as equals made him want to laugh. Equals? They weren't even close to being equals. They were nothing! Though he wouldn't say as much out loud. Pearce had made his stance pretty clear and he wasn't in any position to argue it.

Zander had calmed down a considerable amount. At least after stepping away from the source of his anger and getting some air. Heavy, dark clouds still hung in the sky and there was the occasional rumble of thunder but the threat of a storm had more or less disappeared. Once he was calmer the redhead found Heather and asked her to speak to Pearce for him.

"I have a feeling he's not all too happy with me and I just want to apologize to him." To him, not the other blonde. Zander couldn't give a rats ass about how Perci felt. The idea of upsetting his boyfriend though didn't sit right with him. He wanted to make things right but he'd wait for Pearce to be ready to talk to him. Until then he'd be running.

[Pearce Lockheed]

Percival was wrong. Pearce wasn't in the mood to argue over it anymore than he already had. The little he had managed had made him nervous enough afterward.

Heather would see to it that Percival was attended to after the meal with anything he needed. It was rather standard for the woman and her staff. What was unusual was the master of the house seemed more than aggitated.

The nobleman desperately wanted to take a bath. To inhale some calming lavender and just relax. But he was, he found, far to nervous to sit still. So he found himself pacing the library and nursing a growing headache. He attempted to read to himself while he walked the central area back and forth but his eyes hurt too much for that so he stopped almost before he started.

That was where Heather found him.

"Lord Lockheed, Master Zander wished me to tell you-"

"Tell Zander he can-" Pearce caught himself and blushed. "Ah, sorry. I'm n-not..."

"I'll get you more tea," Heather said easily. She was concerned more than upset at being interrupted. "And something for a headache?"

Pearce nodded. "Where is he?" He asked softly.

"Out for a run, milord."

Pearce nodded again. Right. That made it difficult to get to him. "When you see him..." Tell him what?

"Tell him where to find you. Of course, sir." She left, to be replaced by another servant lighting the fire and then another bringing tea and a tray of cheese and crackers because he still wasn't eating much only Hesther could only provide food, not command anything.

Pearce stopped pacing and settled against one of the windows to drink and watch the clouds. That Zander had asked Heather to be a middle man was awkward. Yes, he didn't know how to explain to Percival, but Pearce didn't want his boyfriend to think he couldn't talk to him any time he wanted. Maybe this was his fault. Well, of course it was. If he just had the balls enough to come out and tell Percival and Primrose and the rest of his family... Wpuld that fix everything? Probably not. But he still felt more and more guilty and less and less angry.