Fade Into the Magic

Chapter 3

Dorian's astronomy tower was far enough away from the heart of Firthwaite that the alarms in the early morning didn't bother them; either that or they had spent the entire previous day being drunk. He's not sure, but he won't let it happen again. Either way, he slept in decently late, until the sound of rain sounded off the roof of the observatory. Was that really what woke them? Apparently not, as soon they hear a rapping knock on their front door. People! Dorian rushes to smooth out his pajama shirt, slip on a pair of slippers, and ran down the (maybe a little too many) stairs down to the base level of the tower. He peeps through the peephole; it was Adonai! The person who came to check on him every once in a while. Dorian felt that they were very good friends. He opens the door.

Adonai was here for business. They were tasked by their job to monitor Dorian's overall wellbeing, and stop by once or twice a month. Give the idea that they were a polite neighbor who was maybe a little too into the other neighbor's business. Adonai, however, didn't really live next to OR near Dorian. Adonai was from the distant suburbs, while Dorian's tower was in the forest near the ocean. "Ah, Dorian! My lovely friend. How are you doing today?" It was pretty sad to trek all the way here through the rain, but at least they have a posh bubble umbrella propped up over them.

"Hey!! I'm doing pretty good." Dorian smiles some, scratching at a spot on his cheek a little shyly. Adonai was... plenty much more dressed than they were. Should they go up and change? Should they apologise? Common courtesy... "Come on in! I don't want you getting wet." They stand back as an invitation.

The mage takes it, closing and shaking their umbrella and wiping off their boots before stepping inside. The tower always smelled like sugar cookies to them. What they carried along with them, however, probably accentuated the smell. They track over to a side table and lay down a small fancy packaged box. "I brought you more sweets!" Adonai proclaims, smiling widely. "This time, it's maple candied walnuts. I thought that would fit your taste."

Dorian's eyebrows raise as he shuffles over to the box, opening it, throwing the bow to the side. "Mmm! These smell really good." They reach in and pop one in their mouth, a look of happiness on their face as they savor it. "Yhmmhhy," they report, mouth full.

Adonai lets out a soft laugh. Dorian was definitely not the type of person they would normally pursue; for friendships or otherwise. They would not be coming here on a regular basis if not for their work. However, something about Dorian's optimism made it less of a pain in the ass to come. Although some of the things he said were quite meaningless, all had a tinge of innocence. "How's your studying been going? Learn anything fascinating that you'd like to share?"

The astronomer's eyes light up, and he takes a more... knowledgeable stance. "Umm... Mercury! You know, the.. it's one of the planets you can see with your bare eye. Do you wanna know how fast it travels?" They pause for dramatic effect while also eating another walnut. "Want one?"

"Hmm... Let me take a guess here." By now they've settled into an armchair, and cross their legs elegantly. "Faster than Earth. And, er, no thank you! I made them especially for you. I've got plenty more at home."

"You're right! It's super super fast. Like... a hundred THOUSAND miles an hour!" The grin across Dorian's face is wide and genuine, and even Adonai can't resist a soft smile in return.

"That's an impressive speed. What about you? Would you like to travel that fast?"

"Oh, nonono! Heh, if I went that fast the pressure would cave my chest in. And my skull." They frown, thoughtfully. "I mean, being ON Mercury would be cool though. The gravity would keep me on the land and then I wouldn't cave in. Just like how Earth travels super fast too, at amazing speeds..." He continues onward, blabbing about speeds of lights and Neptune's rings. Adonai is glad that they have no cause to be alarmed.