The Way Caraval Used To Be

He is not what he seems

"I want you to help us find the two other missing stones. I see great potential in you three. Maybe we can make this work and we'll let you go when we finish."

That's what the guy with the mask told them. It didn't calm Aric down. He knew they wouldn't do that. They'll kill them when they get the chance to.

And now they were all tied to someone; Rafal to the tall guy, Japeth to the blonde and Aric to the guy with the mask. They walked like this to who knows where, and nobody said anything. It was Valenda. The capital-city where people were sold as often as strawberries in the winter: rarely, but not never.

"What's your name?" Aric asked. He wanted to be nice. The guy with the mask rolled his eyes and growled like he was a dog. Very human start. Maybe the mask was a muzzle. He laughed as he imagined him barking and trying to bite.

"What are you laughing at?" The blonde guy asked. He looked really similar to Rafal if you stared for too long, but last time Aric told Rafal a student looked similar to him, he yelled WHERE'S THAT CHEAP COPY OF MINE?!  He was sure he hadn't been sane since then.

"Nothing."

Alessandra was walking around, singing and laughing. Usually , she walked beside Aric.

"Why are you  doing this?" Aric asked. She blinked fast like she didn't know what he was talking about. "Help them. Why are you helping them." At this point, he was whispering.

"I need this. I have no finances, and, you know, I'm a huge spender." She gasped. "Why did I tell you this?"

"I don't know. If you reach into my back pocket, you'll find something you'll like."

She slipped her  hand into it, only to find nothing. He giggled. He fooled her.

"You're such a scam."

"Thanks."

They stopped in front of what he guessed was an inn. An inn?

"OK, so let's get this straight." The guy with the mask started. "You don't sleep with us, and we don't sleep with you. We will get a room for each of us and two of you will stay together. We already spent enough."

"Oh, me, me, I will sleep with Aric!"

Japeth seemed a little too excited. Maybe he was... no. He wasn't.

They carried their luggage to the second floor, where they stayed. The room was actually for one.

"I'll sleep on the floor." Aric told Japeth.

"No, I will sleep on the floor. I don't want you to catch a cold or something. You're more important than I am."

And it didn't stop there. At the dinner, Japeth asked Aric if he was full. If not, he would give him some of his food because "he wasn't hungry," and he went upstairs before everyone.

Aric returned. He opened the door slowly. Maybe he fell asleep. The hall was empty. His coat was on the hanger. He stepped into the living room slowly. Japeth was looking in the mirror. He was slowly touching his clothes. But it wasn't the way he did it. It was what he was wearing. A blue dress. Aric instantly froze. He was crying. Was he wearing makeup? His mascara was running. He tried to wipe it off.

"Oh, dear. I see you've come back."

He turned around. He was smiling now. Or at least trying to.

"What's happening?" 

"Aric?"

"Yes?"

"Is- is there any chance..."

Japeth walked towards Aric. He was still crying. His movements were slow, like if he sped up, he'd break into a million pieces. 

"No.'

"But I thought -"

"You thought wrong. I thought you were my best friend, not a boy lover. Leave me alone, freak. And take off that dress. Boys shouldn't wear dresses. Your father tried to tell me. He tried to make me aware of you. But this is my fault. I should've told you no earlier. I see I've been wrong this whole time. You are nothing but a mistake."

"Are - are you serious?"

"Of course not! You may not be my lover, but you are my best friend, after all. And you look precious in that dress. Come on, big guy, give me a hug!"

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It hurt on so many levels to write this...

Mainly because I love Jaric, and Aric just friend zoned Japeth