My Warmth Is Yours

Chapter 10:

Aether laughed at the Kreideprinz' blank expression. This hadn't been the first time he'd invited a friend to the teapot, but he never got tired of the look on their faces as they tried to comprehend the Adeptus magic that caused the pocket dimension. To be fair, Aether had once made the same face, but that didn't stop him from laughing at everyone else doing it.

"Not bad huh? It's pretty useful for a house in a teapot." Paimon nodded.

"It's still in the works- it'll probably never be completed- but it's a great place!" She high-fived the Traveler. Beside them, the prince let out a bitter laugh.

"What on earth... I'm going to have to get used to this, won't I?"

"Yep. Once you accept it's possible it's actually pretty easy to navigate." Aether pulled out a wooden plate with a blue tassel attached. Engraved on the side was an image of the teapot. "This thing is a Realm Dispatch. It has literally no function other than allowing someone other than me or Paimon to enter the pot." Aether handed it to his friend. "Here. If you're gonna live here, then you're gonna need one." The blue stone on the tassel glowed as the Dispatch changed hands.

"Thank you."

Paimon, evidently enthusiastic about acting as tour guide once again, grabbed both of their hands and dragged them towards the mansion in front of them.

"This is where the Traveler and Paimon live! It's big, but there's not much in it. But we're working on it!" She flew ahead and shoved the doors open.

"I still don't understand how she can open those doors so easily and still have no physical strength." Aether muttered. He shrugged. "I suppose it's just another question for her to dodge. Or she's just not letting on how much effort that took." He sighed and took his friend's hand, leading him into the house in Paimon's wake.

The Traveler's mansion was big. With two storeys, five rooms, and a main hall, it wasn't surprising just how much of it was empty space considering the pair lived alone. Out of five rooms, one was a bedroom, one was a kitchen, one a bathroom, and almost the entire rest of the house was empty. Besides the fireplace in the foyer and the accompanying bookshelves and couches, which were all mostly in the same small area, it was deserted. Aether scratched the back of his neck.

"Yeah, it's kinda empty. There's a bunch of rooms but only three have stuff in them..."

Paimon raised her eyebrows.

"Paimon thought you had a guest room? That's why she suggested this."

"Uh, no? I don't have a guest room. You've literally watched me decorate these rooms, I only have one bedroom in this house so far."

"Alright then, what do you suggest we do?" Paimon put her little fists on her hips and glared at Aether.

"I can sleep on the floor, it's no problem." The Kreideprinz cut in. "I'm the guest here, after all." The Traveler shook his head.

"No. You should take the bed, I am not having you sleep on the floor after a few thousand years of sleeping in a box. You need something comfortable."

"It's your house."

"Exactly, so I make the rules, and you are not sleeping on the floor. Checkmate."

"You shouldn't be sacrificing your own needs for me."

Aether smacked his forehead. This one's gonna take some effort. Luckily I have a backup opinion.

"Alright, I see where you're coming from, but you are not sleeping on the floor. I'm ok with sharing a bed if you're willing to compromise." The other young man nodded. "That's fine with me. As long as you're not giving me anything you wouldn't otherwise have yourself." Aether smiled.