Friends, Lovers, Widows... (Grian x Taurtis)

Must I Spell it Out?

Grian's POV

"Well? Why were you so upset by Sam being homophobic?

Damn! What do I do!

"HE'S GAY!" Lizzie's scream echoed through the halls

Silence...

What was probably a merely few seconds, seems to last a life time...

Each tick, followed by a tock.

A never ending pattern...

Until, the silence stopped...

"I know Grian is a happy person Lizzie! You don't have to tell me twice!" Taurtis chuckled, continuing to munch on his pizza

Lizzie's head snapped around the corner, exchanging my confused glance.

"He likes boys taurtis?" Lizzie announces with a more serious tone, while I simply implode from cringe.

"Of course he does! You wouldn't be friends with a guy if you don't like guys!"

Lizzie and I exchanged another confused glance before she cleared her throat.

"Grian likes boys the way you like girls!" Lizzie over pronounced each word as if she were talking to an infant.

"Well I like girls the same way I like boys? So Grian just likes boys? He hates girls?"

Lizzie sighed "No! HE IS HOMOSEXUAL!"

"Oh..." Taurtis' originally happy expression turned to one of confusion.

I prepared for a similar reaction to my parents.

"Ok! Why didn't you guys say that in the first place" Taurtis' happy expression returned as he continued to nom on his final slice of pizza

I released a sigh of relief before returning to my pizza.

"So that's why you were so worried about Sam?"

"Y-yeah... I came here because I was kicked out... I was upset one night and I accidentally let slip that I had broken up with my boyfriend Gizzy. My parents got mad, fought and kicked me out.

I came here to talk to Sam, I hadn't seen him in years and I was in need of some friendly advice.

But Sam has changed so... I can't talk to him any more..." 

"Oh... I'm so sorry dude! Things sounded tough back in England... But you and Lizzie are safe here with me!"

"Are you sure we're not a burden?"

"Never Grian!"

"Thanks, It means a lot. No one has ever actually wanted us around. I got used to it but I don't think Lizzie ever has, she looks happy but I can't help but wonder if there is something else pestering her underneath... I'm probably crazy but... Oh nevermind. This pizza is amazing right!"

"Yeah! One of the best I've ever tried! Best edible thing!"

"You've obviously never tried tea bud!"

"Actually I haven't?"

"OK! LIZZIE WE NEED TEA! STAT!"

"ON IT!" Lizzie screamed as she jumped down the stairs towards the kitchen.

"What is the big deal with Britain and Tea anyway Grian?" Taurtis asked as we waited for the kettle to boil

"Well, Since the 18th century the United Kingdom has been one of the world's greatest tea consumers per capita, with an average per capita tea supply of 1.9 kg per year. British interests controlled tea production in the subcontinent. Tea, which was an upper-class drink in Europe, became the infusion of every class in Great Britain in the course of the 18th century and has remained so. The first record of tea written in English came from English merchants abroad. In 1615, Richard Wickham who ran an East India Company office in Japan, wrote in a letter to merchants in Macao requesting that they bring him "a pot of the best sort of chaw". Peter Mundy, a traveller and merchant who came across tea in Fujian, China in 1637, wrote, "chaa — only water with a kind of herb boiled in it. In 1662 princess Catherine of Braganza of Portugal  married Charles II and brought with her the preference for tea, which had already become common in Europe. As tea was her temperance drink of choice, it gained social acceptance among the aristocracy. Catherine of Braganza's choice of tea was also instrumental in the popularization of tea in Britain. Because tea was introduced primarily through male frequented coffee houses, there would have been far less social acceptability for women to drink this beverage had it not been for her example. Catherine of Braganza's use of tea as a court beverage, rather than a medicinal drink, influenced its popularity in literary circles around 1685." 

(I hope you all learnt something new! XD)

"Oh? Why do you know so much about tea, and in such detail might i add?"

"I'm British! Lizzie could do it!"

" TEA IS READY!" Lizzie screeched

"OK BRING IT IN HERE!" I replied

Lizzie carefully slid into the room baring three cups of tea in her hands.

When Taurtis took a sip I saw as his eyes lit up with joy!

"You like?" I smirked

"ME LOVE!" Taurtis joked

"Good! We can now be friends!"

"Friends!"

I took a sip of my own tea,

"The directions for the tea are: a quart of spring water just boiled, to which put a spoonful of tea, and sweeten to the palate with candy sugar. As soon as the tea and sugar are in, the steam must be kept in as much as may be, and let it lie half or quarter of an hour in the heat of the fire but not boil. The little cups must be held over the steam before the liquid be put in."

"What?" Taurtis put down his drink in confusion.

"A quote my dear friend by Smith. W. J." I chuckled before finishing my cuppa

Today was a good day!