13.Nov.18, 04:49 AM
Quietly M’dox leaned into T’bia and squeezed his hand back, smiling at T’bia’s enthusiasm to get absolutely everything a person could possibly wear for his friend’s daughters. He really did go all out with everything, didn’t he? M’dox thought it was endearing. Of course, he startled again when Rhaedalyn spoke to him, looking at her wide-eyed at the idea he might bring her children presents too. Well, he would, if T’bia wanted help choosing them. M’dox was an expert at buying presents for little girls. Well, at the buying part, anyway. Considering he’s never actually given any of the ones he’d bought to their intended recipients he couldn’t be sure he was good at it, but his gifts to his nieces that he’d made or found back before being Searched had been hits. Though it was hard to disappoint a three turn old girl with a gift, no matter how bad it might have been.
And then Rhaedalyn called him T’bia’s boyfriend and M’dox just about lost his ability to think. T’bia’s boyfriend. Was he? They hadn’t talked about it, hadn’t named anything. He glanced at T’bia, wanting to see how the bluerider reacted to the phrase — would he protest? Agree with it? Were they? Did he want to be? M’dox was pretty sure he did. But then he looked back at Rhaedalyn and the familiar fear rose, crawling up his throat as it always did. Rhaedalyn, someone M’dox didn’t know, thought he and T’bia were dating. Which, well, they were holding hands. In public. Which was a thing people who were boyfriends did, sometimes. Oh, Faranth.
M’dox didn’t hear a word Rhaedalyn said about Madiquel, the words flowing right past him as he focused more on his own thoughts. He was trying so hard not to panic. Not in front of T’bia’s friend, who M’dox wanted to like him. Or in front of T’bia! Because T’bia would blame himself, and that wasn’t it at all. It was M’dox’s own fault he was afraid. M’dox curled in closer to T’bia, worrying about how the bluerider might respond but wanting to be very clear that he wasn’t upset with T’bia, no matter what. He even tried his best to focus back in on whatever Rhaedalyn was saying. Who were they talking about?
And then Rhaedalyn called him T’bia’s boyfriend and M’dox just about lost his ability to think. T’bia’s boyfriend. Was he? They hadn’t talked about it, hadn’t named anything. He glanced at T’bia, wanting to see how the bluerider reacted to the phrase — would he protest? Agree with it? Were they? Did he want to be? M’dox was pretty sure he did. But then he looked back at Rhaedalyn and the familiar fear rose, crawling up his throat as it always did. Rhaedalyn, someone M’dox didn’t know, thought he and T’bia were dating. Which, well, they were holding hands. In public. Which was a thing people who were boyfriends did, sometimes. Oh, Faranth.
M’dox didn’t hear a word Rhaedalyn said about Madiquel, the words flowing right past him as he focused more on his own thoughts. He was trying so hard not to panic. Not in front of T’bia’s friend, who M’dox wanted to like him. Or in front of T’bia! Because T’bia would blame himself, and that wasn’t it at all. It was M’dox’s own fault he was afraid. M’dox curled in closer to T’bia, worrying about how the bluerider might respond but wanting to be very clear that he wasn’t upset with T’bia, no matter what. He even tried his best to focus back in on whatever Rhaedalyn was saying. Who were they talking about?