Chapter Text
The house is too quiet, this time. Usually, at least one other person is staying with Herrscher to look after him, but now… Bluhen's footsteps echo through the halls as he makes his way to Herrscher's room. He knows the way by heart by now.
He knocks gently on the door, and hears Herrscher squeak anyway. He takes a soft ‘come in’ as a cue to do just that.
“Good evening, Herrscher! I hope you’re doing well!” Bluhen hums, swinging his arms behind his back.
“Ah, I’m doing fine…! What brings you to come here?”
“Nothing at all. I just wanted to visit.”
“Oh, well… Th… Thank you for coming to see me.” Herrscher says, voice subdued, as if he feels he shouldn’t be speaking at all.
“It’s nothing, really.” responds Bluhen, placing the cookie tray he was holding on the bedside table next to him. “These are the kind you like, right? You mentioned them last time I came.”
Herrscher's eyes go wide. “Y-You actually got me some?”
“Of course! If it would make you happy, I’d do anything.”
“Ah…” Herrscher looks as if he was going to say something else, but he hides his sudden bashfulness by staring down at his lap and hiding his face.
“Can I… have these now?” Herrscher asks, and Bluhen nods with a smile. Herrscher seems excited to have something sweet. He pops it open and marvels at the delicacies inside.
“These are really for me?”
Bluhen nods again. It’s almost cute, seeing how excited he is. Herrscher takes one out and nibbles on it pensively.
“Your hair is getting longer. Is the braid new?” Bluhen asks.
“Yes! Um, I did it by myself. So I don’t know if it looks good or not…” Herrscher nods, more excitedly than Bluhen has seen him in a while. It makes a smile come to his face on a wave of warmth.
“It looks lovely. It suits you.”
“...Thank you.” Herrscher says, shrinking in on himself shyly as he finishes off the sweet in his hand.
Bluhen decides now is as good a time as ever to ask.
“Has Richter come by recently?” Bluhen asks, and suddenly Herrscher's expression goes dark.
“N… No. He used to, but… not anymore…” Herrscher squeezes the bedsheets in his fists. “I think Ishmael is mad at me. So he is too.”
“Oh, Herrscher… That isn’t true. She could never be upset with us.”
“But… Richter is her favorite. Everyone knows that. Of course he would be upset with me if she was. Plus…” Herrscher sighs. “He changed recently. He didn’t want to talk to me when he last visited, just came, asked me if everything was okay, and left after staying with me for a bit. He didn’t try to have a conversation with me at all.”
Bluhen hums. “That doesn’t seem right… Why would she be upset? It doesn’t make any sense… You haven't done anything wrong. So I’m sure she’s not.”
Herrscher fidgets, but he eventually nods slowly, and Bluhen is satisfied. In reality, he was perfectly aware of a reason Ishmael might be upset with Herrscherーor at least why Richter wouldn’t come by anymore. It likely has quite a bit to do with what hides underneath the bandages covering Herrscher's face and arms. In any case, it’s irrelevantーif Richter won’t visit, then Bluhen would.
It’d be cruel to leave the other all alone, wouldn’t it? Herrscher takes the tray in his hands and offers it to Bluhen.
“Share it with me.”
“Hm? Oh, but they’re for you!”
“N-No, I... It’d make me happy if you had some too.”
Bluhen blinks, then takes a cookie from the tray and giggles. “You’re even sweeter than these, y’know?”
Herrscher's eyes widen once again, and he vigorously shakes his head. “No…! It’s just… I like it when you smile.”
The sentiment brings that very thing to Bluhen's face. “I like yours very much, too.” He beams.
Herrscher seems happier than Bluhen has seen him in a very long time. His eyes soften watching Herrscher eat.
It’s nice, seeing the other boy this content and smiling. He can only hope this warmth will stay with him. He worries greatly for the futureーthe… stuff covering patches of Herrscher's skin seems only to spread by the day. He just wants to make him as happy as he can before things get worse.
Maybe he should pay Ishmael a visit sometime soon.