Chapter Text
Arias, I’m bored.” Osora complained, putting down the book he had bought a few days earlier, only on the first chapter. Reading had never really been their strong suit.
“What do you want to do then, baby?” Arias asked, stopping cutting the vegetables for the night's stew.
“I don't know.” Osora complained, head leaning off the couch.
“...What if we went into town? We still don't know what some of the shops are.” Arias asked, throwing the vegetables into a pot before putting that pot over the fire.
“That sounds good.”
So it was done, the two got ready, Osora having to brush their hair, and Arias having to put on something other than just the shorts he had on when making dinner, and before long, they were walking into town together, cloaks on.
Once in town, they spotted Sam, who immediately went up to them. “Alex, Thomas, right?” They asked.
“Uh, yeah?” Osora said, hearing the fake names they were giving people instead of the ones that could trace them even farther back to Calaveras.
“...Do you have winter clothes?” They asked, gesturing to the tank tops the pair were wearing. While it was a little brisk, both had been through worse so neither Osora or Arias were showing any signs of the chill currently plaguing them.
“No.” Arias answered, “Why?”
The couple watched as Sam bit their lip.
“Snow’s coming in.” They told them, “If you don't have clothes, then you need to go to Maggie’s. She basically has all the clothes in Maycot. Including being a tailor, cause, Thomas, you're honestly not really going to find anything that works for you.” They explained, eyes racking over Arias. In the back of his mind, Osora knew it was innocent, but he had fought, both themself and others, and left his home to call this man his, and for some reason, seeing Sam seem like on the verge of flirting with Arias.
Osora grinded their teeth together as Arias said, “Thank you, Sam, we’ll go find it.”
“It’s over by the square.” They said, before leaving the couple.
They went to the square, finding a it filled with cobblestones surrounded by stores, even a few carts.
“Smells good.” Arias acknowledged.
“Yeah, that’s the bakery.” Osora said, pointing to the store where the scent was coming from, right next to the place he worked. “Wanna check it out? I’ve been meaning to.”
“If you want to, of course.” Arias said, walking over to Osora, who had been a few steps ahead, and pressing a kiss to Osora’s hair once he could. Osora went red, checking to make sure no one saw.
“Hey, no one cares, love. This isn't Calaveras.” Arias whispered.
“I know, I know.” Osora whispered back, “It’s just hard to…”
“I get it.” Arias said, gently taking Osora’s hand in his and bringing them to the bakery.
“Good morning.” A woman greeted them as they walked into the bakery. She had her long, brunette hair pulled back into a high ponytail, dressed in a long black ensemble, stained with flour, and an apron on. Her piercing blue, bordering on purple eyes seemed to be pinned on Osora. They knew her from somewhere.
“Dont I know you?” She asked, setting down the tray of sweet looking hand pies on the counter. “Wait a minute…”
“ADELA!” Osora screamed, and Arias noticed the look of almost terror coming to his face.
“...Is this now Calaverian territory and I didn't hear?” The woman, Adela asked.
“Hope not.” Arias tried to joke, getting an elbow to the stomach in response, making him double over. “Someone want to explain what’s going on?”
Adela and Osora just stared at each other, Osora starting to get tears in their eyes. The two seemed to come to an agreement as Adela told Arias, “I…I was one of the chefs at the Calaveras palace a few years ago. Got exiled after it came out about my now wife.”
“Please.” Osora whispered to Adela, "Don't tell anyone, no one knows it’s us.”
Adela nodded. “I’m Adela, but I guess you already knew that.” She told Arias.
“Thomas.” Arias said back, “This is Alex.”
Adela nodded once again. “Sorry we got off on the wrong foot. What can I get for you?” She asked.
***
“I never pinned you as the type to… have this bad of a problem with chocolate.” Osora said, still a bit tense after the meeting with Adela. They had motioned at Arias who was currently stuffing yet another chocolate into his mouth, as if he had swallowed the last one he had.
They were walking back to their home, arms full of either sweets or winter clothes as the snow Sam had been talking about started slowly falling, as it had been doing for the past hour.
In Calaveras, it never snowed. At least never in the capital. The closest it ever got was windy days where everyone would be wearing long sleeves, but that only happened about one week in the dead of January.
“Please, you never saw the day we got handed it as kids. Play fought with Leo for it. Only half played.” Arias answered.
“Of course you did.” Osora sighed.
“Okay mister gave Celia a death treat if she ate the last tostone.” Arias shot back.
“It was one time, and how did you even hear about that?”
“I was there! It was like 4 months ago.” Arias rolled his eyes as they reached their house.
“Oh.” Osora had forgotten that piece.
Arias sighed as he opened the door and pushed Osora inside. “You’re lucky I love you.”
“Damn right you do. I’d probably be dying by now if I was still in Calaveras.” Osora said.
They slowly put away the things they brought away together.
“…thank you. I don’t think I ever thanked you for it.” Osora whispered, sitting on the couch, content with watching Arias putting away the rest of the things and Arias content with doing as such.
“For what?” Arias asked.
“For taking me away.”
Arias got a sweet smile on his face from those words.
“You make it easy, sweetheart. I get you all to myself.” Arias whispered, walking over and planting a kiss to Osora’s forehead.