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With a soft thwump, Aventurine dropped a stack of freshly printed credits onto Dr. Ratio’s desk. Dr. Ratio didn’t even so much as glance up from his paperwork.
“Morning, doctor,” Aventurine chirruped, “here on your desk, I have 100,000 credits. Now, I know what you must be thinking: ‘What is he doing walking around with 100,000 credits? Is he insane?’” Aventurine leaned down and planted a hand down on the paperwork Dr. Ratio was looking at, obscuring his view and preventing him from continuing to work. “And while that’s certainly a valid question, save it for later, because I have a proposition for you.”
Finally, Dr. Ratio slowly looked up at Aventurine who had plopped half of his butt on the edge of the desk. Aventurine could see the lack of patience and interest in Dr. Ratio’s lowered brows and deep frown.
Leaning down closer to Dr. Ratio’s face, Aventurine said in a low voice, “I’d like to buy you.”
The annoyed frown turned into a disgusted scowl. Dr. Ratio muttered, “No thanks.”
“Really?” Aventurine asked with zero surprise, “I figured you, with your pathetic professor’s salary, might just perk up at the idea of a little bonus!”
“I don’t teach because it’s a lucrative occupation,” Dr. Ratio said with finality, trying to swipe back his paperwork that was still pinned underneath Aventurine’s palm.
“Oh, I get it,” Aventurine smiled, tilting his head, “you’re trying to save up, right? That’s very smart, and certainly sounds like you.” Dr. Ratio opened his mouth to say something, but Aventurine continued on without giving him time to speak, “Anyway, I’m not asking you to become my servant or anything. Actually—and maybe I worded it wrong—I just want to buy you dinner.”
Dr. Ratio gawked. He glanced around his office, feeling suspect that something was amiss, and then said, “Why would you want to do that?”
“It’s not at all that serious,” Aventurine said, finally removing his pink shades, and giving Dr. Ratio a pointed look, “Recently, I’ve been feeling that for once, someone is in my corner—or at the very least, concerned about me—and so I wanted to treat you to a nice dinner.”
Dr. Ratio’s brows furrowed. He felt a great sense of unease at Aventurine’s words. What Aventurine claimed was not exactly the truth. What occurred in Penacony was far more complex than simply Dr. Ratio-being-on-Aventurine’s-side. Moreover, Aventurine’s conclusion that he needed to “buy” Dr. Ratio as a way to validate everything felt… wrong. But Dr. Ratio didn’t want to argue, let alone attempt to unpack whatever was going on here. Perhaps there was some kind of ulterior motive, but he didn’t see any malice in Aventurine’s eyes.
And so, finally managing to snatch his paperwork back and carefully filing them away in a drawer, he said, “Alright then. I suppose there’s no harm.”
“Excellent,” Aventurine grinned, “when is best for you?”
“Well, given that you’ve already come to disrupt me in my office, now is as good a time as any,” Dr. Ratio made to stand up and Aventurine’s smile widened.
“That works out great. Then, shall we? I know just the place. And no, I won’t tell you what it is in advance.”
It wasn’t as terrible as Dr. Ratio thought it would be. He had half-expected some ritzy, fine-dining place with live music. In actuality, Aventurine brought them to a semi-casual fusion restaurant. The menu was large and although Dr. Ratio had plenty of unvoiced concerns, Aventurine showed no signs of awkwardness (nor sincerity, for that matter.) After they finished eating, and Aventurine paid the bill—Dr. Ratio had tried and failed to pay his portion of the bill—they stepped outside, where it was neither too cold nor too hot out, but a gentle breeze still rustled the tree leaves. Oddly shaped vehicles zoomed past them on the bustling street, shining bright headlights onto the pair and casting long, dark shadows on the street.
They started in the direction of the train station. Haltingly, Dr. Ratio attempted to speak first, “I greatly appreciate you treating me.”
Aventurine turned and smiled at Dr. Ratio, his peculiarly colored eyes gazing up at Ratio’s face. “Of course! I enjoyed talking and sharing a meal.”
At that moment, Dr. Ratio felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a notification: An accredited balance of 100,000 Credits has been added to your account.
He grimaced.
Bringing a hand to his head, he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing back his bangs. He sighed, “Look, I was fine joining you for dinner, but… the 100,000 credits is—”
“By the way,” Aventurine interrupted, seemingly not listening to Dr. Ratio, “Tomorrow, I have a business trip to Jarilo-VI. Have you ever been, doctor? They have a lot of snow, and I heard it’s quite scenic combined with some new infrastructure that the IPC is working on. Tomorrow, you don’t have classes, right? How about you join me for a little daytrip?”
Dr. Ratio stared.
It wasn’t as though Aventurine was asking for anything outrageous, but Dr. Ratio began to feel troubled by the sudden proposition. And when he hesitated to respond, Aventurine continued with, “I’ll gladly pay for your transportation. They have these lovely old hotels in Belobog, far more charming than The Reverie in my opinion, and I can book us a room.”
“Wait a minute. Just hold on a sec—”
“—And I can sweeten the deal even more. See, my colleague is personally in charge of Belobog’s settlement, so I could potentially introduce you to the Supreme Guardian and—”
“Hold on, please!” Dr. Ratio said a bit louder than he meant to as he held up a hand. In front of him, Aventurine finally stopped talking and looked up at Ratio expectantly. Sighing heavily, Dr. Ratio said, “I don’t know what your angle is, but you can’t just throw money at me and expect me to follow you wherever you please.”
Aventurine’s smile never wavered as he said, “What do you mean? What’s wrong with a nice dinner?”
Dr. Ratio shook his head, “A dinner is a dinner. But now you’re asking me to drop everything to go to Jarilo-VI? And to what end? What exactly are you after?”
Aventurine’s gaze flickered away from Dr. Ratio’s face, as though suddenly reminded of something, before he said in a smaller voice, “I just thought… it’d be nice to have someone around for a change.”
For a moment, neither spoke, letting the sound of cars driving past them and the chatter of people on the streets fill the silence. Dr. Ratio stared hard at Aventurine, trying to extract meaning out of those words and perhaps read his true intent hidden behind his colorful eyes.
But Aventurine was a true gambler, and his poker face was second to none. Was he just lying? Dr. Ratio would hardly consider Aventurine a puppet master, but the man rarely did anything without some kind of concealed purpose.
Dr. Ratio knew there was more to all of this, but he simply didn’t have enough information to figure out the truth yet. And while he liked to believe he always made decisions based on nothing but objective reasoning, something in the way Aventurine’s voice quieted and how he admitted to liking Dr. Ratio’s company evoked some kind of empathy within him. Maybe a bit of pity too.
And after a long pause, Dr. Ratio sighed once more and nodded slowly, “Fine. I’ll go. But if this turns out to be some big game, I will not hesitate to leave you there. Understood?”
The light returned to Aventurine’s eyes once more as he said, “Understood! Then I won’t keep you any longer. You should get to packing! I recommend some warm clothes.”
Dr. Ratio only nodded as they descended down the steps into the train station. Even when they parted ways onto different platforms, Dr. Ratio couldn’t help but to repeat their conversation in his head—replaying Aventurine’s words continuously, I just thought it’d be nice to have someone around for a change.
…
Upon arriving on Jarilo-VI, Dr. Ratio was struck by how desolate it appeared. It was certainly a winter-scape, but it was less like cozy-winter-cabin, and more like freezing-barren-wasteland.
Aventurine, noticing Dr. Ratio’s doubt, reassured him, “We haven’t made it into the city yet. I can assure you, it’s very beautiful. This is just the outer snow plains.” They trudged through the snow plains for a while until they finally arrived at the large city gates. When they entered the city, Dr. Ratio better understood why Aventurine insisted on Belobog of all places. It truly was a lovely city, if a bit small. He had read about Jarilo-VI plenty of times before, but this was his first time traveling there. He began to think he ought to start doing more ethnographic research.
As he took in the sights of the city, the people roaming the streets, and the constant chill in the air, he had hardly realized that Aventurine brought them to a hotel.
“Since Belobog is a relatively small city, the Goethe Hotel is closest thing to a luxurious experience that I could get us. It may be old looking, but I think that’s just part of its charm, you know?” Aventurine babbled endlessly about the hotel, the city, and some sightseeing spots he wanted to visit. Dr. Ratio only half-listened.
Indeed, after checking into their room (a double room), Dr. Ratio only had a couple of minutes to set his bag down before Aventurine insisted, they set off again.
“What’s the rush?” Dr. Ratio asked, examining the old-fashioned decorations and real-wood flooring, “I have today and tomorrow off, so we can break up all our activities into two days.”
Aventurine hesitated, and then said, “That’s true. But I still want to get a lot done today!”
Seemingly, overnight, Aventurine grew to be even more pushy, almost like an overexcited child. From the moment they stepped foot on Jarilo-VI, he constantly pointed things out like the tram cars, historical landmarks, buildings, and residual effects of the Stellaron crisis. Aventurine didn’t admit to anything, but Dr. Ratio suspected he had some kind of itinerary in the back of his mind.
Indeed, after dragging Dr. Ratio back out onto the streets, the first thing he wanted to do was visit Belobog’s History and Cultural Museum, claiming he picked this one out specially for Dr. Ratio.
“You think just because I’m a professor, I like museums?” Dr. Ratio asked flatly.
Aventurine flushed slightly, his eyes widening at Ratio even as he handed over the admission ticket. “W-what? You mean you don’t like museums?”
Upon seeing Aventurine looking mildly panicked, Dr. Ratio couldn’t help but crack the tiniest smile. He took the museum ticket and walked ahead of Aventurine, calling out, “No, I do. I just thought it was amusing that you made such a decision based on nothing but conjecture alone.”
Aventurine followed after Dr. Ratio in a huff, trying to defend himself, but Dr. Ratio no longer paid him any mind as he began to wander the halls of the museum.
After spending a couple of hours at the museum, (as well as catching Aventurine trying to hide a yawn), Dr. Ratio decided it was time they left. Upon hearing this, Aventurine perked up again and revealed the next thing on his schedule: shopping and dinner. Dr. Ratio narrowed his eyes at Aventurine who was excitedly checking the map on his phone. He grabbed Dr. Ratio’s wrist to hurry drag him along toward the nearest shopping district. Dr. Ratio already had plenty of qualms about their trip, but now he was putting the puzzle pieces together about what exactly Aventurine’s goals were.
They visited shop after shop, where Aventurine would browse around, pick out clothes and have Dr. Ratio try them on, and then decide whether or not to buy them—always refusing to let Dr. Ratio pay—Dr. Ratio thought he should say something. But always, when he felt things were becoming too weird and dared to confront the matter, Aventurine would shut him down with some kind of sad, wistful look and tell him, in an achingly sincere tone, that he was really enjoying their time together.
Dr. Ratio questioned how easily his heart would turn soft around Aventurine.
After visiting dozens of shops and leaving with bags and bags of clothes—mostly for Dr. Ratio and a few accessories for Aventurine—all on Aventurine’s dime, they stopped by their hotel to drop off their things.
Dr. Ratio was beginning to grow tired, despite having only gone to a museum and shopping. But Aventurine did not let him rest, because next thing he knew, he was being whisked away to Belobog’s infamous Underground city, where food stalls were common and rather popular.
“I’m rather surprised. You didn’t strike me as the type to enjoy street food,” Dr. Ratio commented as he took a bite of crab-rock stew.
“That’s fair, I suppose. I just figured it’d be something fun and new to try. What do you think, doctor?” Aventurine asked, his bowl of stew sitting untouched.
“Well, so far, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind with you,” Dr. Ratio nudged Aventurine’s bowl a fraction of an inch closer to him, silently encouraging him to eat, “so after this, why don’t we call it a day and head back—"
“Ah… well, actually, I had one last thing planned for the night,” Aventurine interrupted. Meeting Dr. Ratio’s stern expression, he sheepishly revealed two tickets to a showing of Stardust Rose at the Golden Theatre.
Dr. Ratio stared at the tickets with a tired resignation. He knew there was no point in arguing. He also couldn’t help feeling somewhat guilty after Aventurine had no doubt spent thousands of credits on him alone that day. Still, he decided to say something.
“This… Is this something you want to see?” Dr. Ratio asked.
Immediately, Aventurine brightened up, and began talking excitedly, “It’s a relatively new play, but it’s incredibly popular among the locals. When I was booking our hotels, I saw that it was playing tonight, and I just couldn’t help but purchase tickets. I got us the best seats in the house! Not only that, but they’re apparently selling some themed merchandise related to the play, so if you really like it, I’d be happy to buy you something—”
“—No. I asked if it’s something you want to see,” Dr. Ratio interjected.
Aventurine stopped talking and blinked. He seemed to be taken off guard by Dr. Ratio’s question.
Stammering, he said, “I-I mean, yeah. I want to see it if you want to see it.”
Dr. Ratio frowned, feeling a mild disappointment. But finally, he said with a heavy sigh, “Alright. We can go.”
Aventurine cheered and hurriedly tried to finish his stew.
“Slow down,” Dr. Ratio urged, “It’s fine if we’re a little late, the seats are reserved anyway…”
…
Aventurine wasn’t lying when he said he got good seats: a private box with large, velvet cushion seats that also had a button to call staff to order drinks and small plates.
Dr. Ratio squirmed. Again, he was struck with great discomfort with how much money Aventurine was spending on this so-called “little daytrip.” Then again, how could he say something when Aventurine was making it so painfully clear that all of it was for him?
He figured he would have to say something when they returned to the hotel. Before the play began, Aventurine ordered a bottle of bubbly and when the waitstaff came with it in an ice bucket, he requested they pour two glasses.
“That’s alright, I don’t think I’ll be drinking any,” Dr. Ratio tried dismissing the waitstaff and stop them from pouring him a glass.
But Aventurine quickly cut in by saying, “No, no. It’s fine. Just pour him one,” Aventurine caught Dr. Ratio’s dubious look and grinned, “you don’t need to drink if you don’t want to. But at least it’ll be there if you want it.”
Dr. Ratio made a displeased sound as he settled back in his chair, pointedly ignoring the soft clink of a full glass being set down next to him.
And as the play began, and the lights dimmed, Aventurine gleefully sipped on his drink, not saying anything about Ratio’s untouched glass. Before long—as in, 30 minutes into the play—Dr. Ratio glanced over at Aventurine who was totally passed out in his chair. Dr. Ratio couldn’t help but smile seeing Aventurine’s sleeping face—completely unguarded and for once, at peace. He stood up to stretch and took a step closer to Aventurine to get a better look.
Aventurine’s short, blonde lashes, small, slightly parted pink lips, and curved nose were his most notable facial features. He was easily a very attractive man, but more than that, his beauty was radiant. Which wasn’t surprising given that he is Avgin—known especially for their physical attractiveness. Even while asleep, and those mesmerizing eyes were hidden from sight, it wasn’t difficult for Dr. Ratio to find Aventurine handsome.
As he stared at Aventurine’s sleeping face, Dr. Ratio thought back on the day’s events, and even the day leading up to it. Things were moving ridiculously fast. It became fairly obvious that Aventurine was somehow trying to “buy” Dr. Ratio’s favor by showering him with tons of money and extravagant displays of wealth: buying him dinner, sending him money, taking him on trips, buying him new clothes, booking tickets to things like museums and plays… Aventurine wanted Dr. Ratio to like him by overwhelming him with positive experiences.
But Dr. Ratio wasn’t an idiot, nor was he so easily swayed by such grandiose gestures. (Though, admittedly, he did feel somewhat guilty for continually accepting it all.)
He could tell from the start that something was wrong. Or rather, that Aventurine had some kind of personal desire he wanted to achieve. Dr. Ratio wasn’t entirely sure what exactly he, of all people had that Aventurine wanted, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore the agitated and sometimes panicked look Aventurine gave Ratio when he tried to refuse things.
Which led Dr. Ratio to conclude that Aventurine, while he was certainly after something, was not totally clear on what or why that is. If Aventurine truly knew what he was after, he wouldn’t appear so desperate and frantic, dragging Dr. Ratio all over the city to maximize their time together.
Dr. Ratio knew better than to try to theorize on possible answers, since doing so would only lead him to be consumed by his thoughts. Instead, he resolved to address it at the hotel.
During the intermission, Aventurine briefly woke up and, still groggy, tried to make conversation. But when it became clear he was still tired, Dr. Ratio tried to convince him to just go back to sleep, or that they should just leave early.
“No…” Aventurine whined, “we came to see the play, right? We should watch it till the end.”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind. If you still have plans for tomorrow, wouldn’t you feel better if you were well-rested?”
“No, no. I’ll stay awake. I’m fine,” Aventurine declared as he poured himself another glass.
“Hey. Don’t push yourself. Also, you shouldn’t drink too much. You barely ate any of your dinner anyway,” Dr. Ratio gently tried to take the drink from Aventurine’s hands, but Aventurine was obstinate.
“I’m fine,” he waved Dr. Ratio off, taking less of a sip and more of a gulp of his drink, “it’s all watered down anyway. You can’t get drunk off of something like this.” Aventurine held up his glass in a cheers motion, all the while grinning like a fool.
Dr. Ratio frowned and shook his head, but said nothing. He expected Aventurine to fall asleep again for the second half of the play, but surprisingly, he managed to stay awake. However, having missed a majority of the story, continually asked Dr. Ratio questions throughout.
Eventually, Dr. Ratio gave up trying to answer and said he’d tell the full story later.
When the play ended, Aventurine was most certainly tipsy. He was correct about the drinks being watered down, but he drank far more than he should have, and was stumbling more than he was walking. Dr. Ratio had to haul him to his feet and hold onto him as they made their way to the theatre lobby. All the while, Aventurine was staring forward, oddly quiet.
"—Hey, careful!” Dr. Ratio caught Aventurine as he nearly toppled over onto another guest. Slinging Aventurine’s arm over his shoulder, Dr. Ratio began to walk them out the large wooden doors of the theatre and onto the chilly cobblestone streets.
"Sorry, sorry," Aventurine muttered, "I'm just a bit sleepy is all."
Dr. Ratio grumbled to himself, “I told you not to push yourself. We should have gone back to the hotel during intermission, like I suggested.” He began to walk them down the street in the direction of their hotel.
Aventurine heard and said, “I’m fine, like I said. You think I can’t handle some over-priced watered-down drink? Don’t you know I gamble recreationally?”
Dr. Ratio rolled his eyes, feeling more annoyed by the minute. Aventurine seemed to find himself hilarious and chuckled as his allowed himself to be more or less dragged by Dr. Ratio. His initial plan of trying to address Aventurine’s odd behavior during the trip was pretty much scrapped. He couldn’t expect to have a proper conversation with Aventurine at this point.
“Hey,” Aventurine spoke into Dr. Ratio’s ear, feet still lagging behind, as they made their way down the street.
“What?”
“If… If I asked you to sleep with me, how much would I have to pay you?”
Dr. Ratio stopped dead in his tracks.
He turned to look at Aventurine who was gazing at him with unfocused eyes, and a deep red blush extending all the way to his ears and neck. He waited to see if Aventurine had any more to say, but instead, a scarily long silence pressed down on them.
Slowly, Dr. Ratio started again to make his way to the hotel. He replied, careful to make his tone even, “I’m not for sale. Moreover, you aren’t fully sober, so…”
“Oh, come on…” Aventurine, with his free hand, prodded at Dr. Ratio’s cheek, “everyone has a price. In fact… mine is exactly 30 Tanba.”
Dr. Ratio grimaced and his stomach twisted in knots at Aventurine’s words. He didn’t know Aventurine’s full story. He never bothered to ask, nor did Aventurine bother to share. But there were plenty of rumors floating around. And while Dr. Ratio tried to ignore the gossip, from what everyone said, as well as the random little clues Aventurine himself dropped occasionally, it was dark and full of sorrow.
Dr. Ratio couldn’t find the words to respond, instead letting Aventurine continue to babble.
“You’re a smart man, professor. Do the math. Name your price. Ten thousand? One-hundred thousand? Hell, I’ve probably got a million credits sitting around somewhere through interest rates alone!” Aventurine laughed.
It rang hollow.
He continued, “If cash isn’t your style, then what’s something you really want? A new house? I know mortgages can be a tricky thing, but I’d be happy to be a co-signer. Or… what about if I fund your next big research project? I am a private investor, after all.”
Dr. Ratio was beginning to see red, listening to Aventurine talk. He grit his teeth, trying to shove down anger that was bubbling up.
“I don’t think I’m asking for a lot, right? Just for tonight, I want you all to myself. Obviously, I’m willing to pay the price, so just tell me what it is you want—whatever it is, I can do it. Or I can pay someone to do it for me, hah…!”
Unable to hold in his rage, Dr. Ratio stopped walking, grabbed Aventurine by the shoulders, and forced him to look at him.
He was careful to control his volume, but he was seething as he spoke, “I said, I’m not for sale. Do you honestly think throwing money at me is a convincing argument?”
Aventurine blinked, his unfocused eyes widening in surprise. He let out a short, nervous laugh, “I-I didn’t mean to offend you or anything. I just thought you were also having a fun time...”
“Then why bring up money? How is it relevant?”
For a moment, Aventurine looked like a cornered animal, his breaths coming out short and ragged. He winced as Dr. Ratio’s grip on his arms tightened.
He shouted, “I-I don’t know! But I don’t see what’s wrong with—”
“—I said no. And no amount of money is going to change my answer,” Dr. Ratio’s arms trembled as he stared hard at Aventurine, “you can keep all your money. I don’t want it.”
Aventurine opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. Then, his expression hardened, and with great struggle he pulled away from Dr. Ratio, stumbling as he did.
His voice rose as he yelled, “You don’t want money? You don’t want anything? That’s funny, professor. Everyone wants something. Why are you refusing me? Is there something wrong with me? Or do you secretly hate me? Are you just doing all of this because you got a free vacation out of it, but once I ask for something more serious, you suddenly act as though you’re above it?!”
Dr. Ratio gritted his teeth. Around them, passersby were casting confused and curious glances. Angrily, Dr. Ratio thought, Mind your own damn business, people!
Ratio tried to close the distance between them, lowering his voice as he did so, “I don’t hate you. I don’t even know why you would suggest that. But come on, think about this from my perspective. We’re really only just acquaintances. Wouldn’t you also find it a bit strange if someone tried to monopolize all of your time and attention?”
Suddenly, Aventurine reeled backward, his face red from the shouting, but his eyes wide and frantic as he kept taking shorter and shorter breaths. Dr. Ratio tried to reach out to pull him back, but Aventurine was staggering now, looking at Ratio as though he’d just seen a ghost.
“Wh-what it is?” Ratio asked, trying to gently coax Aventurine back toward him. He couldn’t tell anymore if it was the alcohol or Aventurine’s own desperation that was making him act this way. Dr. Ratio thought his words were rational, but maybe there was something else upsetting Aventurine and he had just stepped on a landmine.
Aventurine bit his lip, his eyebrows knitting together in frustration and fear.
Dr. Ratio braced himself for another loud outburst, but instead what he got was a weak, “Do you think I’m pathetic?” Dr. Ratio froze, his anger momentarily replaced by shock. Aventurine trembled before him, like he himself was simmering with rage or fear or sadness.
“Because I think I am," Aventurine lowered his head, averting his gaze from Dr. Ratio's. "No. Actually, I know I am." Dr. Ratio found himself shaking his head 'no' but did not voice it aloud. He couldn't understand where this was coming from.
Voice wavering, Aventurine said, “I just wanted to spend time with you. I tried hard to think of things you would like to do. I wanted to do things only you would enjoy because… I just wanted you to stay...
“You said you would leave me otherwise. And I didn’t want you to leave. I wanted to you to stay. I really…” Aventurine swallowed hard, his voice came out thick and warbly. “I didn’t know what would make you stay. Because all I have is money. And everyone likes money, right? So, why do you refuse me?”
Dr. Ratio wanted to speak, but didn't know what he could possible say to make it better.
Aventurine continued. “I don’t—I don’t think it’s right—using money like this. I don’t enjoy it. I don't like not knowing if any of my friends are real. But no one ever stays unless I give them a reason to. But you... I assumed you'd be the same, but am I not doing enough? What else do I have to do, Ratio?” His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms as he took another step back.
Dr. Ratio’s chest tightened as he watched Aventurine unravel before him. The man who always seemed so confident, so in control, now looked broken and small, his shoulders shaking as he struggled to breathe. “I know what people say about me. Most don’t like me. Nor trust me. I don’t have anything that would make people want to stay...”
Finally, Dr. Ratio spoke, trying to slowly move in closer, “That’s not true. For better or worse, you draw people in. You have a natural charisma. We may not know each other that well, but your actions in Penacony alone told me that you are a brave and emotionally intelligent individual,” he a cautious step forward as he spoke, paying no mind to the few people who had stopped to watch them, “an isn’t that something already?” Dr. Ratio watched Aventurine's face and the flicker of emotions that went by as he spoke.
He wasn't sure if Aventurine even believed a word he said—but he did seem surprised to hear it. It was as though Aventurine couldn't see any positive aspects of himself. As though he was nothing without his money.
Aventurine sniffed, lifting his head to the sky and taking a deep breath. He shook his head and tried to recollect himself. “Not really," he huffed a laugh, "that's a strangely optimistic perspective coming from someone like you, professor." Already, Aventurine was beginning to calm down, but it was clear he was still unhappy. "And please don’t talk to me like I’m on a ledge. I don’t need your pity.”
Dr. Ratio closed the distance between them and said, “I only pity the stupid. And you are not stupid. Far from it, actually.” Dr. Ratio gazed into Aventurine’s eyes—colorful irises still watery from unshed tears, nose still red, and eyebrows still furrowed. He reached out, his hand brushing against Aventurine’s arm. “You should know that money can’t solve all your problems. The greatest lesson I ever learned was that, when faced with some kind of problem, simply asking a question can lead to surprisingly straightforward answers.”
For a moment, Aventurine just stared at him, his breath hitching as the weight of Dr. Ratio’s words sank in. Then, lowering his head, he said in a tiny voice just loud enough for only Ratio to hear, “Then will you stay?”
Dr. Ratio’s expression softened, and he pulled Aventurine into a firm embrace, ignoring the fuss from the people gathered around them. He felt Aventurine’s body tremble against his, and in response, held onto Aventurine tighter—trying to anchor him to the present. Slowly, Ratio’s hand found its way to the back of Aventurine’s head, fingers tangling in his soft, blonde hair as he whispered, "Of course."
…
The hotel room was quiet, the soft hum of the heater filled the silence. The walk back to the hotel was a quiet one, and once they arrived, Ratio insisted Aventurine take a shower, and then go straight to bed.
Stepping out of the shower, Dr. Ratio looked at Aventurine who was sat on the edge of the bed, his shoulders slumped, his hands resting limply in his lap, and his hair still damp. He looked exhausted. Still, there was a calmness to him now, as if the storm inside him had finally passed.
Dr. Ratio moved about the kitchenette attached to their room with his usual efficiency, though his movements were slower, more deliberate. He filled an electric kettle with water and set it to boil, then rummaged through the cupboards for the complimentary packets of tea.
When the kettle whistled, Dr. Ratio poured the hot water into the cup, the steam rising in gentle curls. It wasn’t anything fancy—just a generic chamomile blend—but it would do.
"Here," Dr. Ratio said, handing Aventurine the steaming cup once the tea was ready. "It’s herbal."
Aventurine stared at the cup for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly before taking the cup with a quiet murmer, "Thanks."
Dr. Ratio sat down across from him on his own bed. For a while, neither of them spoke, nor did Aventurine move to drink the tea. Dr. Ratio thought back on everything that occurred thus far. And while he still believed there was still plenty of things left unsaid, he saw no reason to bring any of it up now.
He was about to urge Aventurine to drink it before it cooled too much, when Aventurine suddenly broke the silence, "You don’t have to do this, you know."
"Do what?" Dr. Ratio asked with a tilt of his head.
"This," Aventurine said, gesturing vaguely to the cup in his hands, "you don’t have to... take care of me. I’m not your responsibility."
"I’m aware,” Dr. Ratio said simply, “I’m doing it because I want to.”
Aventurine’s grip tightened on the cup, his knuckles whitening. He opened his mouth to argue, but then stopped himself. Instead, he took a slow sip of the tea, his shoulders relaxing slightly as the warmth spread through him.
"It’s not bad," he said after a moment, his voice quiet.
"It’s tea," Dr. Ratio replied dryly, "it’s not supposed to be bad."
Aventurine let out a small, breathy laugh, the sound almost surprising in the quiet room. "Fair enough."
They lapsed into silence again, but this time, it felt lighter. Aventurine finished his tea and set the cup on the nightstand, then leaned back against the headboard with a sigh. He glanced at Dr. Ratio, who was still sitting across from him.
“I’m sorry,” Aventurine said in a small voice.
“No need to apologize. I take no offense,” Dr. Ratio shook his head.
“Still,” Aventurine protested, “I soured things in the end.”
“It is what it is. And just because things turned out like this doesn’t mean I think less of you. Just try to focus on the present,” Dr. Ratio pulled back the quilt of his own bed, preparing to climb in, “I think the best thing you can do right now is get some rest.”
For a moment, Aventurine didn't move, and Dr. Ratio was about to tell him to go to sleep, when suddenly, "You won’t leave, right?” Dr. Ratio looked at Aventurine who had moved closer, eyes filled with a vulnerable sincerity.
Dr. Ratio paused, assessing Aventurine's expression, and then, "No," he said gently, "I won’t." And with that he reached for Aventurine's hand and lightly pulled it toward him: a silent invitation. The beds in the double rooms at the Goethe Hotel were incredibly small and unfit for two people. But despite being cramped, Aventurine clung to Ratio, even as he leaned over to switch the lamp light off.
As they settled into the bed, Dr. Ratio listened to the slight creak of the old hotel building settling.
"Ratio," Aventurine began.
"Shh... Just try to sleep," Ratio whispered.
"Thank you."
"I should be the one saying thank you..." Dr. Ratio paused, and then added, "I hope you at least had fun today. I enjoyed our time together."
Aventurine nodded, his throat tightening. He didn’t say anything else. Instead, he closed his eyes and let himself sink into the quiet of the night. He replayed the events of the day in his mind. He didn’t want to think too deeply about what it all meant. He probably already knew, but he tried to do as Ratio suggested: he focused on the present.
He focused on the slight rustle of sheets as Ratio settled into bed next to him. He focused on his own breathing, steady for the first time that night. He focused on the warmth radiating off of Ratio, and curled his body inward to capture as much heat as he could. He focused on his slightly puffy eyes, and squeezed them tight for a second before relaxing them and slowly drifting off to sleep.