Archive of Our Own

When Phenn took up the job of keeping the tavern, he learned something new about Zero: sometimes his childhood friend wanted to drink.

This should not have been strange.  Almost every one of the young men and women of Wishvale drank sometimes, himself included.  Sometimes, perhaps, more than they ought, but the more the town had flourished, the less Phenn found himself having to put his foot down for their own good.

He’d always thought Zero disliked liquor, and that had been the case.  Still seemed to be the case, as far as everyone else knew.  The one who led the charge to rebuild, the one who now lead the cries of “For the future of Wishvale” with such energy, the ‘chosen Ringbearer’ or some such... sometimes he too needed to drink the pain away.

Phenn rather just wished Zero would be honest about it.  It would certainly beat having to count the bottles after every time Zero helped him out at the bar.  Just the one brand, mind; Phenn had figured out a few weeks ago that Zero always took the same one.  So now there was always a bottle back here, waiting for him, even if they were ‘out’ as far as every other patron was concerned.

Despite how close they were, the bottle was the only way Phenn got to know how Zero was really feeling sometimes.

If Zero brought home someone new to Wishvale from his travels, the bottle rarely vanished.  Every step in that direction seemed to hearten the young man, even the returns that came heavy with grief.  Once they’d met that snarky merchant and brought commerce back to town, bringing with him visitors, traffic, there had been a long string where he’d almost thought Zero had given up the bottle.

Then Zero would depart for a couple weeks, and come home from some duty borne upon him by the Ring.  It was his companions who’d show the harrowing they’d endured outwardly, usually drinking themselves into a stupor, until Zero was their shoulder on which to get home.

It would be Phenn’s job to check up on Zero those nights, to find him buried in his knees in the dark of his room.  Sometimes wracked by sobs, sometimes having seeming passed out in such a state, or so immobile as to be mistaken for it.  Always wanting “to just be left alone, for a little while, please, Phenn.”  But at least he was home, and safe, and if their eyes met through the window, there was just an acknowledging nod.  That was their understanding now.

Only once, after a long trip and coming back from the war down south, did he drink himself so sick Phenn had to intervene.  Phenn still didn’t know the full details of what Zero witnessed.  He didn’t dare ask.

That routine was their secret.  Zero was the Ringbearer, the Chosen One, and that came with a heavy burden.  A burden he never let anyone else carry openly; a burden he once said he never wished upon anyone else.  So Phenn took what little weight he could, and did it by keeping his secrets.  By letting Zero have his peace.

The last trip Zero had returned from, so far as Phenn knew, had been a quiet one.  He hadn’t even known why Zero headed out or where to, nor had there been any grand drinking or celebration on return.  As it concluded within just a couple days, he had assumed it couldn’t have been all that serious.

To find a bottle missing this evening was unexpected.

“I’m coming in, Zero,” Phenn announced, as he fished out the spare key to his friend’s home.  There was no answer, for Phenn soon discovered Zero was not home at all.

No bottle, and none to drink it.

Something was wrong.

Phenn’s search of Wishvale that evening did not immediately turn up Zero.  Who he’d found had been Jasper, leaving his abode in the middle of the night, skulking about with so glances over his shoulder that he ran directly into Phenn.  When asked about Zero, the pause in his answers had told the lie for him.  It had been tempting to pressure the guy, but in the end, Phenn opted for something he did much better: tracking.

It led him to a place he figured he ought to have gone to begin with.  The hill overlooking the woodlands, the same place they’d gone from time to time when they were kids.  It left Phenn with not much cover to approach, but what good would he have been as a hunter if he couldn’t keep himself quiet despite that?  Besides, Jasper and Zero both had their focus turned outwards, blocking their view backwards as they sat shoulder to shoulder; Zero curled in on himself while Jasper’s arm supported him.

It wasn’t until he got closer that Phenn got to listen in.

“...both know that’s not going to make us happy, Zero.”

Whatever Zero responds with is even quieter.  It’s impossible for Phenn to make it out.

“Cause we’ve done that before, remember?”

There’s a tension that hangs in the air, then a flurry of movement.  A rustle of clothes, a voice silenced, a bottle thumping onto the dirt to spill its forgotten contents.

Zero had kissed Jasper.  Of all possible things to witness, of all fears of what Phenn might discover, this had not even remotely been on the list.

Then Jasper pushed away after just a beat.  It didn’t take much strength.  Zero was withdrawing on himself already, and his voice was audible now, if but for a few words before it turned into mumbling.

“I shouldn’t have--I’m sorry.  It’s not...”

Jasper pat Zero upon the back, a long sigh rolling from him as he settled back in.  He’s less shocked by this action than Phenn, for certain.  “I get it, man.  I do.  It’d sure make it easier if we could, huh?  But we’ve been there before.  We know why it doesn’t work.”  Jasper’s sigh was long and longing at once, too.  “I can’t be Phenn, and you can’t be Lutus.”

“...not him anymore, it’s...”  Zero’s voice croaked out.  Phenn didn’t need to see his face, or see how Jasper drew back in to hold him, to know exactly how deep the pain had gotten for his dear friend.

Yet whatever pain this was... he’d wanted to work through it in private.  With Jasper, not Phenn.  No, if he heard that right, maybe Jasper’s actually better equipped than Phenn to handle this one.  After all, Phenn’s just been left with so many questions that they tumble across each other in his brain, impossible to untangle.

“Yeah, I know.  We’re both kinda screwed, huh?”  Jasper’s laugh is as hollow as it is genuine, trying to buoy both of them.  Perhaps, Phenn thinks, it’s best if he’s the one to do so this time.  If Zero wants this private part of his life known, he will come and talk to Phenn about it.

Thus decided, the hunter crept back into the shadows, as silent and unknown as when he’d arrived.

It was a couple hours later, staring at what little the moonlight lets him distinguish of his ceiling, that the pieces even finally started to resemble a puzzle.

Phenn had known Zero liked men since before Wishvale burned to the ground.  He knew, because he was the first man Zero liked.

That confession had been rough for both of them.

In the three years since, Phenn had forgotten exactly what he said.  He knew it wasn’t great.  Phenn knew little about the whole idea, beyond the occasional spiteful rumour floating around town from some of the more elderly gossips.  Accusations about folk who hadn’t found wives, or occasionally women who hadn’t found men.  That it was supposed to be a bad thing, somehow, even if in retrospect it was just one of many unusual things about his friend.

He tried for a while to pretend that turning Zero down would have always ended up in Zero running off crying.  Yet once the guilt had gotten to Phenn, and he’d made the serious talk about it happen, he knew that wasn’t the whole case.  There were reasons Zero had never said anything to anyone, things he feared.  Phenn had to learn a lot, including swearing to never tell a soul.

So far as Phenn knew, even Zero’s parents didn’t know their son’s preferences before they passed away.

For a while, he’d felt guilty about it.  Zero was, to him, a little brother; one he wanted to see happy.  But he was also a brother, not a lover; no matter how Phenn tried to imagine it, he just couldn’t see himself with any man, not even Zero.  There was no way to make that happen that made them both happy.

The most Phenn could do was learn to support Zero, to keep his secret.  And Zero, ever understanding, accepted it in time.  They had closed that chapter of their lives, and moved on, and now they could laugh and hang out like they used to.  The awkwardness had vanished well before the flames had separated them.  Or so Phenn had known.

Then again, so far as Phenn had known, Zero was the only guy like that in Wishvale.  So much for that, if he’d heard right, Jasper was into Lutus?  A lot of memories made sense now.  Their present day inseparability made sense now too, and especially this explained the conflicted looks Jasper got whenever the subject of the late Nellum came up.  That one, at least, Phenn could understand.

Also so far as Phenn had known, Zero had never... dated?  Jasper.  Did they date?  Did they just try to?  There were a lot of questions there, about what exactly they’d been up to.  How long had Zero and Jasper been so close, anyway?  They’d done an amazing job hiding it... or maybe, because Phenn had never thought about it, he’d just never been seen it.

The implication of his own name sunk dead weight in Phenn’s heart.  That whatever they’d tried, Zero had been in love with Phenn when it happened.  That whatever they’d tried, it had been to cope with what they couldn’t have.

Yet above all else, there was one final detail Phenn had overheard he couldn’t put aside: that it wasn’t Phenn that the Ringbearer now loved.  But whoever it was, they were once again out of his reach.

It seemed so cruel, really.  Wishvale was blossoming anew, and its tormentors dealt with.  Zero had gone through so much to see to its safety, and even now bore somehow more and more responsibility as the Rings drew him inexorably towards some increasingly epic fate.  All of which seemed to bring him pain.  Couldn’t the world show him some kindness, for once?

So who - or what - had pushed Zero to that point?

For the second night, Phenn was puzzling it out in bed, unable to sleep, but at least he’d reached a simple question of his own: what could he do about it?

The new day’s clarity brought with it a problem for Phenn: He was pretty certain there was nobody he could just ask.

He couldn’t exactly go to Zero on this matter.  They did not talk about their love lives.  Mostly because neither really had one.  Not that Phenn was usually looking, mind, there was far too much to do for Wishvale right now, though as the town bustled and more people came through his tavern, he certainly could name a few lovely young ladies he’d be happy to get to know more.  But also Zero was private about that, so much that he’d never told Phenn about Jasper.

Thus, if Phenn simply waltzed up to Zero going “hey man so, you uh, got any eyes for anyone these days?” there’d be almost no way Zero wouldn’t get suspicious of the timing.  Zero, as ever, wanted to suffer in secret.

Phenn couldn’t really go chat with Jasper either.  Zero had kept being into guys a secret.  Clearly, Jasper had too, given Phenn hadn’t even heard a whiff of it.  It made it frustrating to watch Jasper and Lutus from across the bar, taking lunch next to each other.  The answer was held by someone right there in front of him, and Phenn couldn’t just ask.

“Alright, Phenn,” Lutus instead would be the one to ask, between bites.  “Lunch is great, why are you looking at us like you’re expecting it to be poison?”

Jasper took a swig of ale to clear his mouth before he spoke.  “Hey, now, he’s a Hunter, not an Apothecary.”

“Might be why the poison’s not working then!”  Lutus laughed it up, bringing a dumb smile to the face of three men gathered, even if Phenn wasn’t aware of it.  “Okay, seriously man, what’s eating you?  Girl troubles?”

“Huh?  No.”  This time, Phenn caught something he’d never seen before - a wince across Jasper’s features. It was sometimes hard to not know things, unfortunately.  “Do you guys remember... what was it, a few days ago?  You were hanging out in here, with Zero, right?  Before Zero’s last trip?”

“We don’t really keep tabs on Zero’s comings and goings, not the same as you do, you know,” Lutus laughed.

“Oh, wait, was that with Ludo?  Was he here too?” Jasper offered.

“With--oh, yeah!” Lutus tapped at his chin with his fork.  “Kinda do.  Why?”

The one thing Phenn had to go on, was that Zero always drank away the things that happened during his previous trip.  But he’d missed why Zero had last left town this time, and a return with so little fanfare was equally as strange.  Maybe the answer was here, in a conversation he’d known was happening, but at far too noisy a time to have heard it.

“Do you guys remember what they were chatting about?”

“Oh, yeah!  Ha, it’s always girl troubles!” Lutus laughed.  Phenn rolled his eyes, at first taking it as some joke, but Lutus sat up straighter.  “No, really. Ludo was acting all mopey, and I asked if he was remembering some girl, and it turned out, yeah he was.”

“Right, yeah.  Ludo, he, well he had a girlfriend.”  Jasper tried to take over the explanation, more firm, before Lutus budged in again.

“I know, surprised me too, right?” Lutus leaned in conspiratorially, the one person there eager to spill secrets.  “So it turns out Ludo had a girl before he came here.  In... ah, dang it, you know the one, in the Highlands?”

“Shepherd’s Rock?” Jasper prompted.

“Yeah, that’s it, I think!  Does it matter if I’m wrong here?  You get the idea.  Anyway!” Lutus punctuated it with a slap to the bar.  “Yeah, I think Zero and Ludo trekked down there to go pay some respects.  She’s, er, gone.”

“That’s why I said had a girlfriend.”

“Could’ve been a breakup, not... that.”  Lutus finally leaned back, his mood a little soured.

“That’s it?  Huh.”  Phenn mulled it over.  “Didn’t notice anything weird about either of them, did you?”

“Well, for once Ludo wasn’t snappy with comebacks, that was a first!”  Lutus laughed.  “But otherwise, no.”

But it wasn’t Lutus’ reaction Phenn was interested in.  He was watching Jasper’s.  Watching the way his eyes strayed to every other corner of the bar for a bit, watching the way he almost answered, stopped himself, started again, stopped.  Carefully mulled over what he would say next.

“No, I didn’t notice anything weird.”  Jasper finally answered.

But Phenn had, right then.  And for once, the puzzle was already awaiting its piece.

Phenn deliberately took his time in the shop.  He mulled far too long over imported lemons from the coastland, spent time measuring and remeasuring a suit of armor from Emberglow that clearly was never going to fit him (and he wore leathers anyway).  He just had to bide his time, even if he could nearly hear the fuse of the bomb behind the counter.

Unfortunately, getting Tressa to stop hanging off of him was difficult.  She was convinced there was a sale to be had, and her usually enjoyable enthusiasm was an obstacle, until Phenn eventually used his last resort.  Even if she was happy to go fetch what he’d ‘forgotten’, the fact he’d left his coinpurse behind the bar at the tavern clearly meant he’d never had any intent to purchase today.  The moment the two were left alone, Ludo called him out on exactly that.

“Alright, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, nothing!” Phenn threw up his hands in defense.  “Just--”

“Nothing, nothing, my ass.  I’d say buy or get out, but you’re clearly not here to buy, and you just got my assistant to run across town.”  Ludo scowled.  “Speaking of which, you’d better be buying something after taking advantage of her goodwill like that.”

He did feel a little guilty, but Ludo’s attitude really did surprise him sometimes.  They’d gotten off on the wrong foot to begin with, but even still, he always thought merchants were supposed to have honey in their words.  Tressa and Carinda had sure figured that out.  Ludo somehow bared his teeth and made money instead.

“Okay, okay, listen.  You were just on a trip with Zero, right?”  Phenn laid out the start of his trap.  “Out in the Highlands?”

Ludo clammed up quick on that.  “Sorry, all out of stock on that business today.  Try again later.”

Phenn hesitated.  He took the time, choosing his words carefully.  Maybe something had happened directly between Ludo and Zero.  Or maybe nothing had happened.  Maybe Ludo had no idea at all.  He couldn’t overplay his hand and risk something.  Zero wouldn’t forgive him.

“Did you...” no, that was the wrong question.  “Was anything wrong with Zero?”

“Huh?  I don’t think so.” The way Ludo’s eyebrow rose at least helped answer the question.  That was not the direction Ludo had expected that to go, and it told a lot in how he didn’t answer.  “Though I wasn’t really paying the most attention, I guess.  What do you know?”

Bartering.  Fine, he could do that.  Phenn played what he could afford to.  “I, uh, heard about your girlfriend,” Phenn offered.  “A bit, anyway.  Sorry to hear about it.”

“Oh.  Yeah  Sure you are.”  Ludo’s bite wore away fast at that.  Not completely, but the merchant’s tension visibly deflated.  “It’s a little private though, okay?”

“Please, Ludo,” Phenn pressed on.  “I just need to know if anything happened to Zero on the trip.”

“Really stubborn about him, huh?”  Ludo grumbled a little.  Phenn was ready to push further, but it would not be needed.

“Sorry.  I don’t know what to tell you.  The trip wasn’t exactly about him.  Really, it was just about me.  ...Kinda selfish to ask him along, really, Molly being gone is my problem, not his.  Just went to pay respects, and it got complicated”  Ludo sighed, rubbing the back of his head.  “Didn’t notice anything weird with Zero.”

Ludo stepped away from the counter, starting to pace.  Phenn let the silence hang.  If there was really nothing, sure, but Ludo seemed to be in recollection, and he didn’t want to disrupt it.

“Though, guess he did save my life and all.”  Ludo drummed the fingers of one arm across the other as he settled his pacing, now not meeting Phenn’s gaze at all.  His next words were muttered, but Phenn could still barely hear them.  “Even let me cry on his shoulder.  ...If he’s off it’s probably my fault, putting him through all that.”

So far as Phenn knew, this was not the Ludo he was used to.  This was not the firebrand merchant who’d openly taunted lizardmen by throwing gold around, or the shrewd haggler who kept the town supplied.  It was a different side to him.  A side that he was only getting a glimpse at.  One more vulnerable than he expected.  

The silence hung in the air, until Ludo reaffirmed himself, finally turning back to Phenn.  “I should probably do something for him in return, shouldn’t I?  Shit meant a lot to me.  Though you,” he pointed straight at Phenn for emphasis, “are not to breathe a word of that to anyone, got it?”

“Would never, I swear it on the Sacred Flame.”  Phenn motioned a prayer, earning a snort from Ludo, but the young man seemed happy with that response.

“Sure, sure.  Right.  Hey, Phenn, you know Zero better than anyone, right?  Childhood friends and all?”  Ludo stepped back up to the desk, and the fire came back on in his eyes.  “You know what, you can tell me what I should get him, as thanks.  I was thinking of a new war fan, but he’s got a collection going as is.  Feels a bit plain.  You’ve gotta know something.”

It did seem like a nice gift, Phenn thought, but what he said instead was, “And what’ll you offer me in return?”

“Oh, like I didn’t just answer your questions?” Ludo narrowed his eyes.

“Seems my answer’s probably worth a lot to you.”

“Are you trying to haggle me on this?” Ludo’s eyes narrowed further.

“Maybe.”  Phenn knew he had the advantage here, and unfortunately for Ludo, the merchant also knew it.

“Fine.  Here’s my offer: one more query into my private life.  Just one.  And then you will give me your answer,” Ludo pressed a hand on the counter.

Phenn pondered that.  What possible use could he have for that?  ...Unless.

Unless.

Unless it was possible that, just maybe, Zero’s problem was staring him right in the face.  Literally.  Zero shares what sounded like a tender time with him, but it was over a love that Ludo had in the past?  Then he suddenly ends up seeking out Jasper for companionship?

But there was no way he could just... ask, right?  It’d be too obvious, back to back with all that, right?  Yeah, there was no way he could ever ask--

“Are you into guys?”

--the exact question that slipped from his mouth before he could stop himself.

Ludo did not respond for what felt like minutes.  It was likely only a handful of seconds, but clearly Phenn had just inflicted a stun on both of them.

“You trying to be the Inquisition on me or something?” Ludo scowled.  “Finding dirt to get me run out of town or something?”

“No!  I just--I mean I don’t think people here would do that, and listen, it’s unrelated to everything, and I swear I’ll not tell--”

“Fine.  Are you trying to--” Ludo swallowed the next ones down, looking as confused as he was about to sound, “ask me out?”

“No!” Phenn quickly shot that down.  He was trying to help Zero, the last thing he needed was to somehow get personally involved in complicating that!

“Then why the hell are you asking?” Ludo slammed his hand on the counter, the force knocking a jar nearby onto its side.  Without looking away, Ludo’s other hand had righted it in seconds, no eye contact lost.

“I know, it’s stupid, but you offered!”   Yeah, with a reaction like that, there was no way.  For all his attempts to help Zero, it might just be hopeless.  Did he even have the right guy?  He was making a ton of assumptions here, maybe he was sticking his nose in a bit too deep--

Ludo interrupted his spiral.  “Then you’re going to give me the best answer possible for a gift if I answer that.  Deal?”

Phenn nodded blankly.

“Fine.  Yeah, I like guys too.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think so, given you had a girlfr-”

“I said yes, dumbass.”

The noise Phenn made must have resembled a lone question mark, somehow, as his brain tried to catch up.

“Listen,” Ludo sighed, looking a little flustered.  “I was working in Sunshade when you came to get me, right?  Surely you noticed there’s not just girls dancing about and working the streets, right?”  Honestly, Phenn hadn’t, but he’d been thoroughly distracted by said girls when they’d gone there.

With no answer other than an empty nod, Ludo continued.  “Hells, Zero is a dancer, right?  Shows a lot less skin than the ones I’m used to, mind--”  Something about that made Ludo swallow, and he cut himself off, embarrassment coloring his cheeks.  “Listen, point is, yeah, okay, I swing both ways.  You happy?  Don’t go parading it around, I know it ain’t as popular a thing to be open about up here, nearer the church’s home.”

So then there was a chance.  There was a chance, for Zero.  If Phenn was right about this all to begin with, of course.

The smile on his face made Ludo wrinkle in concern.  “Why are you looking so damn happy about this?  I thought you weren’t trying to ask me out!”

“No!”  Phenn quickly shook his head.  “I’m not into guys!  Listen, I just--nevermind.  Just a curiosity I had to sate, I guess?”

“Uh huh.  Not buying it.”  Ludo scowled in suspicion, throwing his hand open.  “But whatever.  I did my part.  Now pay up.”

“Oh, Tressa’s not back with my wallet yet--”

“Not literally!  Metaphorically, dumbass.  You promised me an answer, and you’d better have it quick before she does come back!”

“Oh!  Right, uh, a gift, I--” had not actually planned any answer.  Phenn was the type for thoughtful gifts, but that required time to think.  Maybe saying yes to that new fan?  No, there had to be something better.  “Let me think just a--”

“I’m back!” The door swung open as Tressa marched back in, the bag of coins in her hand chiming her entry.

In half a second Ludo was leaned back away from the counter, all signs of his stress and embarrassment gone from his face.  “Good!  Let’s count this guy up for all that food he was eyeing.  Oh, and that armor, too, for wasting our time.”  A mischievous grin took hold on both merchants.

Well, Phenn figured, he’d have to find a second hand buyer for the armor now.  Zero had a habit of buying any number of random things off people.  He’d probably be interested.

“Clam meunière and a fruit platter for table six!”  Olive’s call came in loud enough over the bustle of Wishvale’s dinner rush.

Zero, of course, was the one to answer.  He doesn’t work here, he shouldn’t work here, and Phenn has often told him as much.  He’s got way too much to do and he’s The Ringbearer, the Hero of Orsterra, and what would people say if they caught him waiting tables?  Yet every time Phenn brings it up, Zero just says he’s happy to help.  Few things let him mingle with the folk of Wishvale, so many of whom were brought here by him specifically.

Phenn watched idly as Zero delivered the meals to two of the newcomers: a broad and hearty apothecary, and the quiet rogue he’s dining with tonight.  Lately it feels like there’s so many new faces that Phenn is having trouble remembering them all.  It is a wonderful problem to have.

If Zero were actually hired, Phenn would pester him for lingering over there, but it’s fine.

“Curry for table eight!”

The next call was one Phenn would have to get himself.  He has so much less grace than Zero does; even when he’s not in his finery, the chosen one dances through a crowd.  For all of Phenn’s care, it’s still sometimes hard to avoid an elbow unexpectedly coming his way, or someone throwing their hands up in cheer at the wrong time. It means being a bit louder, cutting a bit wide.

That bigger presence means he’s not slipping away from the next table without catching the attention of the one ordering.

“Hey.  Hey Phenn.”  Ludo skewered some of the rice in a very deliberate motion, even as his gaze locked directly upon Phenn with an offset smile.  “Where’s my half of the bargain, Phenn?”

“Listen, I’m coming up with it, okay?”  Phenn flinched.  He managed to avoid answering it for a day, but the problem is, they both know where the other works.  He just hasn’t found a good answer yet.  It hit him last night, if he’s right, if Zero likes Ludo, this choice could matter.

Ludo scowls.  “We had a deal, didn’t we?  So pay.  Up.”

“Phenn, don’t tell me you are racking up a tab at the shop.”

Both of the men startle at the arrival they didn’t realise was here.  Zero apparently was quicker than Phenn thought at his previous table, and neither of them had noticed until now.  Ludo relaxed his grip on his cutlery, relaxing his smile to a more natural one.

“Even Phenn wouldn’t be dumb enough to rack up a debt with me,” Ludo’s barb was diversionary.

“Oh, you know, I think I doubt that,” Zero’s voice was a light tease as he shifted his weight to a hip, resting one hand against it.  His other pointed to the hunter with two fingers; casual but direct.  “Phenn?  You’re not causing problems, are you?”

“Of course not!”  Phenn laughed.  “We’re getting along great.”

Zero studied Phenn with curiosity.  A look of disbelief.  Phenn glanced at Ludo, and they caught each other’s eyes, both in agreement on one thing: Zero has a way of making people spill the beans.  They’ve both been on the end of it.  It was going to be a problem actually getting him a gift if he was aware it’ll happen.

And fortunately, for once, he chose not to exercise that charm of his.  “Oh, well, I’m sure it’s fine.”

“Roast Iridove, table four!”

Zero started to move, but Phenn cut him off.  “Hey, let me get that one, okay Zero?  Almost everyone’s served, you relax a bit.  Take a break.”

Usually, Zero will fight him on that.  He is always far too helpful, far too eager to throw himself into doing anything to make life easier for someone else.  But Phenn saw the hesitation as he glanced at Ludo.  It didn’t take long for Zero to come to his decision.  “Okay.  Hey, mind if I join you, actually?”  He barely waited for Ludo to nod before Zero took the chair opposite.

As Phenn delivered the next dishes, he kept an eye on them.  He couldn’t see much of Ludo, but he could see Zero.  Hands jumping and voice alight, he recounted a tale that quickly drew an audience.  Every time Phenn looked, more and more of the tavern had changed their focus to watch as Zero shared the tale of a monstrous fish from the Riverlands.

His energy captured the whole tavern, but his eyes never left Ludo.

Tonight, the hero of Orsterra had a glow about him; a glow Phenn hasn’t seen in a long time.  There’s just something different, but familiar.  It reminds him of the light Zero had before the tragedies, before everything went wrong, before they all lost so much.

It hit him, in the middle of the aisle, a couple empty dishes stacked on one hand.  He knew that glow.

Zero used to look at him like that, too.  Once, when it felt like they were still kids, and Phenn did not yet know the depth of the other boy’s feelings.

The story reaches its climax, and a roar of cheers erupted from the listeners.  With it came arms flying up, and down goes the plates Phenn could no longer balance.  Surprise, laughter, apologies, a flurry of activity all followed.  But Phenn didn’t mind the damage, or the cleanup, this time, nor does he stop Zero from running over to help, because of course he would.

After all, he knows it now with certainty.  Zero is in love again.

The coins clatter onto the counter.  “There.  Thanks for the grub.”  Ludo was in a better mood now, but he was still here on business as much as pleasure.  “Listen, can you at least give me a timeline?  I just don’t want to seem ungrateful to him, you know?”

“One moment,” Phenn reached under the bar, and pulls out a bottle.  One he never bothers to count in the inventory.  One he knows the label on all too well.  “Here.”

Ludo eyed it in curiosity.  “Oh, free drinks on the house tonight, is that it?”

“No.  It’s the gift.”  Phenn answered, pushing it forward.

Ludo’s eyes narrowed, leaning in and spinning the bottle to look at the label itself.  “Okay, no.  First off, I almost never see Zero drink.  And second, you pulled that from behind the counter, and I know this isn’t some premium brand, so it’s not like he couldn’t just get it from you.  Do you think I’m an idiot, or...?”

“I’m serious.”  Phenn answers, not missing a beat.  “Catch him as he leaves.  Offer to go share a drink with him somewhere.  Ideally somewhere private.”

It’s Ludo’s turn to make the verbal form of a question mark.

“You just need to trust me.  Listen.”  Phenn leaned in, dropping his voice.  Zero’s cleaning up in the kitchen.  At least he thinks Zero is.  He glances over his shoulder to make sure, before he continues.  “He takes on a lot.  This is his favorite.  Give him a chance to unwind.  ...Be there for him.”

Ludo mulled over it, deciding on if he’d believe it.  “I mean, I guess that makes sense.  You really something so cheap will help out Orsterra’s big damn hero?”

“It will.  Like I said, trust me.”

Ludo pondered it carefully.  Much too carefully.  Something was clearly calculating in his head, but the pieces aren’t fitting together yet.  Then, finally, he swiped the bottle into his hands.  “Okay.  Fine.  You’re the one who grew up with him.  If you say this is the gift he needs... but if he gets mad at me, I will expect a refund.”

Phenn can agree to that.

“Hey, is Phenn here?”

“Sure, kiddo.  Let me go fetch him.”

Phenn was aware of Zero’s voice even before Olive called to him.  He’d been listening all day for it, after all.  He set down the dishes for the time being, taking a deep breath.

What if it had gone wrong?  What if Zero was about to hate him?  He’d definitely set them up, but he’d been up all night thinking about it.  Sure, Zero’s interest was clear, if he’d read the signs right, but what if he’d confessed?  What if Ludo wasn’t interested, after all that?  What if he’d set them up for disaster?

Olive’s stare was pestering him to get a move on and go greet their guest.  There was not going to be any running from the consequences of his interference.  He’d done what he felt was right, and it was time to face the answer.

So through the door Phenn went.  “Zero?”  He tried to play it casual.  “Is everything al--”

He didn’t even get to finish speaking before his body gets a whole lot heavier.  An entire person had attached themselves to him, in a hug so abrupt and strong it nearly knocked him over.

The last time Zero had hugged him like that, it was their reunion after Wishvale had burned.

“Thank you.”

And the last time Phenn had hugged Zero back, the hero had cried tears of joy then too.