Chapter Text
The Sage was no stranger to mysteries. Why, he’s based his entire career around them! Who else but the Sage of Truth could solve every problem his students (and occasionally, the town) had? Complex equations? He’s your guy. A spell went wrong? He knows how to fix it! This is all to say, he should be great at solving things on the fly.
This is where his most recent mystery comes on. His dear Recluse! The strange cookie who had not only interrupted his lecture when they first met, but also had the gall to use magic to interfere (or rather, destroy) with his lesson plans! Those plans were supposed to last 12 years! And he’s still a little bitter that he has to recreate it all from scratch again. Yet, despite this foul first impression, he still found himself enjoying the Recluse for all that he was.
A shy, well-meaning cookie who was unbelievably empathetic. While he hides behind scowls and growls, the Sage knew better! He’s seen better. A non empathetic cookie would prefer to crush the flowers as they walk, as opposed to stepping on stones to avoid them. A cookie like that wouldn't care for the blue birds who’d occasionally fly by. A cookie like that would be the exact opposite of the Recluse. Or rather, be the Sage himself.
Yes, the Sage was willing to admit, he wasn’t exactly the most…sympathetic of cookies. His grading reflected that! No excuses, no completion grades- none of that. He didn’t care for their lives outside of his school. He couldn’t bring himself to all those years ago. Those who dared to seek after the truth had to prepare for it. Emotionally, physically, and most importantly- intellectually. What’s knowledge good for if it can’t serve the public? He made sure to use every speck of knowledge he knew to aid him, after all. But all the knowledge in the world couldn’t solve this enigma.
The Truthless Recluse; a usually antisocial man, was now following him around like a lost lamb. He’d be found near his lecture halls, in the markets, even in his private libraries! Everywhere the Sage went, he’d follow behind. And the strangest thing about this? The Recluses had become touchy. Not only as emotional sensitivity, but more physically there than usual. Occasionally, he’d receive a subtle nudge to the side of his shoulder. Then it evolved into not so subtle head butts.
At first, he didn’t mind. He found it slightly endearing that the Recluse would choose to touch him in such a bashful way. It was cute for a “beast” to behave in such a manner. But, as time would have it, the action had grown old. More annoying than endearing. The Recluse would do it anywhere, seemingly just to get his attention. Or, in the more interesting cases, to shoo eager students away from him after classes. Attending to his dear Recluse has always been a priority, and the entire town had already caught onto it quickly. Despite the awful first impression and the…even more so foul attempts at converting one another, the two obviously were an inseparable pair.
As inseparable as they were, the Sage couldn’t take it anymore. Constant nudges, constant tension- and for what? The Recluse never wanted anything whenever he asked. The Recluse would simply shrug and ask him to continue what he was doing. The Recluse was being annoying. And as the Sage of Truth, it only made sense for him to find out why. And so, he set up a little trap for his dear Recluse.
In order to find out why you must deduct what isn’t. Given the possibilities, it was best to narrow it down based on behavior. The Recluse head butted him when he definitely wasn’t angry, nor distressed in any way. He also didn’t care much for the location, meaning that this was probably a non-intimate issue. He doubted that the Recluse would even have the guts to even kiss him in public! Ha! He’d perish the thought. Anywho, he figured that the action was used only in need of attention. But why would his Recluse need his attention? Especially at such random times? Every time he tried to shower him with his (100% platonic) affections, his Recluse would simply shy away. Make up some excuse for not wanting to spend time together.
Truthfully, it was annoying. Running away and coming back again. And again. And again. The Sage was an impatient man. Truthless needed to make up his mind before he made it up for him. All it would take was a subtle trick. You could call it a white lie in the pursuit of knowledge.
That afternoon, during their tea time, he made his first move.
“Normally I would spend the rest of the afternoon with you, dear. But alas, I’ve got a date.”
He liked watching the Recluse sputter.
“You have a what?” Truthless had choked out.
“Yes, yes. Can you believe it? She had said yes!” The Sage exclaimed.
The reclusive man’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t believe it. The Sage hardly showed any signs of liking anyone in that way. And, knowing how much the Sage loved talking, it seemed impossible that he managed to go on this long without bringing his romantic woes up. Something akin to a pout appeared on his face.
“No, I can’t believe it. Sage, are you lying to me?” The Recluse said, irritation dripping in his tone.
Ooh. The Sage liked that. “No, I’m fairly certain she’s real. And I’m fairly certain that she has reciprocated my feelings as well. Tis’ rare in the world nowadays, hm?” More salt on the wound. Mainly to poke fun at the beast before him.
“I find this to be rarer. You must be lying, Sage. You must.” He persisted, sounding more delusional than the last time.
“If you believe that, then I shall prove it to you. At 7 pm sharp, you shall appear in the green house. My students know very well that the location is closed after 6 pm on the weekends. There, I shall meet her. And there, you will finally accept the truth.” The Sage proposed this idea without thinking.
Seeing the Recluse think and squirm really made his brain short circuit. Truly, if he were to become a liar, it would be because of how good the Recluse looked like this. The way his brow furrowed, the way his hands clenched his staff…
Distantly he’d wondered how those hands feel if he were to simply hold them.
“…fine. If this…woman is real, then I shall accept that truth.” The Recluse finally uttered. It felt foreign to be so willing to seek out the truth again.
He mostly doubted that the Sage was willing to date a woman at all. He figured that someday their game would end. That someday, the Sage would get bored and move on to another more exciting cookie. He just…hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. And he also didn’t expect for Sage to not be a homosexual, but he supposed that the outcome would be the same anyways.
The Sage simply smiled at him. “Perfect. I hope to see you afterwards.”
“Right. …right.” He decided to leave right there and then, discreetly forming a portal below his seat and disappearing into the black void.
The Sage enjoyed how defeated he looked.