[PRP] Daffodils in Bloom (Zac & Horace)

[The Semblance of Unity]

It had been a while since Horace had seen him. While he wouldn't define their relationships as close friends, it felt like it was in that odd limbo of 'do I seek him out or not' that Horace hated. His time with Jordan was similar, too. Maybe he just needed to put in more of an effort into these things... He raked his hand through his hair, the long black strands falling around his shoulders. Plus, it was odd to see Zac outside of the bookshop and if Horace believed in fate, he'd say it was so. Regardless, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

A warm hand settled lightly on Zac's shoulder before Horace swung himself in front of the other man. "Hey, Zac." He smiled and adjusted his backpack on one shoulder. (Wearing it on two shoulders was for squares, or something.) "Mind if I sit?" It was a relatively busy time of day for the small cafe, so he hoped it wasn't too odd of a question - that is, there were really no seats left unless he wanted to bug a stranger. And why bug a stranger when he could bug Zac?

endejester

 

[endejester]

Zac rocked back on his heels, startled for a moment at the sudden appearance in his line of view, blinking away startled indecision and then spreading into a wide smile.
“N-No please go ahead!” He said indicating the other seat. “it’s been a while, how are you How are classes?” He almost tripped over the words.


“It’s been, yeah, it’s been something, right? I mean…” He started to say but then stopped himself, after all, things had made a whole new history for those whom hadn’t been in the void.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Over, for now." He laughed. "New ones start up on the seventeenth. I've got a class in law enforcement and magic as well as the usual Spanish." He wondered, idly, if Zac was a magical person. But that wasn't something someone could right out ask. To do so would be impossibly rude, and he wouldn't out a friend.

"You doin' alright?" The way Zac trailed off was mildly concerning.

endejester

 

[endejester]

"Y-yes! I mean, you know, more or less." He found himself being more honest than he intended to be, but there it was, and he couldn't take it back now.
"Strange dreams and things, that all. Probably just over thinking the next semester to be honest with you." He flashed a smile if a somewhat forced one.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Strange dreams? I mean, if it would help, you know you can talk about it with me, Zac." Horace sucked the whipped cream off the top of his coffee and looked at Zac over the foam.

endejester

 

[endejester]

"Just, a really detailed dream where, the town hadn't always been the way it is now, like even my history was a little different." he murmured.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Sounds weird and unsettling." Horace grimaced. "You know... I was wondering..." And it was pretty obvious, given, well, Zac, but they'd never really talked about it.

"Are you-" His voice lowered. "-like, magic?" Horace reached out to touch a lock of Zac's hair and hoped he hadn't offended him horribly.

endejester

 

[endejester]

An indrawn breath, a hesitation. His eyes dropped to his cup and worked his fingers against it, feeling the warmth, almost uncomfortable it was still so warm.

"Y..yes." He said cautiously.
"I mean, if they eyes aren't kind of a give away."

He wondered if perhaps the version of him that belonged in this 'time line' perhaps hadn't ever had eyes like galaxies before.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace reached out and tapped a finger against Zac's. Zac was always liable to curl into a ball of anxiety if left alone. "Hey, it's fine. Me too." He smiled.

"Well, sort of. I don't know a lot or anything, but... yeah." Horace paused. "I think your eyes are pretty awesome."

endejester

 

[endejester]

He glanced up in wide eyed surprise. "You?" He blinked. "I didn't realize! Have you, I mean do you dream about..." He stammered over the things he wanted to ask, tripping over them in the mental muddle of trying to assign priority to any one question over the others.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Yeah! Sometimes... I end up there when I'm not dreaming, too." He paused and looked around, clearly kind of uncomfortable with the thought someone might overhear. "Is that normal?"

Horace fidgeted. "Also... I know I brought it up, so my bad, but can we skedaddle and talk about this elsewhere you think?"

endejester

 

[endejester]

"It's... it's normal for, here, does that make sense?" He offered with a look of semi helplessness on his face.

"Oh! I, yes, let's, Sorry. I think I'm perhaps a little too accustomed to just..." He shrugged. "I know a lot of people who know."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I just... up for a quick walk?" Horace smiled and stood, collecting his coffee cup. He hoped Zac would follow. Shrugging his coat higher up on his shoulders, he pushed open the door, the shop's bell tinkling cherrily. And then, he stepped out. Out of the cafe and out of Ashdown.

He could somehow just tell... there was something about the way everything became more silent, how the sidewalks emptied. Horace slumped. "Well, dammit."

endejester

 

[endejester]

Zac looked around, opened his mouth like he was going to say something and then closed it again with a shake of his head and a small sigh.

"I, really think this place has a sense of humor." He said after a moment, turning to look at Horace. "Though, at least we won't be overheard by anyone? At least not casual listeners."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Last time it grabbed me when I was trying to go study," he said wryly. "Might be overheard by random things, though." Horace sighed and plopped down on nearby bench, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Since we're here, can I ask you some things? You seem like a knowledge bank, Zac, and I can get behind that." He grinned, feeling less anxious.

endejester