A Lesson in Aristocracy

XVI - Bite

Kit was shivering under the blankets, Xym feeling his forehead as Arden watched from the edge of the tub.

"He's got a fever," Xym said, frowning.

"Keep him tucked in. I'll make him some soup."

"With what?"

Arden realized the only meat he had around was fish, and those fish were mostly pickled and in jars and he'd come to find that most people did not like pickled fish.

"I... I guess I'll put some of my blood in it."

"Don't. If you've got lots of cuts people will get suspicious. Let him eat from my arm for now. It's how my mom fed me, anyway."

"She must've been a nice woman."

"She was."

Arden left the conversation at that, pulling his own blue coat on. "You've got an execution tomorrow. Make sure to rest plenty." He said, Xym nodding.

Arden stood, removing his coat and setting it over the side of the tub. His furnace had been lit for a while, so it was plenty warm enough.

"Arden?"

"Hm?"

"Talk to me."

Arden tilted his head, sitting on the tub beside his coat.

"About what?"

"Well, if we're not going to have this parasitic relationship anymore, we should at least know each other."

"Ah." Arden looked up thoughtfully, tapping his foot. "Well, my name's Arden Reinbach, I'm a Handler... there's not much you don't already know."

"How about your episodes?"

"What?"

Xym cleared his throat. "You know. When you get all crazy and ask me to stay some more."

"Oh." Arden looked away, gulping. "Drain Fervor."

"I remember you saying that. What is that?"

"I got diagnosed when I was really little. My mother didn't let me sleep in the tub-"

"Isn't that really bad for Sielfi when they're kids?"

"I'm getting there," Arden glared at Xym, who sighed. "Anyway. My mom didn't let me sleep in the tub because she didn't like to share it and also, she and my dad... well, they never liked me too good. I think I sort of screwed up their marriage. Either way, no tub, yada yada, turns out then I've got these monster hallucinations trying to eat me all the time. I used to go to a therapist for them, but I stopped going a while ago."

"So you just... always see monsters?"

"Oh, Heavens no. The longer I go without sleeping in water, though, the more there are. Like, right now? There's nothing. But even passing out for a few minutes outside of water can make 'em come back for a week."

"So what about the begging me to stay stuff?"

"Oh. Therapist always told me that I had separation anxiety after my dad left. That's bullshit, though. I'm just clingy when I'm drunk."

"And when you're tired, apparently."

"Fair enough. My turn." Arden crossed his legs, rolling his shoulders. "What's with you and your brother?"

Xym stared at Arden.

"I never told you I had a brother."

Arden's face went pale. "O-oh! Then, whatever that Lozenfi is that makes you flip your shit! I just, ehm... thought you two looked similar."