Charice walked out of the room, the Paragons following after him. He played with his sleeves, looking around at the shimmering walls and the occasional maid that walked by.
He walked slower, gaze heavy with thought.
'...I should get a hobby maybe.'
It was his only idea – after such a tumultuous time.
"Do you guys have anything you do for fun?"
Charice suddenly asked, the tiara resting atop his head softly tinkling.
One of the two men answered, "We usually head over to the walls and play cards with the guys working there, Consort."
The other Paragon looked at his comrade with a pale look, as if a sworn secret had been revealed.
Charice tilted his head, "Oh, gambling? Like poker?"
"W-Well Consort-" The pale one tried to correct, only for his friend to shrug and proudly exclaim.
"I'm not sure what its called, but pretty much! Its great fun, I don't have much to spend on anyway, and I'm bad at it anyway, so I always give them half of my paycheck this way. "
"...O-Oh... I see, that's actually pretty nice of you…" Said the reason they couldn't buy property or get laid, a little weaker.
The pale Paragon sighed in relief.
"You okay?" Charice asked, and he nodded.
"Yes Consort. I had… Wrongfully assumed you would take an issue with our... indulgence."
Charice sighed. Quite heavily.
His bare feet dragged across the marble for a little longer, and he let the sensation soothe him.
"… I guess that's… Understandable. But I built this city so everyone could live in it well, and you're a part of everyone too."
Charice looked over his shoulder and smiled warmly, before his face relaxed again.
The Paragons pondered his words in peaceful silence.
Eventually, Charice looked at a pair of large doors, they opened before him like curtains unveiled, revealing a library so large, it stretched up multiple floors.
"Hmm… You know what? You two stay and guard the doors here. Oh! And before I forget!"
Charice said with a clap of his hands and a twirl, turning to face his escorts.
"Your uhm… Names?"
"Leo for myself, and Paul for my pale friend!"
"The only reason I was pale is because you… Oh forget it." Paul sighed with an exhausted groan, but it was all in good faith.
Charice swayed on his feet, and a devious grin bloomed as he got a great idea.
"When do you guys usually play?"
Paul felt a shiver of realization as Leo answered.
"Fridays Consort, its the best day to get drunk!"
If honesty is a virtue, then surely the Paragon before him was a saint.
Charice chuckled with evil intent.
"Oh-okay, I'll find you on Friday after your shift – You can teach me how to play with your friends!"
"I-UH-UM!" The formerly pale, now once again pale, Paragon stumbled out before the doors shut, Charice chortling, a closed palm atop his lips as he struggled not to wheeze.
He missed teasing people like this, always so amusing and silly.
"Haaaa…" He let out a relieved sigh, wiping away a single crystal-blue tear.
He turned to the library, smile fading as another tear, heavier, smacked against the floor.