Tomatoes Are Vile

I didn't even make it past the lake's entrance before Marcellus had caught up.

I felt him grab my arm and pull me back, even that he did gently. My head was still looking past the path we'd walked from longingly, wishing I were anywhere else but here. Even the hand on my bicep was making my whole body feel warm. That was an understatement, it made my whole feel like it was on fire.

"Diego?" It was the way he said my name that made me turn back to face the nobleman. It had been steeped with confusion, which only made sense in the situation. We'd been having a good time, walking and chatting and telling stories, yet I'd abruptly made to escape with no explanation. Of course he was confused, hell, I was confused.

His kicked puppy expression wasn't helping much with my heart either.

"I apologize for doing something as rude as dragging you back but did I say something I should not have?" Marcellus asked me once I'd finally faced him again, worry all over his fucking perfect face.

You haven't said a damn wrong thing for days. That's the problem.

Gods, am I that lonely that a few sweet words over some days from a total stranger has turned me into this lovesick fool?

"N-no no! You've done nothing wrong, Marcy," I said as I carefully removed his hand from my arm, not sure how I would've reacted if we were still making contact. "You were right, I might still be feeling the effects from last night." I said with a forced laugh, hoping to all hope the nobleman would've believed such an obvious lie.

Marcellus stared at me, his eyes roaming my body as if he was checking for injuries or the like, then his gaze was back on my eyes but his expression now unreadable. He knew I was lying, yet he didn't press it further.

"I understand," he said, and I flinched. He spoke in the same way he did towards his little guests at the inn. Polite, soft yet detached.

"I might be out here a bit longer but if you must return for the night, I wouldn't fault you. I am grateful for your guidance through the past few days," Marcellus said while giving me a slight bow and it flustered me enough to shake my hands in front of me, begging him to stand back up straight.

"Hey hey hey! No need for that! I-I consider us friends after all this time so please stand up," I said while scratching the side of my beard with a finger, cheeks warm.

Marcellus did stand back up but with a surprised expression. "You consider me your friend?"

Damn. Way to overstep there, Diego! Bet the man barely saw you as an acquaintance yet you had to jump and say that. You're such an idiot.

"I-I mean i-if you don't mind, of course. Unless I might have overstepped and uh made you uncomfortable. Actually no, wait, you don't have to say anything. I probably did overstep. You definitely don't see me as such considering our status an-"

He shut me up when he took both my hands and clasped them in his own and when I finally paid attention to his face again, my heart stopped.

He had the biggest smile I had ever seen on his face. His cat-like eyes were crinkling as he smiled so happily and the wind made some of his curls sway. If it weren't for his foreign features, I could've sworn that he was the maiden of the lake and my grandmother had gotten the characters mixed up. He looked that enchanting, like something out of a fairytale.

"I'd be honored to be your friend, Diego." He sounded so giddy by the mere thought of it and all I could've responded with was an oddly loud laugh.

"Haha! Honored might be a little much there, Marcy! I'm just an old adventurer y'know."

The hold he had on my hands tightened slightly as he brought them closer to his lips.

"Absolutely not," he admonished with a small chuckle. "You're my first friend outside of my hometown. I am truly and positively honored." He looked so innocently happy at being called my friend that I just knew it would've been too cruel of me to reject the idea another time. It didn't matter that I felt like I'd just been permanently friend-zoned because Marcellus' boyish smile was enough to sustain me for now.

Then he pressed his lips to my hands and the odd sputtering sound that escaped my lips only had him chuckling again.

What is up with these damned nobles and the weird things they do? There's no way it's normal to kiss another man's hands like that, right?

"Well!" I cleared my throat and actively had to control the volume of my voice. "Well then so am I."

Marcellus' smile grew, his eyes fully closing when it did, before he opened them again and spoke, "Now then. As a friend, I surely must walk you back to the inn if you're feeling unwell."

He dropped my hands and I was proud of myself for not pouting at the loss of contact.

"It's fine, It's fine. I'm a big boy, Marcy."

"Oh, I am very aware." I didn't know if the nobleman was trying to be subtle, but I very much did notice the way his eyes had somewhat discreetly looked my body up and down and the urge to pounce him returned with full force.

You're a dog, Diego. A damned street dog even.

"That being said, leaving an ill friend to venture on their own is quite impolite and I'm anything but impolite," Marcellus continued, grabbing one of my hands and leading me out of the lake's area.

You're a lot of things and listing them all would take me months, I'm sure.

"But I really don't want to interrupt your evening. Especially considering you're leaving in two days."

The reminder hit me like a carriage crash because for some reason, it had fully just hit me that Marcellus was leaving. I knew he was, I'd even been excited for his departure, but saying the numbers out loud made it a little more real. As much as I wanted the man to leave for peace to return in my mind, I desperately wanted to beg him to stay.

"Oh hush," Marcellus admonished yet again, in that funny way nobles spoke. "Two days is enough time for me to finish my explorations here. What would I do if my only friend in these new lands got gravely ill? Why, I don't even think I would've been able to leave."

I shot down the dangerous thought I was having before it fully formed. Making myself ill enough just to make the nobleman stay was a level of deranged I never wanted to reach.

"You're so odd, Marcy," was all I could've said in response.

The nobleman laughed that musical laugh and I had to smile. It really was a nice laugh.

"I have been told that by many, true. Hopefully, you can accept me as I am. Oddities and all."

I laughed. "Marcy, you could have horns and a tail, and I think I'd still think the oddest thing about you is how much you despise tomatoes but will eat tomato flavored things."

"They feel odd in my mouth! Diego, I explained this to you thoroughly!"

"But you'd still eat tomato sauce?"

"My problem with them is not their taste but their shape and texture. Do not laugh, I'm being very serious. Tomatoes are vile, I do not know why you people like them so much when raw."

"Whatever you say, princess."

"Stop calling me that!"

I laughed heartily with blushing cheeks as the nobleman pouted beside me, still holding my hand.

Gods above, I really do like this man. This is definitely going to be a bad heartbreak.