The waiting room of the Cathedral of Clement was so well-lit that the afternoon sun lit up the white and smooth statues, and the gilt-like brilliance rolled on the luminous floor. The breeze from the window seemed to be champagne gold, warm and soft. From a human point of view, the aesthetics of Laddism are good—I don’t know if it was the Pope’s instigation, this waiting room did not reveal much money or a sense of religious peculiar coercion, but was rather warm and comfortable.
Jesse tilted her neck back, her long soft blond hair brushing against the back cushion of the armchair. He raised his eyebrows high and looked directly at the dark brown eyes above.
Adrian Cross seldom smiled, except for the occasional frown, he rarely showed other expressions. If you insist on finding normal human emotions from him, you can only chisel a little from the depths of those eyes.
But Jesse knew that this time the other party was serious.
So he also accepted the meaning of teasing, and made a "please talk" expression: "Huh?"
Adrian Close was indeed not happy. Dylan has always acted absurdly, and he himself has no reputation to speak of, and to be honest, Adrian doesn't really care about reputation - so he can acquiesce to Dylan's mischief in front of the trial knight.
But His Holiness the Pope is different.
Even in his own eyes, Pope Dwayne Quinn is a very respectable elder. Lord Quinn is very old, and Dylan occasionally makes a few blasphemous words, saying that there is no worry is false. If this thing in delicate human skin makes the Pope angry, he really has no face to face his beliefs.
He was determined to talk to the other party. After all, from another perspective...
"I don't hate you, Mr. Dylan."
The frozen lake-like blue eyes widened slightly, and Jesse Dylan kept his head up, half polite question on his face, half "should have been this way". "To be honest, I'm a little surprised—"
"Although I don't know why you behaved like that." Adrian ignored the other's sticky tone and continued bluntly. "But since we first met you, you have been secretly assisting Mr. Ramon and the others, haven't you?"
"If you hadn't forcibly involved Mr. Ramon into Vincent Town, they probably wouldn't have been able to save the bluebirds and the townspeople in time. Including guiding them to the forbidden land... If I'm not mistaken, you planned everything in advance. matter."
"Caleb Village is also your message, and if we're even one day late, the horizon will kill Lady Nadine. You're the one who brought the dahlia back into bloom, isn't it?"
"And at the Church of Silence, you deliberately threw the offering in the wrong line, causing Lord Discipline to detour Kenyatta - so they couldn't pursue Mr. Fergil and Colestoro in time, and we just happened to hear Information about Mr. Ramon's whereabouts. Isn't that a bit of a coincidence?"
Adrian's articulated hands rested on either side of the armchair, and his wheat-colored skin didn't go well with red velvet. There was still no expression on his face, his eyes were equally calm, and his tone was calm as if he was praying.
"…And this time, you've done it very clearly. Your plan allowed Mr. Wright to leave in time, and even took the blame for him—if that counts, of course."
"You can get along better with other people, why did you act like that on purpose?"
The blond young man grinned, and his tone was creepy: "Mr. Ramon and Miss Savage are both simple and straightforward types. I just don't want them to be confused. Is it difficult to understand?"
Another confusing answer, Adrian couldn't help frowning again - Jesse Dylan shrank slightly in the armchair, looking almost innocent. "…you don't deny the helping part."
"You are praising me, how can I deny it?"
"Then change the question." Adrian stared at the overly pretty face, trying to find traces of lies. "Why do you want my beliefs to be shaken so much? How my beliefs should be none of your business."
"What you said is too serious." Those clear blue eyes suddenly narrowed, "How can you be so shaken, I just want you to think about it a little."
"Why?" Adrian lowered his body and moved his face closer.
"Do you care if you need a reason?" Jesse leaned forward in coordination, and the tips of their noses almost collided. He deliberately sighed, and the breaths of the two were ambiguously intertwined. "After all, I've never seen someone like you, it's interesting."
"If everything you do is to shake me," Adrian whispered, "I suggest you stop. I said that my love for Chenni is not so superficial—and you don't 'love' I, I know that too."
The curvature of the corner of Jesse's mouth instantly widened. He raised his hand and put it directly on the neck of the former knight commander: "Oh, your stubbornness is really cute... Then you say, what exactly is 'love'?"
"I don't think you want to hear me recite dogma." Adrian snorted softly. "In short, I think it's one of the most precious feelings in the world. I don't understand the love of others, but from what I feel— I believe that God does exist. Yes, I don't think he is obligated to save anyone."
Adrian only felt a little dry in his throat: "But there are moments when the world is like some snow-covered swamp. It's destined to be muddy and messy, but the moment the snow stops, it's perfectly clean. Yes. I… love a world like that."
The moment the snow stopped, a miraculous moment in chaos. In that piece of pure white, after a series of coincidences, there are always people who could not be saved. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on his part. But these coincidences and the devotion to the light did support him, so that his heart did not dry up so quickly. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to believe that the miraculous creature existed in the world and stared at the world. Although indifferent, at least watching.
And occasionally reach out.
Adrian didn't know if he was the hand's beneficiary. Maybe he shouldn't see too clearly, the helplessness and anger towards the world have long since turned numb, and he can't do anything other than keep moving forward. This little faith and perseverance may be his last treasure.
He likes to call it "love".
And his only audience was silent for a moment, his expression blank for a few seconds.
"Since you understand... Not long ago, you told me 'no exclusion from falling in love'." After a few minutes of silence, the pretty face came closer, and their cheeks almost rubbed together. Adrian remained motionless, while the blond young man rubbed forward, his mouth pressed to the other's ear, and he exhaled a hot and humid breath. "You're a better liar than I am."
Then he let go and leaned back into the soft and comfortable armchair again.
"Thank you for your attention, I'm flattered—and I'm watching you as well." Jesse Dylan played with his long blond hair with his fingertips, "never eat too much, and never eat too little, No matter what the taste of the food is. All decisions should be rational first, without showing any weakness... Or, without showing any humanity. Even if it takes your own life, even if the object is a companion who gets along day and night. Mr. Wright should thank you for having enough brains , if you were a little more stupid, you would probably have sent him to the stake long ago."
"On this point, I'm more human than you." The blond young man in the chair chuckled a few times, "You're actually making jokes like 'falling in love with people'. Funny... have you thought about it?"
"What?" Adrian's expression showed no emotion, he just frowned, his dark brown eyes like two deep wells.
"Love passionately, feel the passion, the sweetness, the satisfaction... and the inferiority, the jealousy, the dominance. Love is not so pure, Sweetheart Ed. Don't be superstitious about books." Jesse came close again, blue eyes sparkling. "For me, interest is enough to be called 'love.' For you, 'love' is nothing but awe."
"I'm not trying to pick words with you here, what I'm trying to say is—"
"Have you ever wanted to spend your life with someone? Have you ever experienced what it's like to be skin-to-skin with someone else? …even in a dream, in the least awake moment?"
Adrian was silent.
"You didn't intend to fall in love with anyone at all, I recognized those eyes—you just wanted to atone." Jesse held out his hands and cupped the knight commander's cheeks. "When did this idea begin, let me think... Dear Lord Knight, was it when you executed the first old man? Or when you executed the first child?"
"Enough." Adrian lowered his voice, with a bit of anger in his tone for the first time.
"Okay, okay." Jesse rubbed his face. "I know what you're trying to say, in a moment with the Pope... well, your lord Pope, behave like a naive law-abiding citizen. I can do it, of course I can—and then, what reward will you give me? "
Adrian was stopped for a moment, he never thought that the other party would agree so readily.
Jesse laughed outright this time.
"I changed my mind," he said, his voice soft and slightly nasal. "You don't have to worry, since we're all a little bit interested in each other, I'll be a good gentleman - and I'll go after you with dignity, what do you think? I really want to see something human in this face, please."
"Your freedom." Adrian sighed deeply.
"Then let's start with a friendly relationship—"
"...If you insist on 'friendship', I think we'd better make an agreement first, Mr. Gentleman." The former Knight Commander added bluntly.
"Let's hear it." Jesse retracted his hands and coughed.
"First, don't mention anything about faith in front of me again." Adrian stared at each other calmly, "Second, at least when we communicate, I hope you will speak directly, rather than covertly. Cover. Third…”
He hesitated for a few seconds. "...please stop calling me 'Sweetheart Ed'."
"Pfft." Jesse laughed sullenly, "Okay, no problem. I promise you... but it's not fair to ask you alone, isn't it? Do I have three chances on my side too?"
Adrian narrowed his eyes - he sensed that the other party was not well-intentioned, but to be fair, he nodded hesitantly.
"I know our knight commander sometimes lies." Jesse's expression became uncommonly serious. "Don't lie to me, how about that?"
"Can."
"I didn't think about the third one, but I thought about the second one - let's say it first, you don't have to agree. I don't like doing things that are difficult for a strong man in this regard."
"Speaking."
"Would you like to come with me for the night?" Jesse stretched out his finger, sliding the tip of the finger down the other's lower lip, brushing his chin, and then staying at the throat wrapped by the high collar of the teaching uniform. "I'm really curious about you being so contemptuous of human desires..." He lengthened his voice meaningfully. "Look, we're all grown ups. We just happen to pay attention to each other again, if you love me—"
"I'm not interested in you." The knight commander's expression remained unchanged.
"...You're really hurtful, try it out. Why don't you take back a request? I don't think the third item is necessary—"
"But I accept it."
The smile on Jesse's face froze for a moment, then instead of deepening, it faded a bit. He stared into each other's eyes, his eyebrows raised higher and higher. "I'll take it seriously."
"I just promised you that I won't break the promise so soon."
"Oh." Jesse got up from the armchair, this time without the slightest smirk on his face. As the other party stood up suddenly, Adrian subconsciously took a few steps back. Jesse was very similar in size to him, and this time, looking down became head-up.
"If that's one of your self-destructive behaviors," Jesse said softly, "you'll definitely regret it... very, very sorry."
,Wonderful!
(m.. = )