to his credit, Asra is so shocked he nearly drops the teacup he’s holding. ( a good thing he didn’t, they only have a few dishes left – ) He’d been expecting Nevi to return sometime in the next few hours. Had looked up in anticipation of welcoming his friend home only to find Julian standing in the doorway ( letting himself in with the key that Asra had once given him, no less. Of course. )
There is a stunned moment of silence that passes uncertainly between them – a moment where neither of them moves or remembers how to breathe – and Faust raises her head from her nest on the table and beams at him. ( FRIEND ! Comes her overjoyed call – Asra doesn’t have the heart to correct her. She asks about Julian rather frequently. At least one of them isn’t afraid to admit to missing him. )
“ were you – ? “ he’s been avoiding this for so long, he has no idea what to do now that it’s here. Logically, he’d known they would have to have this conversation eventually. He only wished it could have been further in the future. A far off sight from the present. Unsure what else to say and already feeling a terrible guilt gnawing at his gut, Asra gestures – a teapot raises and the other cup across from him is filled. It’s an invitation, as much as anything between them has ever been. “ well, come sit then … “
The aroma that’s so familiar fills the room anew with the fresh cup poured – his favorite, the scent of smoked wood and herb. Lapsang. Asra manages a tense and nervous, somber thing of a smile. “ I wasn’t aware you’d returned to town … how was your trip north … ? “ ( Is it … strange, that he keeps such tabs on julian ? easy to AVOID if you know where he is. Still, it’s a civil pleasantry that’s better than open hostility – when asra is backed into a corner he tends to lash out. Julian doesn’t deserve that. He’s making a valiant effort not to retreat – despite very much wanting to bolt for the door. )
HE WAS INVITED TO SIT? Julian could have scooped his jaw up off the floor- but instead he merely nods, stiff, and clambers into the seat as if it might be the only thing keeping he and the ground from coming better acquainted.
"Well, I would hardly call it a trip." He admits, cupping both hands around the teacup and letting it's warm snake up from his palms to the rest of his miserable body. "A flee, perhaps.... But, ah. It was good! It was good. Just... Came time for me to wander home, I suppose." A bold faced lie and Julian knew it- but he wasn't sure the truth would help keep this odd balance they've suddenly found. Civil pleasantries exchanged over smoky drinks was the polar opposite of what he'd been expecting of their next meeting. He was unwilling to be the one to tip the scales toward chaos.
Right now... It was like they went back to all months ago, when things were good and Asra sparkled like the ocean in the sunset. Where Julian tasted this very tea for the first time and realized in the melody of Asra's jest ('You see? I told you it was good. Better than those bitter beans you so pine after.') that right then, right there, he must know what love felt like.
He missed him. Oh, god, how Julian missed him.
"How, uhm... How have things been here?" Julian gestures broadly to the store around them. "Interesting as always?"
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