A piece for @luce-speaks 's prompt for the Beyond Fodlan project! A little silliness of Python trying to keep Forsyth from overworking himself with some uncommon methods 🐈⬛ (Including slightly shippy-er post canon hcs for them hehe)
There is nothing in the kingdom that can keep a dedicated knight of the Brotherhood away from his duties, except, perhaps, another knight’s rear end planted stubbornly on top of him.
Python hatched his plan after years of observing Forsyth around the capital. Very few members of the court could resist the city’s many cats (a rumor was even passed around that the King himself arrived late to a conference because of a napping kitten), but Forsyth was one such member. He treated every creature with care and caresses, but his duties always came first. A clock’s strike could spur him into motion within minutes. He would offer a chivalrous explanation to the cat on his lap before gently moving it somewhere equally comfortable.
Children, too, were no match for his diligence. No matter how his eyes gleamed while telling Clive II a story and watching the boy doze off in an adorable heap, awareness of the outstanding task quickly overtook him. With slightly more delay, but nothing that could be considered procrastination, the child would end up expertly passed into another’s’ arms where he could continue snoring.
It was the court’s young adults that received the most leniency from Forsyth. The Ram villagers could be found leaning against him, enjoying his chattering speeches or sharing in a moment of peaceful silence together. On those days, he was reluctant to pull himself away from the “striving, impressionable youth.” He waited as long as his racing mind would allow, then remained for several more minutes of eloquent apologies and promises, then hurried off.
“So you see,” Python told Lukas one afternoon, “there’s a size-to-time correlation going on here. The bigger the body, the longer you can keep him from workin’ himself to death.”
“He must feel more responsible as his fellows grow older. Is the correlation not age?” Lukas sorted through correspondence on his desk, hardly blinking at Python’s unorthodox plan. Not only was he accustomed to the man’s usual antics, but he, too, had noticed Forsyth’s self-increased workload with worry.
“Nah, the old cats get the boot all the same” Python lounged back onto the desk, causing Lukas to shift his pile of paperwork to the side. “Plus, it’s not like Sir Mycen is going to leap to join in…”
“I see.”
“And thus, if I can’t drop a house on the guy to make him sit still, I can at least do the job myself.”
“And you truly think that will help?”
“Of course!” He beamed. “It’ll be a piece of cake.”
The first attempt was a complete failure.
Even before the morning bells rang, Forsyth was up preparing for his first chore of the day. Whether it was helping with renovations in the stables or delivering the latest supply of crates from the gate to the kitchens, it was something that didn’t need doing today, by him. He returned to perch on the end of the bed, completing his morning ritual by reading a few pages of the history book Lukas had given him.
Python slipped his arms around him in a comfortable, perfectly innocent hug from behind. Forsyth hummed absently in greeting. As nonchalantly as possible, Python’s legs wiggled around, wrapping around Forsyth’s hips to complete the secure embrace. Then, he waited.
When Forsyth announced it was time to depart, he put on his hoarsest, most exhausted voice. “Can’t I just stay here? You’re much more comfortable than the bed…”
“I doubt that is true by any accounts.”
“You are! C’mon, can’t I just stay like this? What are you doing anyway?”
“Well, I had to go speak to Lady Clair about some upcoming ambassador business.”
Yet another duty that fell far outside the bounds of a regular knight.
“Exactly – that’s no big deal! We can stay like this all day~”
Forsyth contemplated for a moment. It was a longer pause than he gave any cat or kid. His gleeful, “well, if you’re sure!” had Python grinning at his victory.
Then, the man let out a huff of minor exertion as he stood up from the bed, Python still clinging to him like a rucksack.
“What are you–!”
“I suppose it is just a trip down the hall,” Forsyth mused to himself. He marched out the bedroom door. “No one save Lady Clair shall see you in your bedclothes, and she is quite aware of your lack of professionalism already. I’ll be missing my afternoon workout on account of my audience with the Queen, so this shall be a pleasant replacement.”
“Oi, wait!”
Forsyth continued down the hall, his enthusiasm drowning out Python’s protests. “What a whimsical idea! I have regretted spending less time with you now that my duties have picked up – I’m awfully grateful for the suggestion!”
Python bobbed along on the journey. He let his head slump against the man’s shoulder with a sigh. “Eh, don’t mention it.”
His theory continued hitting setbacks. As it turns out, the muscles that Python loved to whistle at were more than capable of lifting him off of Forsyth’s lap and chest. Even when he did manage to find a solid sitting position, Forsyth had plenty of reading and writing he could finish comfortably.
“You just wait!” He waved a frustrated finger at Lukas, recognizing the type of placid smile that meant he was hiding a second, teasing smile underneath. “There’s no way he can outwit my next strategy.”
His next strategy was the tried and true method of being the biggest pain he could manage. It never failed.
Python marched up to where Forsyth was scrawling out notes at his desk, and sat his rear end directly on his lap. He plucked the pen from Forsyth’s fingers, and slid the pages out of reach.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re clearly doing something!”
“Nope. You and me, we’re doing nothing. For the rest of the afternoon.”
“Pardon?”
Python leaned back, smushing Forsyth into the seat. “You heard me. This is it for the day. You need a break.”
“And that is for you to decide?”
“Yup.”
Forsyth wriggled underneath, trying to push him off. “I’ll have you know, I cannot just clear my schedule on your whims!”
Python released all tension in his muscles so that his dead weight flopped in the way of Forsyth’s escape. “That’s a shame.”
“What shall everyone think of me, when I fail to show for our appointed times?”
“Probably, ‘oh, that Sir Forsyth! He must be taking a break! Fucking finally! I’m so happy for him. And jealous, that he gets to spend all day with that hunk, Python~’”
“They’d offer me their condolences, for that one.”
“Mock me all you want, I’m not budgin’.”
“Python...”
“Nope!”
“Augh.”
Python could hear the annoyance his his breathing for a while, feel the restlessness of his tapping foot. Then he let out a resigned breath. In another few minutes, his arms slumped into a more comfortable position. His head even tipped forward to rest on Python’s shoulder. His chest rose and fell in even, relaxed rhythms.
Without knowing exactly what Forsyth had planned, Python knew it was impossible to imprison him for the entire afternoon. It surprised him when his shifting position didn’t result in Forsyth’s immediate fleeing, no matter how easy it would be now. He was even more bewildered that the man remained an hour, then two, without any more rebuttals. It came as an even greater shock when soft snores rose up from the face pressed into his shoulder.
“Damn, I’m good,” he muttered to himself.
The pair only stirred when Lukas slipped into the room. His eyebrows raised, seeing their intertwined position. Forsyth sputtered out explanations that nothing untoward was happening, while Python’s big thumb’s up conveyed the opposite.
Lukas only chuckled. “Mm, I see Python’s scheming has finally succeeded. Has he been poised like this all day? My condolences...”
The shovel is still tossed away in the house somewhere, but he doesn’t want it. He digs with his hands, swift but careful, reverent of what lies beneath. The soft earth crumbles easily under his fingers. Soon enough, the skull is staring up at him, its empty eye sockets a strange echo of Python’s own.
From @luce-speaks 's incredible ghost au fic, Laid to Rest ! There were so many moments I wanted to draw, but this one really stuck in my brain and I wanted to bring it to life (pun intended)
