They were in a dilemma.

Well Aster was in a bitch of place.

Rasheed was amused and entertained by the situation.

And Joshua was in a dilemma.

“Please don’t call me little bird.”

“Oh~ you don’t like my nickname… then princess!”

“I will gut you.”

He laughed, and leaned close to the other taking the boys chin in hand, Aster didn’t react, Joshua looked close to committing murder, but the stinging eyes of the other dancers there kept his hands still.

Saturn’s Day festivities were a time for an interchange of knowledge and passion.

Not sex you nasties but literally it’s a time when people trade knowledge and information with one another, but drink so much they forget about it the next day, or pretend to forget about it the next day. 

‘Magic of the world or something, one could admit to adultery and have it be forgiven the next day…’

It’s why so many of the guests were so loose, the Saturn’s day festivities lasted from Saturday to Saturday, anything said, done or shared in that week would be kept secret til death.

It was literally the best and worst holiday, especially for nobles.

Stuck up pricks had a pole up their asses so long, they could barely bend over and get fucked-

Twitching as he nearly cackled, Aster turned to look at the dancer with silver eyes who had now turned to Joshua, the blonde was bright red in anger and embarrassment.

“You should mind your manners, he is the son of the Marquis of Rosewood! Speaking to him in such a manner-”

“Now, now don’t be jealous puppy, he has two hands I’m sure we can persuade him to take care of the both of us~”

Joshua spluttered, burning even more red, and Rasheed cackled, Aster looked at them blankly.

“The fuck.”

“Oh, don’t mind them young lord, our little Rasheed has always been such a lackadaisical fellow, he means no harm”

Aster turned and was suddenly surrounded by gorgeous older women, then turning back to the pair he tilted his head and a short laugh escaped him.

“Ha~ it does look like two kids teasing each other… though Sir Wilson does seem to be losing.”

“Come now, why don’t you show me what those strong hands of your can do puppy, I bet even your precious young master would be impressed~”

Smiling innocently, “Of course how about I wring your neck, or maybe cut your neck, or maybe…”

“Maybe not so much, sorry about that, but he won’t actually hurt him as long as your boy doesn’t do anything first.”

The women looked at him with burning sun-like eyes and tilted their heads, smiles blossomed on their faces, “You have a lot of faith.”

“Honest too.”

“Yes, and witty.”

“Good observational skills and kind…”

“‘Wow! Such a good boy!’”

They converged on him and Aster, well Aster stared into the abyss and the abyss stared back and said, ‘Titties… am I right?’

“Ah.”

“Young master!”

Joshua and Rasheed looked over and the sight of Aster being drowned by well meaning buxom ladies was all that they saw.

“Ahaha~ my aunties have captured another… well he’s lost.”

“No way…”

Silver eyes peered at the boy curiously, this seemed deeper than a boy having lost the attention of one's crush, “What’s troubling you puppy?”

Pressing his lips together Joshua refused to speak, settling back into a relaxed soldier's pose, humming in curiosity he leaned in close.

“Could this be… a one-sided love?”

“Love!”

Rasheed practically cooed at the sight of the boy, “How could I-, I could never-, to be so presumptuous!”

“Now, now calm yourself I was just having a bit of fun, so tell me puppy, why do you look so sad?”

“Hah, why should I?”

The blonde had calmed, reminding himself of where he was and just who he was representing, “No need to go all cold like that, part of your charm is your adorable earnestness!”

He grumbled shifting as he felt his ears burn in embarrassment.

There was silence between them, the sounds of music, laughter and chattering permeating the air around them.

“It’s not- not the crush thing…”

He said that in a whisper like it was something to be ashamed about, and Rasheed looked at him with open and uncaring eyes, “I- I don’t quite know how I feel about the young master, whether it be love, a flight of fancy, or if it’s friendship… but I do know I care for him. Through a mistake I have made things difficult for him… and he has asked me to ignore him for the remainder of my time under my Master’s care.”

“Ho~...”

“I understand the need for it, any attention brought onto him will undoubtedly cause trouble for him, but… he was my friend, at least I think of him as such, and I believe he thinks the same… I don’t know why I’m telling you this, I just wish to spend as much time as possible with him before returning to the manor, but here I am arguing with you and he’s over there…”

“Being suffocated by my aunties… bounty. Yes I understand.”

Rasheed grinned teasingly and Joshua burned in embarrassment, “Quite.”

“Well… why not just go over there and superimpose yourself, come on then, it’s Saturn's day, might as well make the most of it.”

He grabbed the other by the arm and dragged him, “Hey! What are you doing!?”

“Ugh! You people of Calliope are too reserved in some areas and too unreserved in others, have some balance, it’s why you all are terrible dancers!”

“Hey!”

“Listen I don’t know you, but this is getting boring, this is a party. If there's any time for you and your young lord to get close it would be now, forget about the future, forget the past, live now!”

He grabbed the other dragging him from the pile of women, Aster looked vaguely grateful, waving to the ladies in goodbye as they whined, but dispersed once they noticed the look on Rasheeds face, giggling behind hands as even as they walked away, it looked like a charming dance.

“This is a time for exchange, for knowledge, growth and learning! Here I will show you how to have fun!”

Aster sighed, but went along with it, gripping both teens' hands,  Joshua grinned and Rasheed grinned, and it was nice.

For once it actually felt like everyone was their own age.

The twinkling lights, the joyful music, the dancing people who whether they had rhythm or not everyone lived without fear.

Sharp teeth glinting in the light, cheeks kissed with pale red, Joshua was amazed, he was smiling, laughing.

Rasheed’s laughter loud and unrestrained, “Not bad little bird, it’s good to let your wings unfurl once in a while!”

“Man, shut the hell up!”

“You dance very well young master!”

Aster blinked and grinned happily elbowing the other in the arm, “You're not too bad either! Guess all those lessons in footworks are actually good for something!”

The party lasted all night.

.

“Why are you in my room?”

It was said less of a question, and more of a statement, since he didn’t actually care why he was in the rom and more when he could get the silver eyed dancer out.

“Now, now no need for that, I just came to visit you know, you should be honored, not just anyone gets visited by me!”

Aster looked at him with dull eyes and sighed, bowing his head he fell into a deep traditional bow, “My mistake, please forgive one so unrecognizing and dull as I. ‘Tis not this one's intention to besmirch the honor you have given one as unworthy as me.”

Rasheed looked at him with wide eyes, “What the hell was that!”

“I don’t understand, this one was simply showing the honor of meeting one such as yourself in a proper way-”

“No I mean… geez, that was creepy, you’ve given me goosebumps, don’t do that!”

Aster looked at him blankly, one hand on his collar as he started to unbutton his shirt, “If you aren’t going to leave, I’m changing.”

“Wha- hey you can’t do that in front of someone you don’t know!”

“Then leave.”

“No way, hah! That’s what you were trying to do, then I’ll just turn around and wait.”

Aster stared at the others back, “You're a lot more timid than I thought?”

“Huh? Why, just because I’m from Cecilia and part of a troupe it means I’m easy?”

“No, but you were making rather… lurid jokes at Sir Wilson, also I’d think living on the road with a troupe would leave little space for separate changing areas.”

Rasheed fell silent at the others' admission and Aster finished changing, “So what do you want?”

The other turned around and sighed in relief at the sight of the others' clothed state, “I wished to ask you and your knight on an outing!”

“No thank you.”

“Why not! I’m giving you and your boy the perfect excuse to hang out together!”

Aster sighed, rubbing the furrow between his brow, “You're a lot different from what I first suspected… look I’m not saying I don’t appreciate it, but you have to understand that I am technically here on business. I have obligations that need to be fulfilled-”

He blinked.

Looking down in shock at the pillow that had fallen from his face, he snapped his head to the other who looked at him with narrowed eyes and a frowning mouth.

“D-did you just throw a pillow at my face?”

Looking away, “I don’t know everything went a little fuzzy when you started talking about stupid stuff like responsibilities.”

Aster sighed hands on hips like a harried parent facing their child, Rasheed felt himself go tense at the others pose, far too familiar with it, untensing. Aster took in the others' reaction with sharp eyes and felt a headache coming on, ‘I can’t be everybody’s parent…’

He sat down, one leg crossed over the other arms hanging behind him on the couch, “Look if there’s nothing I have to do with urgency we can take time to go on this outing, but you must understand that prior engagements aren’t to be broken lightly.”

“So… if there’s nothing for you to do… then you and your knight can go out with me!”

“Only if there’s absolutely nothing-”

“Yeah, yeah! I got it, if nothing is happening then you can go!”

He jumped up and ran out of the room, Aster watched him go eyes wide, the door left open, a maid peeked in with a scandalized look, and Aster cupped his face, “Mind closing the door please?”

“U-uh… c-certainly!”

She closed the door and he could hear the clicking of her heels as hurried away, “God the fucking rumors…”