Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Mirror
In the study, Alaric and Carlton sat in heavy silence, their faces as gloomy as a funeral procession that had just been hit by a natural disaster. Gone was the cheerful, beaming Carlton of a few days prior who had shone like the sun on Alaric’s usually dour mood. Now both men wore expressions of deep melancholy, like two mourners at a wake.
Alaric, who had earlier resolved to avoid Carlton after their recent sexual escapades, decided that perhaps now was finally the time to confront this peculiar creature who seemed not quite of this world. The sight of normally jovial Carlton looking so somber was alarming enough to prompt him to break his self-imposed isolation.
"Ahem... Carlton," Alaric began hesitantly, "I think we need to have a talk..."
Carlton immediately turned his attention to Alaric with an unusual seriousness - no cheeky grin or flirtatious wink in sight. This uncharacteristic solemnity from the usually boisterous man made Alaric feel even more uneasy than he already did.
Alaric shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was so used to Carlton’s over-the-top antics and shameless flirtations that this new, serious version of the man left him feeling off-kilter. It was like watching a clown put on a straight face - utterly unsettling.
He coughed again before continuing, "So... about the other day..."
But as Alaric tried to find the right words, he couldn’t help but picture Carlton prancing around naked just minutes ago, posing like a sea nymph or some sort of aquatic ghost crab. The mental image made him want to both laugh and cry at the same time.
Carlton, with the air of a bored CEO dismissing an intern’s question, waved his hand dismissively. "You talking about our little...adventures these past few days? Don’t sweat it, darling. We practically invented this whole ’making love like rabbits in heat’ thing later in the future, so there’s no reason for awkwardness between us."
Alaric sputtered indignantly, knowing full well that this Carlton was not his usual best friend and drinking buddy, but rather a future version who had already fathered Alaric’s children. Of course this more experienced man would have a very different perspective on their recent sexual escapades compared to Alaric’s own virgin shock.
"Y-you drugged me with some sort of aphrodisiac and forced it down my throat!!" Alaric accused hotly. "And then you told me not to think about it! Do you have any idea how inappropriate that is? Especially considering I’m royalty!"
Carlton looked utterly baffled by the accusation. "Drugged you? Don’t be ridiculous! You’re the one who willingly drank that potion like it was water." He mimicked Alaric’s actions from a few days prior, chugging an imaginary drink with exaggerated gusto. "I can’t believe you’re trying to pin this on me! You were a more than eager participant, as I recall."
Alaric glared at Carlton with all the fury of a man who had just been betrayed by his best friend and then forced to have sex with him for three days straight.
"I most certainly did not!" he insisted hotly. "You forced it on me! And now you want to laugh it off like it was nothing? Like I’m just some random hookup and not your future husband? I should have you arrested for sexual harassment!"
Carlton slammed his fist on the table, his patience wearing thin. "Darling, darling, you’re being ridiculous! You practically snatched that aphrodisiac from our bedside table like it was the last slice of cake at a royal banquett!"
He mimicked Alaric’s actions again, this time more aggressively. "You reached for that bottle yourself and chugged it down like a thirsty man in the desert! And now you have the audacity to accuse ME of drugging YOU? Just because you’re a virgin who somehow manages to be damn good at this whole sex thing – like you already have years of experience with my body – doesn’t mean I’m going to take the blame for your sudden amnesia!"
Alaric sputtered indignantly, his face flushed crimson despite his anger. He muttered under his breath, sounding more bewildered than offended: "What... what does you mean? Am I... good in bed even though I’m inexperienced?"
A flicker of pride sparked within him before he quickly slapped it down like a fly buzzing around an expensive dinner party. No way could he let himself get infected by Carlton’s blatant perversion! Otherwise, Alaric would end up as some depraved emperor obsessed solely with carnal pleasures! The thought made him shudder dramatically.
"Perhaps," Alaric continued accusingly, regaining his composure and adopting a righteous indignation, "the aphrodisiac has scrambled your brain as well! I distinctly remember you snatching the bottle from under your shirt and pouring that liquid down my throat!"
Carlton threw his hands up in the air, a picture of exasperated frustration. "For crying out loud! I DON’T HAVE AN APHRODISIAC!" He paused dramatically, then added with a mischievous glint in his eye, "Well... technically I DO have some stashed away... but they’re definitely not in this timeline or dimension or whatever you want to call it!"
He gestured wildly around them. "How could it possibly be under my body? Are you suggesting I keep a stash of love potions tucked away like some kind of magical squirrel?" Carlton shook his head incredulously. "I think your memory needs a serious tune-up, darling."
Alaric rubbed his temples wearily as if battling an internal headache. Lately, he felt like emotions were running rampant through him – and it was all thanks to the infuriatingly charming man currently glaring at him with affection laced into every frustrated expression.
"Maybe because..." Alaric started to retort before Carlton cut him off again with another dramatic flourish that would make any Shakespearean actor proud.
"And let me set the record straight," Carlton declared, crossing his arms with the confidence of a king addressing his court.
"This whole situation is thanks to that blasted ’Wombata Childbearer Papaberry’! That fruit messes with your hormones like nobody’s business! Permanent effects, darling – every month or two, your body goes into overdrive and you can’t control yourself. Plus, it’s like a freaking fertility period on top of that."
Carlton winked suggestively. "It’s basically nature’s version of an endless party down there... even though I was practically bursting at the seams with lust already, I still remember you chugging that potion yourself!"
Alaric’s hand froze mid-air, his fingers inches from the delicate porcelain of his teacup. Carlton’s explanation was like a rogue wave crashing over him, threatening to spill not just his tea but also whatever semblance of composure he had left.
"Wait," Alaric sputtered, "You didn’t mention that the... wombata fruit... could turn people into walking heat sinks?!" He stared at Carlton with wide eyes. "I thought it only made men pregnant! I mean, come on! That’s already bonkers enough!"
Carlton chuckled sheepishly and scratched his head as if trying to dislodge a particularly stubborn thought. "Ah, right... details," he mumbled vaguely. "I figured if I told you about all its side effects back then – well, let’s just say you might have run screaming for the hills."
His blue eyes met Alaric’s with an unnerving certainty that seemed to pierce through any pretense of denial. It was like Carlton knew exactly what Alaric was thinking without him even uttering a word – which in this case wasn’t exactly a comforting thought.
Alaric sighed, the weight of Carlton’s revelations settling heavily on his shoulders. "You’re right," he admitted grudgingly after an agonizing two-minute silence that stretched the air between them taut with unspoken tension. "Back then, I wouldn’t have trusted you as far as I could throw you." He paused again, staring out the window at the vast expanse of sky beyond the study room walls. "And honestly... even now..."
He trailed off, shaking his head slowly as if coming to terms with a painful truth.
"It’s just... the world... it’s so much stranger and more wondrous than I ever could have imagined," Alaric murmured almost to himself. "Things that should be impossible keep happening right before my eyes."
Less than a week ago Carlton had burst into his life from some alternate timeline – and already he was losing weight due to stress! The once-confident man who prided himself on his broadmindedness now felt like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole - only instead of Wonderland, he found himself in something even stranger: A world where wombata fruit could turn men pregnant.
Carlton gave a knowing nod, his expression a mix of amusement and indulgence. Unlike Alaric, who had been floundering in disbelief from the start, wrestling with the absurdity of their situation – Carlton had been practically giddy since he’d realized he was back. This wasn’t just some historical anomaly; it was a chance to relive his meeting with Alaric, to bask in the glow of young love.
Alaric sipped his tea with an air of elegance that belied his inner turmoil, he couldn’t help but notice there were still so many unanswered questions swirling in his mind. But instead of probing into the other important matters, Alaric’s mouth betrayed him with a question that even surprised himself:
"By the way....why you... seemed kind of down earlier?"
He blinked rapidly at Carlton as if trying to erase those words from existence. What on earth possessed him to care about Carlton’s mood, especially when he was the one who had just barged into his life like a rogue time traveler? It wasn’t that Alaric didn’t want to know what was wrong; it was more that he couldn’t quite fathom why this question had sprung forth from his lips.
The image of Carlton doing some bizarre, naked contortions in his chamber mere moments ago flashed through his mind. It would have given anyone a heart attack! But now, here he sat looking gloomy and contemplative as if someone had stolen his favorite whip. The contrast was so jarring, so utterly perplexing, that Alaric found himself drawn into its strange allure – curiosity battling with common sense in an epic duel for dominance within him.
Carlton’s eyebrows shot up in surprise at Alaric’s unexpected query. If it had been his own husband asking, he would have simply shrugged it off as par for the course. But this version of Alaric, sitting there sipping tea with a furrowed brow - well, that was a different story altogether.
He found himself at a bit of a loss for words, trying to formulate an answer that wouldn’t give away too much. The truth was, these past few days had been nothing short of mind-blowing. Every time they’d come together in the throes of passion, Carlton had been utterly convinced he was making love to his beloved husband. And when he’d awoken this morning with the sun streaming through the windows, for one blissful moment he’d truly believed he was back where he belonged.
It was just that Carlton was afraid of being disappointed, so he convinced himself that he slept with young Alaric, muttering affirmations under his breath like some sort of mantra. It was easier than accepting the painful reality: that he was still trapped in the past.
But then reality had come crashing down around him like a ton of bricks. Alaric’s reactions when Carlton had struck that strange pose...or when the way poor Tristan had fainted dead away... It was all the proof he needed that he was still stuck in this timeline, not back in his own time with the man he loved. So... he really slept with young Alaric...not Alaric as his husband...
Carlton felt a wave of disappointment wash over him as he recalled the events of earlier. He’d been so looking forward to their reunion, to finally being able to share his life and love with Alaric and their children... but it seemed fate had other plans. Still, he couldn’t let Alaric see just how much this was affecting him. So instead, Carlton forced a bright smile onto his face and waved a dismissive hand.
"It’s nothing really," he said breezily, crossing one leg over the other in an attempt at nonchalance. "Just pregnancy hormones playing up again. You know how it is."
He hoped that would be enough to satisfy Alaric’s curiosity without delving too deeply into the real reasons behind his melancholy mood.
Carlton breathed a sigh of relief as Alaric mercifully let the subject drop, saying simply "I see...". He knew Alaric was no fool - he could tell that something was amiss, but he also respected Carlton’s desire not to dwell on it. For that, Carlton was eternally grateful.
Still, the unease lingered in the pit of his stomach like a lead weight. In an attempt to distract himself from his own turbulent thoughts, Carlton latched onto the first topic that popped into his head.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Carlton exclaimed suddenly, leaning forward with a conspiratorial air. "The strangest thing happened earlier when I was in your chamber..."
He proceeded to recount his bizarre experience with the mirror in Alaric’s chamber, describing how his reflection had seemed to move independently of him. The words tumbled out of his mouth in a rush, accompanied by animated gestures that only served to underscore just how unsettling the whole ordeal had been.
Alaric’s eyes widened in shock as Carlton’s words sank in. He set his cup down with a clatter, his mind racing back to a few days prior when he’d first returned from the war. The same thing had happened to him then - his reflection had seemed foreign and otherworldly, as if it belonged to someone else entirely. But in the chaos of meeting Carlton for the first time and grappling with all the problems that had occurred during his absence, he had simply pushed it to the back of his mind. Alaric whispered, his voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and mounting dread.
"You too...?"
