Waldon

A young man by the name of Rei found himself in Waldon's flower shop/house when hiding from some folks chasing him. Waldon, for a reason yet not stated, showed kindness (a little too blindly, if you ask Rei) and allowed (with much convincing) Rei to stay the night. After offering Rei, who revealed himself as a mercenary, a job to hunt down someone Waldon claimed as a threat, Rei moved in during the duration of the job, assisting with the floristry on occasion. Aster, Waldon's daughter, also spent some time with them before returning to her aunt's. Waldon and Rei started to bond, bit by bit, but held onto their secrets like life depended on it. The two grew closer as they talked, sparred, and worked together. Their first big moment was Rei telling Waldon about his old sword, a precious sword, and Waldon tracking it down and returning it to Rei. The two decided to then go on a "Plan Day" (totally not a date), but someone from Rei's past interjects while searching for Rei. Waldon talks to the person, Scarlet, and has an... interesting conversation. Rei is definitely pissed. He slaps Waldon and bolts, leaving Waldon alone for the day. This event, unfortunately, was a straw that broke the camel's back of several years' worth of stress. Waldon goes to bed that night before Rei returns home, but he leaves very early in the morning before the sun had risen to go drinking and relieve his frustration with his fists. Rei finds the notes Waldon had left for him (one, an apology, with a small stuffed cat Waldon had bought after Rei left that reminded Waldon of him. the other, a hastily written note on his location and instructions to get him) and runs to find Waldon. He is brought to Waldon in the break-room of the pub he'd went to that morning. Waldon, bruised and beaten and not bandaged, confessed this was indeed a habit and a problem, and Rei, despite being understandably mad, helped him through it and brought him home. Waldon discussed his alcoholism and where it had come from, but most shocking to Rei to hear was how Waldon considered Rei the first person to actually care about it or him like this. Waldon dumps out all of his many bottles of booze as Rei makes dinner, and the two eat happily. Not a week or so later, Rei is meeting with an important contact related to Jordan, the man Waldon hired Rei to hunt down. This contact is none other than Waldon's old friend Laila, a Midnight Fox. She reveals much of Waldon's past regarding Jordan and Ashlyn, including how the three dated and worked as one of the Midnight Foxes' best teams. Rei is shocked to hear all of this (particularly the bit where Laila implies she knows he's actually a prince before leaving) and returns home. After finding Waldon's Fox uniform in his closet via snooping, he confronts Waldon about it all before dinner by showing up wearing the uniform (part of it, anyways). Waldon freaks out, gets defensive, but ultimately admits it's the truth, and the two reconcile after Waldon gives him the key to the manifesto he, Waldon, and Ashlyn had stolen years ago. While Rei puts the uniform back, Waldon drags a definitely tipsy Laila from the pub to make her apologize (she does) and puts her to bed. Waldon and Rei wake up the next morning to Laila screaming and a gunshot. Jordan, gun in hand, was there to get the key to the manifesto just as Waldon had expected. After a long and tense confrontation, Rei manages to get away, swallow the key, grab his sword, and land a hard blow into Jordan's chest. Waldon picked up the gun Jordan dropped during this and held Rei in place, begging him to stop so he can hear why Jordan murdered Ashlyn. To his shock, Jordan confessed that he didn't, begging Waldon to believe him- that wouldn't dream of doing anything to put him and his family in danger like that. Waldon, halted the pleading with a quick shot to Jordan's head, an impulsive choice made from desperation and exhaustion. Rei, upset by the action and following his deal of leaving as soon as the job was done, left a very livid Laila to tend to a distressed Waldon.

Waldon, realizing Rei still had the key, put on his old uniform and came out of retirement as a Fox to track him down with the assistance of Laila after both had recovered from the incident a few days later. With new information after examining Jordan's belongings and a new goal, they set off to finish what Jordan couldn't as well as find their friend.

Rei had made it several towns over before being abducted and beaten by Scarlet and their gang. Fortunately, after a successful interrogation of a pawn shop owner in possession of Rei's sword, Waldon and Laila headed east to search. They came across the gang in their carriage going back towards the city and hitched a ride by holding onto the bottom. Once the gang had made camp, they investigated the wagon and found Rei. Waldon and Laila managed to get him and make it to the nearest roadside inn. Once Rei was conscious, the three made their escape on a travelling merchant's wagon (they paid the man, of course), and made it to Foria, a northern town near the border of their kingdom and another, Efrea. During this trip, Rei reveals his past as the second prince of this kingdom. The first prince had gotten sick some time ago, and as others thought him near death, prepped Rei to become the king. However, the first prince recovered, and Rei grew angry, so he attempted an assassination of his brother but was ultimately caught and removed from the royal family and castle. He also spoke of his relation to Scarlet, having worked with their group in the past as well as forming some sort of bond. The three make it to Foria and, thanks to Waldon's previous work there, was given free food and room at a tavern. Laila slept in their room while Waldon and Rei ate in the restaurant downstairs, and Waldon's position on being a Fox was revealed: he loves his life as a florist and father, but he also loves his life as a Fox, and he didn't know what he was going to do. Rei became upset over this, but after discovering the food and drink was free, drunk himself into a stupor. Waldon carried a drunk Rei up to their room, and it was Rei's interesting questions and prodding that led Waldon to finally admit his romantic feelings for Rei. After a small confrontation about Rei doing 'favours' for Waldon and Waldon refusing (because it wouldn't mean anything, and Waldon doesn't want that), they go to bed. The trio wakes up, Rei hungover, Waldon emotionally hungover, and Laila well-rested. Laila and Rei have a very interesting talk about the previous night and then some (i.e. talking about Waldon). Laila tells Rei the story of her first job with Waldon, revealing his ruthless nature when working and/or fighting, before they finish. Laila announces she needs to leave to go investigate some Jordan Related Things™, to the displeasure of Rei and Waldon, so she does. Waldon and Rei make amends (Waldon keeping his feelings a secret, though) and go out for a fun day around town. Waldon tells Rei how Foria was his first home. They go clothes shopping, get hot cocoa and dinner, and Waldon brings Rei to his early childhood home. The truth of his mother's passing, a mugging gone worse, is told to Rei. Waldon admits he's going to leave this place behind and move on, locking the key inside the home. As the two walk back to the tavern, a carriage with the royal symbol on it manned by a guard, passes by. The two decide to track it to discover who's inside and why after Rei's persistence. After a small scuffle, the two find themselves in the presence of Rei's younger sister and second princess Elaine. Waldon and Elaine become friends while Rei and Elaine get emotional about seeing each other. When they discover her plans of travelling to the first prince of Efrea, Wessex's, ball in search of a bride, Waldon requests they accompany her. Elaine accepts, and the three plus the guards travel to Efrea's palace. Rei and Waldon pass with aliases and false identities as guests of Elaine's, and they all make it inside safe and sound. Waldon is amazed by everything, but Rei is immediately back in his element. While Waldon is showering when Rei leaves the room, and Waldon goes in search for Rei, but instead he first encounters Elaine and Efrean princess Nika practicing in the music room. Waldon gets the chance to show off his guitar skills, and he borrows the guitar to relax in the palace greenhouse. There, he encounters a stranger by the big willow tree, but he allows Waldon to play as he writes. It's all good until Rei suddenly comes in, and Waldon catches the stranger- who he know knew was Wessex just from inference -and Rei passionately kiss and reunite. Waldon makes his escape from the greenhouse unseen, and he sits outside in the snowy cold courtyard for a few hours, very upset. This, of course, results in Waldon getting sick. Elaine and her guard, Helena, care for him until he goes to bed. After a brief conversation with Rei, Rei announces he'll be staying in Wes' room. Waldon then has an idea: he needs to leave. Of course, he doesn't want everyone's hard work for him to go to waste, but he's incredibly uncomfortable without the one person he expected to have help him with this be gone. He figures, with Wes and his sibling around, Rei doesn't need him anymore, so he hatches his plan. He'll attend the ball and make his escape into the night after speaking with everyone and ensuring Rei's happiness here. Waldon wakes up sicker than before, and Helena brings him medicine: one vial will prevent the worsening of his symptoms for 24 hours, and the other vile will bring him to full health for most of the day, but by night, he'll crash. Waldon takes the second vial of medicine and downs it. Shortly after waking up proper and getting dressed, a young knight woman enters his room for inspection. Knowing it'd be best to surrender his weapons to her instead of having her find them, he takes his gun and daggers out of his bag before she has time to find his Fox uniform. The knight, Klara, is interested in Waldon's possession of them and offers a sparring match. Waldon happily accepts, and he heads to the courtyard with his daggers. The two spar, and it results in Waldon being the victor, but it was a close match. Wessex halts the match before it can go any further, and he and Waldon agree to a chat at the end of the ball, much to Waldon's simultaneous delight and displeasure. All that was left was getting ready for the ball itself. Once dressed, prepped, and ready, he escorts Elaine into the ball. He enjoys himself somewhat, dancing with Elaine and speaking with a few others, but he quickly puts his plan into action. He first organizes a meeting with Elaine and Helena, who agree to meet with him after the ball. Then, he gets a dance with his highness Wessex as planned. Originally going to ask about Rei's happiness, he finds he has nothing to worry about at the news of Wes choosing to propose to Rei tonight. Waldon then dances with Rei, and after seeing his joy in such an environment, his resolve is only further hardened. He speaks with Klara next about getting a horse and his weapons back, and she agrees. Waldon then makes his escape from the ball and back to his room to finish packing and write everyone notes. Klara comes in first, giving him his weapons, and Waldon hands her a Fox coin promising a favour in return for what she's done for him. Elaine and Helena appear next, and after a long conversation about Rei no longer needing him and lots of crying, Waldon leaves her with the notes he wrote, and he heads off into the snowy night. Unfortunately, he doesn't make it to the nearest inn before the medicine wears off, and Waldon falls off his horse with his stuff and a lantern and collapses into the snow. Rei, getting the news of Waldon's leaving, rushes after him absolutely pissed. Rei does eventually find Waldon along the road and brings him into the inn. They have a very tired talk of Waldon's stupidity, Rei's behavior, and what happened. Rei reveals he turned Wessex down because he lost his right to such a life when he did what he did and he also wanted to help Waldon, much to Waldon's surprise. Rei eventually puts Waldon to bed, but much sleep and vomitting later, they have another talk about what they're going to do. Waldon tells Rei he's going to quit the Foxes when they go to Brewn, and Rei is please and agrees to come with him. Rei leaves to go get their stuff and tell the others that Waldon is okay, but when he returns, Waldon has feverishly cut his hair. Rei puts him back to bed, and the next day, the duo are off to the second largest city in Astye: Brewn. There, they will go to the Midnight Fox headquarters to face Waldon's past.

i'm... gonna write this out later... my hand hurts lmao sorry