The pressure gradually pulled away, both from his neck and his chest, as Kethaias eased away. Ryland eyed him with first confusion, and then exasperation.<br/><br/>More sulking. More black moods. The scowls, the frowns, the slump into the couch beside him. Ryland slumped back too, ran his hands over his face. His own high was collapsing, and its final breaths buoyed up a lurking, heavy frustration. Kethaias was sick of this? Kethaias was sick of everything, at the slightest inclination. How he'd found the conviction to make his way to being a king and then an emperor was beyond Ryland.<br/><br/>"Do you make everything so complicated?" He rolled his head to the side, still reclined on the back of the couch. A phantom touch still lingered at his throat, and he wondered if there were fading marks there. "Do you really think you can taint<i>me</i>?" His look was sardonic, one eyebrow raised. "Where do you imagine that would happen? What niche could you fill? You already have me lecturing you to take responsibility for what you've done. If you've corrupted me anywhere, it's there. I can't believe<i>I</i>have to lecture someone about owning up to their mistakes. What have you done to me?"<br/><br/>A kick of his legs gave him momentum to sit up, and then he fisted both hands in Kethaias' nearest sleeve and heaved his weight to pull him over. They ended up settled as they were before, with Kethaias' head in his lap. His fingers went back to Kethaias' hair, stroking, admiring the long strands. His own was too wavy, and he wasn't sure he would look any good with long hair.<br/><br/>"Shall you tell me your cares? You cannot lock away this misery, my dear. It has overwhelmed you. Things are not so complicated as you make them. Tell me. Then I will order us a new lunch, you will give me a kiss for my patience, and then you will come to my party, and despite yourself, you will have fun. What do you think?"