Romilly chuckled. "As if I do not know everything that happens in this place. You can pretend to keep your secrets if you want, little brother, so long as you play it safe."
Eden scoffed, then squealed when Archer slipped his hand into Eden's grip.
He was tugged from the stool and led out of Romilly's office in a flash. They tore through the hallways at a quick pace, so fast that Archer couldn't make out where they were going. He'd been working hard to memorize the paths from room to room, so he could at least navigate on his own at some point.
Romilly still carried him around everywhere, which he deeply enjoyed. At some point, though, he would have to walk on his own two feet like he was now.
Maybe he'd want a late-night snack and need to find the kitchen, or it could be that he needed medical assistance. Hewasn't sure why he might need the latter, but the point still stood. There was no tracking movements then, though.
Eden led him through the maze of halls until he reached a set of doors so tall they almost went to the ceiling. Archer's eyes widened, taking in the expansive features.
"Wow,"he said slowly.
Eden grinned over his shoulder. "I know, right? Totally gets people every time they see it, not that a lot of people have been in here, because this is my sacred space. So only family and the occasional friend, though I don't have that many of those anymore, because people are jerks."
He scowled as if some memory had come back and bothered him. Archer squeezed his hand, showing that he was supportive of Eden, but also bringing him back to the moment.
Eden shook his head, then pushed one of the big doors open. He made it look easy. Archer suspected it was not. The thickness of the door alone was astonishing.
When Archer looked past the door, he noticed there was more to the space than he thought there would be. Mainly, it was everything he could have dreamed of in one space.
"This is a masterpiece, a marvelous experience, a perfect playhouse. I'll accept any of those words, because I have worked hard to build it. Yes, indeed." Eden let go of Archer's hand and held his arms out wide, spinning in a circle. "Welcome to my special room. It is for those who enjoy life away from the adult world, because adulting is what?"
"Lame," Hadrian shouted from somewhere deeper in the room.
Archer couldn't tell where. The space was filled to the brim with games and toys. There were features that looked like they might have been built in, but were shifting and changing, like magic.
"The illusions will get you," Eden said, noticing where Archer's gaze had become stuck.
Archer nodded lamely. He didn't have anything he could say to counteract what he was being told, because really, what was there to do? Ask if this was a magic room? No, he didn't want to sound like a crazy person.
"You want to see what else I've got? Maybe we should find Hadrian. I think I know what you're going to like." Eden spouted out three different ideas before Archer could even agree to one thing.
He grabbed Archer's hand again and led him through the space, weaving past items like pinball machines and a desk with items that shimmered on it. A rock collection that Archer envied lined one wall. He'd have to ask to take a look at it later, so long as he remembered and didn't get distracted by something else.
Fun fact, he would probably get distracted.
They turned a corner and went down a hall, a feat that shouldn't have been possible since the layout of the room didn't make sense for it, but Archer shook his head and ignored logic. It was best he didn't overthink his situation.
They went through a set of shimmering beads. There was a flash, and then suddenly they were in a room where Hadrian reclined on a couch, hand on a controller, as one entire wall was a giant screen.
"How do you make something like that?" Archer asked, stepping forward slowly like he feared being near the screen would make it go haywire.
Hadrian chuckled. "When Eden wants something, Eden makes it happen, and since I’m not into all the Little stuff he enjoys, video games it is for me. I come here when I need a break."
"When you need a break from what?" Eden said. "Romilly is the boss man. He's the one who does all the big stuff, so it's just when you don't want to take a nap."
Hadrian paused his game, turning to look at Eden with a scowl. "I'll have you know that I do confer with our brother on occasion. Mostly my contact is with Father Dearest, because it is he who knows things."
Eden snorted. "Yeah, but he's not the man in charge anymore. What's the point? I mean, dad's cool. I'm not saying he's not cool."
Archer giggled at the exchange, loving the way the two siblings interacted. This was what he'd been missing, the dynamic. Breakfast and dinner were always a joy to be around the other Saint family members, and lunch was wonderful because Romilly often put him in his lap and fed Archer with an attention that sent his own body into overdrive.
But friendship was different. He thought he'd had it with Robert, yet he'd been wrong. The memory of his former friend soured Archer's mood.
Eden scrunched his nose, as did Hadrian. They stopped their conversation to look his way.
"Are you okay?" Eden asked.
