Misunderstandings

Pyxis made his way into the church like he did every week. His weekly carat collection from Mercy and to say hi to Fenris and hang out for a bit while he did his chores. He was used to the church being empty once he'd entered, calling for Fenris or walking to Mercy's office when she tried to hide and pretend she stopped stealing from the tithes. 

This time though, it was a bit of a different situation.

He opened the doors to the church, about to stroll right in when he walked straight into the middle of some kind of meeting between the priests.

His eyes widen and he freezes, his tail swishing nervously as they turn to face him. The large doors of the church close loudly behind him only adding to the awkwardness he felt. A few beats longer of silence before the man in the center speaks up.

"Can we help you?" Oleander smiles towards Pyxis, opening his arms slightly, "We really should've taken this meeting elsewhere so I apologize for startling you." He nods towards the other fathers, making his way to the startled bun by the door. The other priests make their way to the back of the church and wherever they were needed, leaving Oleander and Pyxis in the large room alone.

"Uh, no… it's fine I should've knocked." Pyxis nods, though knocking probably would've been more awkward. 

Oleander looks at him confused for a moment before letting out a small laugh, "It really is no worries. Plus I'd been meaning to come meet you for a bit now. You come here quite often and yet I haven't had the chance to truly meet you." Oleander places an arm around Pyxis, who stiffens slightly at the action, and leads him further into the church.

"Well, y’know… I'm only here for a short time to talk to Mercy and Fenris." He smiles awkwardly coupled with a small laugh. While he himself felt awkward, outwardly he didn't portray it - keeping himself cool and collected in front of the man.

“Well, either way, I’ve heard about you enough to be curious.” Oleander smiles gently, his own body language cool and calm as always. "What brings you in today?" He questions, quite curious what he was usually up to with the others.

"Ah well… I uhm, usually have…" Pyxis thinks for a quick moment, not wanting too much time to pass with his answer. "Confessionals… with Mercy." He nods, that was a good answer, it made sense to him as someone who wasn't at the church often.

"Confessions? With Mercy?" Oleander questions before his own vice took over with a sly smirk towards Pyxis. "Oh… I see now." He chuckles. "We could always have a session. I'm very good at listening." He hums.

Pyxis wasn't sure what Oleander was thinking with the confessions, but he sure bought it. "Oh no, that's OK. I'm… I'm really ok I can come back tomorrow." He smiles again, now being lead to the confession booth with Oleander.

"Nonsense, I can provide great confessions." Oleander was excited to have a new bun to his roster, plus he wanted to see just why he and Mercy were consistently meeting for a 'confession'. 

"I'm sure you can, uh father? Oleander?" He smiles awkwardly before stepping into the booth, looking around as he did, "But I really am ok I promise." He smiles, not wanting to be caught blackmailing the nun. "Besides, Mercy is… or should be the only one who knows about my confessions, right?" He laughs, now sitting on the chair in the booth, like his body was on autopilot.

"Oh I'm sure she knows all about it." Oleander hums, stepping towards Pyxis in the booth and closing the latched door behind him. 

Pyxis was sure he was going to get scolded in this moment, that Oleander would berate him for stealing from the church with Mercy. That his vice and his greed had gone too far. As soon as he watches Oleander slowly move to his knees and his hands begin to make his way to his pants, he quickly clasps onto them.

"I… I think there's been a misunderstanding Father Oleander…" He quickly says, Oleander stops everything he's doing in that moment.

"Oh… Oh Pyxis I'm so sorry!" He pulls his hands back, though Pyxis keeps a hold of them.

"It's okay! Really, I just… I thought I was going to be scolded." He laughs awkwardly, his calmish demeanor quickly dropping to awkward and stiff. Oleander holds onto Pyxis's hands as well.

"Even if you say it is okay, I truly am sorry for misreading. Why would I scold you though?" He stands up, nodding to the place next to Pyxis as if asking if it was okay to sit next to him. Pyxis scoots over, still one hand holding onto Oleanders. 

"I.. I mean, are you aware of Mercy and her habits?" Pyxis doesn't dare look at Oleander right now, "And I mean, has she said anything about me? Or Fenris? I mean, I kept Fenris away from the church for a few days but-" He takes a steadying breath, "I just didn't know what to say or how and I saw a few priests about it and confessed to them but I still feel guilty for both!" He finally turns to look at Oleander, though doesn't stop speaking, "And on top of it, I'm lying to my partner about taking carats from Mercy because I caught her taking from tithes. I don't need the carats but I want them." He finally finishes, completely out of breath as he does.

Oleander is taken aback entirely, using the hand clasped with Pyxis's to bring him closer and pull him into a gentle hug. Pyxis happily embraces him, just needing a moment. 

A few moments of silence pass, pyxis fighting tears from his little guilt session. Particularly admitting about lying to his partner. Sniffles occasionally interrupt the silence.

"Vices are a finicky thing." Oleander hums out, softly and quietly. "It definitely isn't a good thing to have essentially black mailed Mercy, and I'm glad you have told me." He would address that in a moment, "But vices drive us to do many things." He runs a hand along Pyxis's back and the back of his head, "Especially when they're out of hand. But, yours is not out of hand… yet." He laughs softly, "You're aware of it and feel guilt."

Pyxis pulls back some to look at Oleander, "I guess but it was hidden for so long." He sighs.

"But you still admitted it, didn't you?" He smiles gently, "You're doing okay, just maybe visit a little less… or come to Mercy for sermons instead of blackmail." He hums and Pyxis lets out a small laugh at that.

"Okay… and sorry about the misunderstanding a second ago." Pyxis sighs, he enjoyed coming to the church, and he had definitely seen a side of Oleander he didn't expect. From every other buns words he had completely expected to have that end entirely differently once he'd realized.

Oleander shakes his head though, "I'm sorry as well, I'll be clear with my words next time. I just thought we were having a fun little game of innuendos." He chuckles.

"I did too just in a way that would land me in trouble." Pyxis laughs along with him, "I'll be better about… Mercy though." He nods to which Oleander agrees.

"Please do, I'd hate to have to get you in trouble, for now I will just ask you to refrain, but I will have to actually do something if it happens again." He looks pointedly at Pyxis, "I should've this time but I can't exactly say I'm as strict with the one who's doing the actual stealing." He sighs.

Pyxis just shrugs, "It happens, I'm sure you care about her, don't want her in trouble and such. We might do dumb things for vices but also those we care for. I'd know." Pyxis smiles brightly towards Oleander.

"That we do." Oleander hums back, "I should probably go sort out the other little trouble maker of a greed. Maybe this time she'll actually stop."

The two of them make their way out of the booth, exchanging goodbyes and happy smiles. Pyxis was glad to get it off his chest and to have finally met the head priest