Between Friends
Part Three

        Lantis wondered why exactly he had come to Geo's apartment, then 
dismissed the thought.  He wanted to confide in someone, and he had only 
three close friends on Autozam.  Zazu he felt was too young to be involved 
in such things and Eagle was at the heart of the matter, in no way 
objective about it.  That left Geo, especially as Geo could perhaps give 
him some insight into Eagle's motivations and possible condition.  "Do you 
have time to talk?" he asked.
        "Sure," Geo replied, closing down the screen he was working on.  
"Want something to drink?"
        "Coffee, please," Lantis replied.  Geo nodded and pressed one of 
the preprogrammed selections on the drink maker.  "Have you seen Eagle 
today?"
        "Yeah," Geo replied, gesturing for Lantis to have a seat as he sat 
himself.  "You want to talk about anything in particular?"
        Lantis pondered the likelihood of Geo knowing exactly what Eagle 
had felt for him, and concluded that it was extremely high.  "He told me he 
liked me... as more than a friend."
        "Mmm," Geo agreed, nodding.  "So?"
        "Have you seen him since?" Lantis clarified.  "And if I find out 
you're lying to me, Geo...."

        Geo sighed.  There was no arguing with the temper of Lantis.  He 
briefly wondered if all Cepherians were so intense.  "He's in my room right 
now, fast asleep," he replied.  "You can check for yourself if you like."
        "Good-bye," Lantis said briefly, standing.
        "Sit down," Geo commanded.  "You wanted to talk, so talk.  Besides, 
I'm not about to drink two cups of that coffee.  One's enough."
        Lantis remained standing, simply looking at him.  Geo sighed and 
stood, reaching for the cup of coffee inside the drink maker as it chimed.  
"I've known how Eagle felt about you for quite some time," he said 
conversationally.  "Who do you think he confides in?"  He handed the coffee 
to Lantis and sat back down, watching Lantis expectantly.
        Lantis sat back down, only a hint of confusion crossing his set 
visage.  "Maybe it's just because I'm not from Autozam, but this isn't what 
I expected to happen in a friendship.  Nothing like this ever happened to 
me back in Cefiro... or in Fahren or Chizeta either."
        "Usually doesn't," Geo replied.  "On the other hand, this is Eagle 
the Precocious we're talking about.  It figures he'd fall for someone 
different... someone exotic, from another world."
        "Are you sure you're his friend?" Lantis questioned levelly.
        Geo smirked.  "I'm the realist, remember?  I'm his friend, but I am 
well aware of exactly what Eagle is like.  Who do you think has been taking 
care of him for most of his life?"
        Lantis sighed softly.  "What do you think I should do?"
        "Don't know," Geo replied, shrugging.  "He seemed pretty miserable 
when he got here."
        "He was crying?" Lantis asked softly, looking down.  Geo nodded.  
"He seemed fine with it when he left...."
        "You know what he's like," Geo said, shrugging.
        "No, I don't," Lantis replied.  "I really don't think I do, now...."
        Geo laughed.  "Congratulations.  You've figured out the first 
mystery of Eagle: he is not nearly what he seems to be, no matter what you 
think he is.  If you think he is strong, it's because he's not letting you 
see his weaknesses.  If you think he is weak, it's because he is concealing 
his strength.  See both, and you may begin to get a clue."
        "And this comes from years of knowing him?" Lantis asked.
        Geo nodded, taking a drink of his sweetened coffee.

        For the first time in his life, Lantis truly had no idea of what to 
do.  Knowing that he had made Eagle cry certainly didn't make him feel any 
better; it only confused him more.  He sighed and ran his fingers through 
his hair.
        "Hmm.  You're really not used to this at all, are you?" Geo asked, 
looking at him.
        "No," Lantis replied succinctly.
        "Never had any girlfriends?" Geo asked.
        Lantis frowned.  "No.  I was one of Princess Emeraude's guards.  
There was no time for it."
        "You said Cephiro was peaceful and you seldom had anything to do, 
so you napped most of the time," Geo pointed out.
        "There also wasn't much contact with women," Lantis replied.  "It 
got very boring."
        "Why do I get to play counselor?" Geo wondered, resting his head on 
one palm.  "I'm a science major, not a humanities major."
        
        Eagle smiled in his sleep.  "Pillar...." he murmured.