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 Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 8:32 pm
I N T R O D U C T I O N x S O L O
Second Time This Month "You were suspended again, Naarhiji..."
Naar scowled down at the table, smudging his finger across a scratch in the wooden surface. For all the concern, hesitance, and helplessness in his father's voice, the young Oblivionite could hardly be bothered to care about how this simple fact pained the aging man. To the smaller male it was an annoyance, another of society's slights aimed at him.
"Wasn't my fault," Naarhiji hissed out adamantly. For about the twelfth time. No matter how many times he said it, the result was always the same. His teachers tutted at him; told him they wouldn't tolerate him spreading poison thoughts to the other youngsters. Poison thoughts, because they didn't agree that Soudana was a lonely old witch who tormented them in their waking lives so they'd be eager to join her in death; in Oblivion. Even when the evidence was presented clearly and logically (as much as it could be while Naar spoke over his teachers demanding that he be quiet), they disagreed.
And that was fine. He wasn't so ignorant that he thought he could sway everyone to his line of thought. But the lot of them were just so closed-minded, and having anything bad to say about their 'Great Goddess Soudana' was apparently grounds for an immediate shut-down on listening to anything Naar had to say. "It's school," Naarhiji muttered. "Debate and critical thinking are supposed to be encouraged. I shouldn't be punished for arguing something I believe to be true."
It would've been different if his points were calmly rebuked. Nothing they said would've made a difference to him of course, but with enough persuasion, he might have backed away without too much of a fuss. But they acted as if his words alone were an act of treason. He was thirteen; of course he was going to say things they didn't like. No need to make a huge upheaval about it...
The chair opposite him shifted back against the wood floor. Naar made a point to keep his focus on the table, even as the sound of Loric's boots approached his side. "I know it's hard for you to understand that some people just aren't as open to certain topics as you are," the elder Oblivionite told his son as he settled a hand on Naar's shoulder. "But you have to realize that there are times to assert yourself and times to stay quiet. It's rude to argue with your teachers in their classroom. Very disrespectful."
Naarhiji huffed indignantly and twitched away from Loric's touch. "They're just words. It's not like anything I say actually matters. If these people weren't so touchy, they'd be a lot happier."
"Whether they are or not doesn't excuse you from getting into trouble, again. I don't know how many times we have to talk about this, but if you cause a fuss again, you'll be expelled. I assume they're getting tired of dealing with your antics." Though his father's voice had started firm, it faded off into uncertainty before lingering on an awkward pause that hung in the air with expectancy. The youngster tapped his finger impatiently as he waited to be dismissed. The repeated conversations were staring to bore him, especially when they never went anywhere, like this one. With a sigh, Naar pushed away from the table and rose from his seat, preparing to excuse himself. Loric stopped him. "If you can't... If you can't control yourself enough to stay out of trouble and to stay in school... I'll have to send you away. There's no reason for you to be here if all you do is-"
It was the first time Naar swiveled around to glare at him. "What?" He hissed between gritted teeth as his brow furrowed.
"-if all you do is cause a ruckus over anything you disagree with. Naarhiji..." Loric reached to clasp the slim boy's shoulders. "Don't act as if I'm asking something unreasonable. I just want you to behave. I want you to be respectful. If you have to spend the rest of the year someplace else to learn that..."
Naar scoffed and shoved his way past the older male. As he expected, his side of the story hardly mattered. There came a soft, pleading groan of his name as he stomped down the hallway, but whatever. If everything he said was useless, than he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to anything his father said, either. The door to his room slammed behind him.
Send him away.
How was that the answer his old man had arrived at? Was that what they'd asked in their letter? His teachers? Had they said if he couldn't be an obedient, functioning member of society, than he didn't belong here? There was no way of knowing for sure, but Naar didn't doubt it.
Naarhiji snorted softly as he plucked a book from his shelf and flicked it open. They could say what they wanted, and Loric could threaten whatever he pleased. Whatever happened, Naar would still come out the victor. The old man would never send his only son, his only family, off to who knew where. It just wouldn't happen.
Naar had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Even so, his heart raced, and his fingers shook. There was no reason to be afraid or even mildly concerned. Just... he still had to swallow down the lump that rose in his throat.x
x
Results: Suspended again.
Word Count: 902
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Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:09 am
A D V E N T U R E x R E F L E C T I O NAiding an Alchemist Collecting things for my father is really more trouble than it's worth, especially after the way he treated me. I shouldn't have to do anything for him at all! But out of the goodness of my heart, I did, and I was rewarded with a whirlwind of swirling emotions and strange practices and overall oddness. Of course I know how the Alchemist of our town is, so I can't really blame him in all this.
It was that khehora... Malta was her name, I think. In my wildest fancy, I never would've imagined a khehora like her. I expected hoards of vicious predators that lived on the forests outside the city. Instead I got... this creature. Sure, she was nice enough. I'm still alive. All in one piece, but I get the feeling that she's... estranged from her family. Different, unaccepted. So even if she is okay as far as wild carnivorous beasts go, she knows others that aren't.
I'm still suspicious. More information is needed. If it is never received, that'll be okay with me too.Results: +2 Babosa Slime, +4 Long Hair
Word Count: 1897
JR Word Count: 177
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:11 am
C I V I L I A N S H I P x S O L O
Whiff On the Wind What were they doing, all huddled together like that? There was a tight group of five or six youngsters, all around Naar's age, clumped together at the edge of the schoolyard. Every now and then, a roar of laughter erupted from the small assembly of Oblivionite boys. This was school. No one should be having that much fun. Certainly not the kind of fun that would make them hoot and holler like that.
Naarhiji squinted at them from his perch on the bench, several yards away. He leaned forward as casually as he could manage, as if that few extra inches would be enough to make him privy to whatever was happening across the way. Did no one else think this was even the tiniest bit suspicious? Frankly, whenever Naar saw a tight group like that, where all the youngster were so scrunched together that they were clearly hiding whatever was in the middle, he knew something unsavory was happening.
But what? He had no idea. He could very casually walk over and try to take a peek, but he was sure all he'd hear where the boys spitting at him to mind his own business and leave them alone and be generally noninclusive arsebags. Naarhiji scowled, willing his ears to pick up what they were saying or his eyes to get a glimpse between huddled bodies.
Instead what came to him was a scent, just a tinge of it on the breeze. Tangy and metallic, unwelcome in every sense of the word. Naar's heart stalled. Blood. To be able to smell it from this distance, even just a passing whiff, it wasn't from just a scratch. Someone was genuinely hurt, and they were laughing. And no one was helping, not even the teachers, standing near the doors and allegedly supervising. Not that Naarhiji was particularly surprised by any of this, blood thirsty demons that they were...
Like usual, it fell to the young Oblivionite to be the only form of dissent this schoolyard would see.
He stood and briskly strode over to the group. Before he'd come within ten feet of them, one of the other lads looked up from his escapades and grimaced straight in Naar's direction. He then very clearly announced, "That piece of trash that blew in from the slums thinks it has the right to-"
Naar didn't have time for this. "At least I don't smell like trash," he asserted sharply before the first boy had the chance to finish. He probably should've just said nothing and shoved his way forward. That would've been cooler. Oh well. Too late now.
The closest boy, the one with his back to Naar, turned to glare over his shoulder. "Can I help you? Don't you have someone better to both- Hey!"
Oh, Naar would've loved to say something to that, because literally everyone was better than this kid. Instead, he held his tongue, grabbed the back of the other lad's shirt, and yanked with all of his power, drawing the other Oblivionite away from the cluster of boys and revealing what they had been hiding on the ground; a tiny creature, hardly bigger than Naar's fist, with large ears and puny paws. It might have been fuzzy and adorable and one point, probably even recently.
Not so much, now. It's fur was sticky and matted. One paw was twisted in the completely wrong direction. A dis-attached tail lay discarded a foot or two away. It's once large eyes were closed and leaking. It could've been dead. Probably should've been dead, but there was a faint, rapid rise and fall to its chest that it probably wouldn't have for much longer.
If he'd been by himself, Naar would've vomited. As it was, he tamped the bile in his throat down. "W-what are..." No, that wouldn't do. They'd laugh at him and push him away if he showed so much weakness. He had to compose himself, couldn't let these stupid scumbags know that he was disturbed beyond all reason. He closed his lips, passing his tongue quickly across them. Another instant, and the full force of any anger and hatred he'd ever felt for this group was turned on the boy with the stick. "What are you doing?!" He spat, throwing his arms out to shove against the other lad's shoulders. "You can't treat animals like this! You can't treat anything like this!"
The boy growled and shoved Naarhiji back, making him stagger away. "Not that it's your business, but that thing stole my dad's pocket watch and got me in trouble. Gotta make it pay."
Got. To. Make. It. Pay.
"You better go away, Naarhiji," one of the boys behind him clipped. "Teach said if you get in trouble again, you'll get kicked out of school. You better leave us alone, or we'll tell on you." Naar hadn't even been aware that one child could be full of so much disdain until he heard it in the other boy's voice. Tell on him, huh? What were they, seven?
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the teachers approaching the group. He wasn't stupid. There were five of them and one of him. Whatever those boys said would probably be counted as the truth. He was as good as done.
If that was the case, he'd give them something to tattle about.
With a shriek, Naar tackled the lead boy, the one with the stick. There was a yelp of surprise from him as they crashed to the ground. Unsurprisingly, the other boys scuttled back from the onslaught, rather than try and help their friend. He... wasn't entirely sure what he should do now that he had the larger male on the ground. All he knew was if he kept his arms moving, swatting and clawing at anything that tried to resist him, he'd probably be okay. For a few seconds, that was fine. Then he was being lifted away by an arm around his waist, a voice telling him, "Enough, Naarhiji! Control yourself!"
He caught only a glimpse of the other boy's scratched face and arms, blood leaking from his lips that Naar wasn't entirely sure how he'd caused. Then he was being yanked around to face one of the teachers. It was only when he'd stilled did he realize he was shaking, that his heart thrummed and his chest rose and fell quickly.
"This is the last straw. You take yourself home and do not let me catch you here-"
He didn't doubt the woman hated him. Didn't doubt that she would've found a reason to get rid of him even if he'd been completely innocent. With a growl, Naar yanked himself out of her grasp. "Fine," he spat venomously. "If that is how you let students behave," he gestured to the bouken on the ground, "then I don't want to be part of this school, anyway!"
With a huff, he ripped away from them, sparing only a moment to cup the sad little creature in his hands before starting out of the school yard at a run. Even as he held it, he felt disgusting. Feeling wet fur between his fingers, smelling the stench of the dieing animal... it was awful, horrible. It was easier if he didn't look at it, but not by much.
How could anyone do this? As Soudana's children, Oblivionites were born warriors, predators of the night. Killing or even torturing a tiny bouken should mean next to nothing to him. But it did. It made his face burn, his throat tighten, and his eyes water. It was just a little animal, and Naar felt vile for not stepping in sooner. How was he supposed to stomach letting something like this happen to a dragon, or another person, even if that person was an enemy to Oblivionites?
It was wrong-! It- It... He slowed to a standstill, needing a moment to catch his breath. His chest hurt and his legs shook. He swallowed a sob, but couldn't stop a pitiful whine from slipping from his throat. He cast his gaze to the bouken. What was he supposed to do? He'd made a huge scene back there... He'd wanted to save it, but... even now that it was away from its tormentors, it seemed unlikely. "I'm sorry," he mewled down at the tiny thing. "I..." His voice shook. It was still breathing. Still clinging to life. As long as it held on, he had to try and find something.x
x
Results: Expelled from school.
Word Count: 1419
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Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:35 am
P R P x R E F L E C T I O NWith This Desperation NAAR'S THOUGHTSResults: Met Avridi.
Word Count: ???
JR Word Count: ???
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:35 pm
T A M I N G x R E F L E C T I O NThe Rescue NAAR'S THOUGHTSResults: ???
Word Count: ???
JR Word Count: ???
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Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:35 pm
D E V E L O P M E N T A L x S O L O
Bending and Breaking "I begged you, Naarhiji."
It wasn't very often that Naar avoided eye contact with anyone. He felt as if he looked away, that would put him in the wrong somehow. If he didn't hold their gaze, it opened him up to criticism and more anger, doubt and annoyance. He didn't want to live with any regrets, and he always believed what he did was for the best. So why should he be the one to look away in shame?
He glanced away now, though, tipping his head up and just ever so slightly to the right as his father grasped his shoulders, willing the small male to at least appear apologetic. Instead, Naarhiji only opened his mouth to argue the semantics of 'begging.' As far as he remembered, there had been no such thing involved. He'd merely been very abruptly informed that any more incidents would result in him being sent away.
Which led to why Naar couldn't drag his gaze from the top corner of the room. He crossed his arms, nails digging into the soft skin along the crease of his elbows as he struggled to refrain from breathing erratically and losing any semblance of composure he had, because he would not break in front of someone so intent on torturing him, even if it was his own father. His own very desperate, on-the-verge-of-tears father who could simply not understand that Naar didn't do things just to piss him off.
It was days after the scuffle at school. They'd spoken of it so little that Naarhiji was almost willing to allow himself to believe that Loric simply didn't care that he'd been expelled. Perhaps the old man even agreed that he'd done what needed to be done (but couldn't say it to his face, of course). So Naar continued on with his life. He visited the sweet shop, the library, the crazy old alchemist. He studied, because it wouldn't do for him to be the stupidest boy in school when he returned next year. That was all fine and dandy.
Four days after his expulsion, he returned home to see an unrolled scrap of parchment on the table and some feathered creature gnawing on a bone on the floor. A vlidean, he believed. Somehow, Naar doubted his was supposed to see the note before his father told him about it, but if that was the case, the stupid old man shouldn't have left it unattended. Naarhiji's gaze scraped along the paper. It wasn't his father's handwriting, but there had obviously been an exchange of notes before. This seemed to be the tail end of the conversation, a very grim conversation...
In fact, the note consisted of only eleven words, scrawled messily across the paper, no greeting, and no closing.
'I'll pick him up from the docks in five days' time.'
His father found him shredding the scrap of parchment into tiny, miniscule pieces and casting them to the floor. Naarhiji wasn't an idiot. He never would have admitted that he believed his father would send him away, but somehow, he knew there wasn't much of a choice. The other students didn't want him there, the teachers didn't want him there, Soudana herself probably would be satisfied to see him leave.
Naar couldn't look at his father because it would shatter his resolve. He'd cry and fall to the floor and beg to stay here because even though he hated most of the people, it was still his home, it was all he knew, and it was all he had.
Even as they made their way to the docks, Naarhiji kept his gaze on the ground.
"Do you remember Remalus? You were pretty small last time he was around," Loric asked conversationally, his hand resting soothingly between his son's shoulder blades.
"No," Naar muttered tartly, ignoring the sadness he physically felt from his old man. He deserved to be sad, the younger male thought conspiratorially. Loric deserved whatever hurt he got from this.
"You don't remember falling asleep on him while you were eating? He thought you were so cute back then. He doesn't have a family of his own, you know, so..."
"I don't remember," Naar spat, his voice low and tight and rejecting any further conversation.
For a few minutes, they were accompanied only by the sounds of wind, sea birds, water lapping at the docks, and the murmurings of those waiting around them. Something in the young boy's mind didn't want to be angry at his old man. He should hug him, tell him goodbye, say he'll miss him. This was the last time he'd see his dad for several months, until the start of next year when he was allowed to return to classes. he couldn't shake his fury, though, his hurt at being abandoned and tossed aside when he became too troublesome, though...
"He runs his business alone, so you'll be expected to help out when you can and stay out of his way when he's busy. Don't cause anymore trouble, Naarhiji. You can see this as a fresh start. You'll meet all new people, and see new things... It's exciting, even if it's scary." He pat the smaller male's back. "Remalus is... good at taking care of people, so I'm sure you'll be fine. He's a bit weird sometimes, but he's your uncle and my brother. He'll look out for your best interests."
Naar was almost tempted to ask why he sounded so uncertain. What was he really sending him off to? Instead, his lids narrowed and he pressed his lips together as he stared at the ground.
"The ferry's here."
His gaze flicked up, his heart pounded, and his breath caught. the trip hadn't even started, and he felt suitably punished. Only an instant separated him and pleading to his old man to reconsider, pleading to just let him go home...
"I'll miss you, Naarhiji." Loric crouched down to his son's eye-level. Adamantly, Naar twitched his gaze away. He didn't see the disappointment and sorrow on his father's face as the elder Oblivionite wrapped his arms around him and hugged him close. "I'll miss you so much..."
Naar said nothing. It was all he could do to hold his breath and squeeze his eyes shut, will his face to cool and his chest to stop burning. "Bye," he rasped out with as little feeling as he could muster. He yanked himself free of his father's hold, scooped up his bag, and whipped around, turning his back on everything he'd known as he boarded this ferry that could be taking him toward the worst part of his life.x
x
Results: Naar is shipped to Eowyn to help Uncle Remalus with his business.
Word Count: 1105
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 8:23 am
P R O F E S S I O N x C H O O S I N G x S O L O
Rules and Restrictions May Apply "No need to use such a judging expression," Uncle Remalus grumbled as he glowered down at his smaller charge.
So far, Naar was not impressed by anything Tukyere had to offer; Not the city itself, not the tall, strange man who introduced himself as his uncle (not that Naar would've known if he wasn't, as he didn't recall ever seeing this individual before), not the disturbing array of hybrids that dotted the streets and shops, and certainly not the block-y clay building that stood before him. Naarhii didn't know why he expected some podunk, backwater town to be more impressive (or at least more interesting) than Obsidian City. Needless to say, he was not amused with the results.
He turned his head up to scowl at his uncle. "You really live here?" He questioned, doing nothing to keep the disdain from his voice.
The sour tone was lost on the other man as he broke into a grin and chortled. "Oh, gods no." A confused frown instantly stretched across Naar's lips. "I live a little farther down the road, but you're going to stay here. There's a reason I live by myself. I don't like kids or people in my house."
Naar's brows practically shot off his forehead. "You're leaving me here by myself?!" The smaller Oblivionite demanded aghast, mortified, afraid. The territory and its inhabitants were already unfamiliar. Remalus was at least family, but that didn't do Naar much good if he was never around!
"Calm down," Uncle soothed, gingerly running a hand through the back of his nephew's hair. "I wouldn't leave you if I didn't think you'd be better off." There was a pause, a long pause. It did nothing to appease Naarhiji's mood or make him feel better. Just as the situation started to seem even more hopeless than it already was, Remalus patted him on the head with an apologetic smile. "To be on the safe side, let's set a few ground rules. Don't talk to anybody, don't look at anyone, don't touch things that don't belong to you, don't go into a room that isn't yours, don't ask questions, and don't believe anything you hear. Most importantly, don't get attached to anyone, especially if it seems like they're trying to be your friend."
This must be what being punched in the skull felt like. Ignoring rules was easy enough. Naar just wished his uncle didn't talk so fast. It was more challenging to be disobedient when he didn't know which rules to ignore.
Rem plucked up Naarhiji's arm and scooped his bag from the ground. "Okay. Let me show you where you'll be staying."
The first thing that crossed the young Oblivionite's vision was not the expansive hallway with superfluous doors, or the dim lighting that would've hindered any non-Oblivionite's vision, or the obnoxiously soft carpet under his boots. It was the strange and unwelcome pair standing in the middle of all that. The woman was short and lean, with thick hips, a narrow waist, and probably the bounciest, least concealed breasts in all of existence. She had long curls, dark skin, and plump lips and even Naar wouldn't have been shy about classifying her as beautiful.
That was fine. He had no qualms with that.
It was the man standing in front of her that Naarhiji took immediate issue with, the man with his long feathered wings lazily dusting at the ground and his dopy satisfied smirk, and his hands wrapped around that poor woman's hips where they didn't belong. Naar instantly took a step toward Uncle, his fingers reaching out to tangle in the bottom of the elder Oblivionite's shirt and forcibly hold him in place.
"I'll miss you," Naarhiji almost missed the soft sound of the woman's voice as she pressed her bosoms against the Orderite's chest and rubbed her nose along the side of his neck. "So don't forget about me, or I'll be sad."
He leaned down, his lips dusting across the shell of her ear, her cheek, sliding down her throat. Naar saw teeth before anything else, sharp pointed teeth digging into her soft skin and- He had no business being near her. This bloodthirsty bird trying to kill her like some animal. It wasn't right. It was worse than the bouken. Stop. "Stop!" The word wrenched from his throat.
Not a second later, he was bodily yanked from the ground by one arm across his chest and the other across his mouth. His heart hammered erratically, and his chest rose and fell at an absurdly unnatural pace. Naar's fingers reached up to claw at the restraining appendages.
"My apologies." Naar tipped his head back to stare up at Remalus, his lids like perfect circles. "Children can be so thoughtless and impulsive sometimes."
With a sigh, the two parties stepped apart. The woman shook her head tightly and crossed her arms with a swish of her hips. While the man, the Orderite hummed and strode away from her, his wings flicking dismissively. "I didn't realize you started them so young, Rem. Jealousy is such an unattractive emotion. Maybe fix that in him." Jealousy? Naar's brow furrowed as he was caught between arguing and cowering. When the man's hand reached out to pat his head, the decision was made for him. Naar receded back against his Uncle with a whimper, dipping his head and scrunching his lids shut. "Little boys aren't really my type, anyway."
The Orderite left, and Naar was released, placed back on his feet to endure the shock and confusion of whatever had just happened. The soft padding of the woman's feet along the carpet approached them. Naar looked up at her, his lips parting in question. Was she alright? Had he hurt her? How did this happen? What was he doing here? He didn't get the chance. Her sharp, manicured nails jabbed him in the chest, and accusing look creasing her brow. "Who do you think you are, coming in and screaming like that? Someone better teach you some manners if you're going to be hanging around here. Why, I've never seen such a rude, inconsiderate little cun-!"
"Sytherina." The woman paused and glanced up to Remalus. The man stood at Naar's back, and the younger lad didn't have a chance to see his face. Whatever the woman, Sytherina, saw there, though, was enough to make her dip her head and look away sheepishly. "Naarhiji is my nephew. And you will not speak to him that way. Ever."
"Yes, sorry," She mumbled, before cracking open an eye and glancing back toward the younger boy. "You're just so cute, I thought..." She reached out and touched his hair, twirling her finger through the end of it. So it seemed like none of these people believed in personal space. Naar tried not to grimace. "Well, never mind. I guess we'll have time to get to know each other. Welcome home, kiddo."
Once she departed, Uncle showed Naar to his room. He dumped his bag on the bed and plopped down next to it with a huff. He pinched his lips together, swishing them to the side in contemplation. "Father said I had to work here," he grumbled uncertainly. "But that woman... she works here too? Lives here too?"
Remalus tousled his hair. "Forget anything Loric told you. With any luck, you'll be out exploring the town for most of the day. If it were up to me, I wouldn't have you deal with people at all, since it seems you have so much trouble with them, anyway." Naar's expression soured. "So, don't worry. You won't have to deal with Orderites like Sytherina does. You can just be my cute little errand boy."
It didn't make Naar feel any better. Nor did the awkwardly chipper kiss Remalus planted on his forehead before saying, "Don't forget to unpack, and make yourself at home."
Home? It was an impossibly daunting task in a place like this. Naar sighed and flopped backward, reaching out for a pillow to smother himself with.x
x
Results: Arrives in his new home.
Word Count: 1340
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Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2014 9:40 am
L E A R N I N G x S O L O
Soiree Through Town "You want me to what," Naar demanded as he stood in the doorway to his room, hands on his hips, brows furrows and glaring with the full force of all the intensity he could muster.
Remalus groaned and rolled his shoulders. "I just want you to go into town and pick up a few things. It's easy! I can give you directions and tell you who to look for. This is what your dad wanted, isn't it?"
The dark scowl Naar sent his uncle should've been answer enough. "That was before I knew there were savage birds running around freely! I'm not going out there alone! You're crazy!"
"Aw, c'mon! I usually send Ilretta, our medic, but she's running tests on some new scheme or other with Hadelric And everyone else is busy with things. I'm not going to interrupt-"
"I'm not." Naar peeked from his doorway to see a grinning Sytherina approaching them. "I just finished up, so I could use a little walk to town."
The garbled sound the emitted from Remalus's throat was perhaps the most unattractive noise a single person could make. He produced a cloth from his pocket and flicked it at the woman. "Would you at least wipe your face before you approach my sweet, innocent nephew," he hissed out venomously. With a groan of annoyance, she did as she was bid while Naar desperately tried to poke around his uncle's frame to better see what his issue was. The elder Oblivionite rubbed his temples. "I suppose it's fine, though. Sytherina will go with you this time, to show you that you're perfectly safe, then next time you can go by yourself and stop wasting our time."
~~~
"It's not bad," Sytherina hummed once they were walking down the road together. She had such a slinky, graceful way of moving that she attracted stares without even trying. Maybe the fact that her breasts were a centimeter from bouncing out of her shirt helped too. Naar couldn't help the spear of envy he felt at standing next to someone who garnered so much attention without even trying. "I haven't been back to Obsidian City in years. I'm telling you, this place grows on you after a while, even if getting started is tough."
How could she say that? Not but one day ago, she was practically at the mercy of that Orderite man. Naar doubted that her effeminate body would've put up much of a fight if he'd wanted to tear her to shreds. "So you're just... okay with it, then? You don't mind living where monsters try to hurt you?"
"Monsters? What are you talking-?" She paused as her mind caught up to how they'd been introduced. "You mean last night?" Syth burst into a fit of laughter that Naar was suddenly unprepared for. "Oh, young doll, I promise you, I have these boys wrapped around my little finger. They wouldn't hurt me if their lives depended on it! The girls, though... They are a bit more unruly... You definitely have to watch-"
"No, he bit you on the neck. What kind of animal goes around biting people like that?"
"It was just a little love bite," Syth retorted, easily dismissing his arguments with a flick of her wrist.
"Love bite? He was an Orderite and you... aren't."
The woman looked down apologetically at him, and Naar was stricken with the notion that she thought she was talking to someone much younger than he actually was. "I say 'love' loosely, you see, but even if I didn't, you need to be more open minded. We all bleed red, y'know. Or so I've heard." She gestured around them. "A lot of people in this town are the product of two people of different races loving each other. Some are the product of something else entirely, but that's a discussion for another day. The point is, for people like us, who don't have forever to find that perfect someone... We don't really need to set more limitations than we already have. Just something for you to think about."
She touched his cheek and gave him the peculiarly soft smile that Naar would've expected from a mother. "Anyway, let's find the stuff on this list. Mmm, kisalgo nectar... So expensive, but so good. Oh! I hope Rem gave you money to pay for all this stuff!"x
x
Results: Journeys into town and is bestowed with some invaluable Syth wisdom.
Word Count: 728
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Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 3:16 pm
L E A R N I N G x S O L O
Care of Oneself Sytherina hummed softly, leaning forward on her elbows as fingers worked meticulously through her hair, drawing out tiny strands and weaving them together with expert fingers. It was so much easier to enjoy the simple pleasantry of being touched without the added hassle of simultaneously courting someone. She hummed again, sighing out a sound of bliss.
And proceeded to inhale a lungful of smoke.
"Ach! Hadel-!" her voice wavered as she choked on the unexpected burst. She whipped her head around, yanking her hair free of her friend's fingers. "You idiot! I told you not to do that in here! You'll make me stink! No one likes that smell! No one!"
"Oh, calm down," Hadelric scoffed, leaning back on his knees as he hovered over her torso. "The smell's never stopped me."
Syth snorted, giving him a shove before she slunk out from beneath him. Her feet landed softly on the carpeted floor, and she strode over to her mirror, looking herself over thoughtfully. "The feathers were a nice touch today."
Elric grinned, that coy toothy smile with his cigarette dangling lightly between his lips. "Thanks. I thought you wanted that kid to play hair with you today, though. What was his name...?"
Lips quirked down and delicately arched brows knit together. "Naar," Syth mumbled softly. "Haven't seen him in a few days. Not my job to keep an eye on him. Rem's problem now."
She earned only a snort in response. "Whatever," Hadelric shrugged carelessly. "Anyway, I think you're done." He rose to stand next to her, gingerly tugging at one of the feathered braids he'd created. "Beautiful as always." He affectionate kissed her cheek and was gone only a moment later, leaving Syth alone to again ponder where that ridiculous child had gone...
It wasn't any of her business where he went or what happened to him. Naar wasn't her child after all. She didn't have time for such things, nor did she want or have a need for any kids of her own... She swallowed, rapidly blinking away the thought. Still! He was Rem's nephew, and if she let something evil befall the young Oblivionite from her own careless, Rem would never forgive her! She'd check on him. Just to be safe.
Never mind how inconsiderate it was of him to simply vanish without saying anything to his new best friend (even if she was fifteen years his senior).
It wasn't as if she was ever far away. With a quiet huff, she tipped her nose to the ceiling and strutted down the hallway.
As a force of habit, the first thing Syth did was try and twist his doorknob, only to find it very firmly locked. Right. New kid. Probably still thought privacy was something he had. How dare he disappear and still have the gall to deny her entry into his room? "Naarhiji!" Syth shouted, slamming her fist against the wood with all the delicacy of a wild boar. "Open this door! Now!" It was probably a good thing most visitors were too preoccupied to care about a racket like the one the sultry Oblivionite female made.
The seconds ticked on, and she grew more impatient. "If you don't listen, so help me-!" The lock clicked and Syth paused as the door creaked open. She raised her head and glared at the spot she knew his face would be. For ignoring her, he could endure the brunt of her rage. Last she'd checked, he'd had a little spunk in him.
At least, she'd always believed so.
Syth pushed her way forward, knocking the door open farther. "It's just inconsiderate! Inconsiderate of you...! To..." The woman trailed off as she stared at the younger boy, with his head tipped down and lashes lowered, his shoulders sagging and his hair disheveled.
"Syth... What do you want?" Naar rumbled, his question directed at the woman's feet.
The elder woman frowned, leaning back a few inches to get a more complete look at him. Children. Perpetually small and helpless, all bold facades aside. She sighed and nudged him backwards, pushing on him until he stumbled back far enough back that she could enter his room and shut the door behind her. "Oh, sweetheart," she murmured, taking Naarhiji's arm and sinking down to the floor with him. She'd probably never encountered such a ridiculously easy child before in her life.
With a quiet huff and sniffle, he settled at her side, practically on top of her, to be honest. Without any coaxing, Naar laid his head on her shoulder and scooted against her.
"It's okay, baby," Syth soothed as she rubbed her palms against his arm. She waited patiently, softly shushing him and coddling him while he... Sorted through his thoughts? Decided what he was going to tell her? She did kind of expect to be told the meaning of this, after all. After several minutes of dwindling sobs, she touched the smaller lad's cheek with the tips of her fingers. "So, are you...?"
His answer was cold and dead and completely unexpected from his pretty lips. "I can't live like this."
Like this? Syth looked around. Couldn't live... in the dark he'd secluded himself to? With a bunch of whores? Away from where he'd grown up? Without his friends? Without school? By working? Just... all of it? She rubbed his arm awkwardly, uncertainly. "How's that, sweetheart?"
"Not knowing what happens... at the end. Not knowing if it just feels like being alone and in the blackness... forever..."
Sytherina stared down at him. Naarhiji didn't look up at her, but it was fine. "You're just... afraid of dieing?"
"No," he snapped. "That's not it! I.. I just... Don't want it to be like it is."
"That's the root of your problem." She leaned away, cupping his cheeks in her hands and tilting his face up to look at her. "Don't be so upset about something you can't control. We do not have time for this useless sadness. Don't waste your time- No, don't waste my time having to console you for something like this." She smoothed a sticky lock of hair from out of his face. "Fill your life with happy things, so that it isn't wasted. If it hurts someone else, that's their problem. Do what is best for you. And have no regrets. This is the only time you have. Don't waste it on fear and helplessness. How can you expect to take care of anyone else, if you can't even take care of yourself?"
Naarhiji's brows furrowed. He twitched free of her hold with a soft huff. Whatever she said to him, Syth was afraid too. She'd suffer the same fate. Except she... had people she shared her life with. Lots of people, in fact. If all he needed was fleeting happiness, would it be so strange of him to have it in the same way Syth did...?x
x
Results: More golden Syth wisdom about life and death and happiness.
Word Count: 1151
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 2:00 pm
P R O F E S S I O N x M A S T E R x S O L O
Tell It Like It Is "Your father..." Remalus turned to the side, rubbing the corners of his eyes before looking back at the smaller boy. Undaunted, Naarhiji quirked a questioning brow at him. "He told me... to tell you..." The elder man wavered again, scraping a hand along his face while Naar impatiently tapped his foot. "I can't do this. You need to put some real clothes on. Where did you even-? It was Syth, wasn't it? Next I see her, we're going to share some words about how not to corrupt a bright young mind that happens to be my brother's only son."
Naarhiji beamed, turning his head to the side to at least try and conceal how he reveled in the obvious gawking. Sure, it wasn't how people gawked at Syth, but then it'd be strange if it was, Rem being his uncle and all. He shifted his weight, causing the airy fabric at his hips to twitch lightly against his skin. It was a chore to walk around in Syth's heels, but she'd assured him the extra four inches of lift did wonders for his legs. The disapproving rumble from Uncle at the slight movement was probably imagined. "Didn't you want something?" Naar hummed lightly.
Remalus scowled. "Right... A letter-" He slid the slip of parchment across the table for Naar's viewing pleasure. "-from your father. The school year is over, so you're free to return home and continue your studies on Soudul. You served your sentence and can now go back to your normal, peaceful everyday life..."
His 'sentence.' Naarhiji's expression soured. It had been a punishment to come to this place. He had no idea what lesson he was supposed to learn by being shipped off, so the method was clearly ineffective. Besides... "I'm not going back," he informed Rem tartly. "I like living with you. I have friends here."
Amusement flicked across Remalus's face and he emitted a short laugh. "Friends? These people aren't your friends. They're all selfish liars. All of them. You can't trust people like that. Certainly shouldn't think of them as friends. Naarhiji-"
"Don't talk about them like that! I'm not leaving!"
Remalus closed the space between them, rounding the table in a matter of milliseconds. He knelt in front of Naar, taking hold of the boy's slim shoulders to keep him in place. "This isn't for you. You're so young and still have so many roads ahead. This is for the hopeless. The sexy and the hopeless."
"I'm sexy."
"You're fourteen."
"That somehow makes me less...?"
"You're missing the point!" Naar could practically hear Uncle's teeth gritting together. He let out an exasperated sigh and smoothed Naar's hair over his shoulder. "This isn't what he wants from you- for you. It's not what I wan-"
Tension curled through the smaller boy, his lashes fluttering down to pinch together. What they wanted. Always what they wanted. "It's what I want," he snapped sharply. "I did what Father wanted by coming here, so it's his own fault if I find I like it better in Tukyere now..." His shoulders slumped, and he twitched his gaze away from Remalus's. On a quiet breath, he murmured, "Send me back if you want. I'll just run away. Who knows what could happen, then... At least if I'm here, I'll still have you looking after me."
Fingers flexed around Naar's shoulders and nails pinched at his skin as Rem struggled to find any appropriate words that would make the younger boy see reason. "You'll regret it."
"I won't."
"You're too young."
"I'll wait."
"It'll kill him, Naarhiji..." The words lingered in the air between them. With a huff, Naar's attention flickered back over to his uncle. Realization dawned on the elder man's face. "Oh, is that why...? Malicious little child."
The youngster's expression lightened, a tiny, coy grin creeping across his features. "I can't simply enjoy spending time with my dear Uncle Remalus? We were apparently quite close when I was smaller, y'know."
"Mhm." Rem smoothed his hands down Naar's arms, grasping at his hands before releasing them. As the elder man rose to his full height, he paused midway to plant a kiss on his nephew's forehead. "You manipulative little thing. You'll fit right in."
"So, I can stay?"
"You'll write your father to let him know. You should be able to handle at least that on your own. Go." He waved the boy away, pretending to ignore the way Naar's face lit up in delight. "And stop borrowing Sytherina's clothes! Stop talking to her! She's a terrible influence!"x
x
Results: Convinces Rem to let him stay in Tukyere.
Word Count: 760
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Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 4:31 pm
L E A R N I N G x S O L O
Time Spent In Closets Sytherina's closet was a mess. A perfect example of too much stuff crammed into too little space. Adding a whole other body (even if it was one as slim and petite as Naarhiji's) really was just asking for trouble. He shifted about, shoulders disappearing between rungs of fabric, knees knocking against boxes, and forehead pressed against the closed door.
Syth's words from minutes before flicked through his mind. 'I wanna do you a favor. Kind of. I mean, it's not really a favor, it's just- Good for you? In a way? It's pretty strange I guess, but in the long run, you'll understand and appreciate it. But there can be no peeking, no talking, no moving, no shuffling, no breathing!'
'I can't breathe?' Naar had hissed as she'd tugged him down the hallway.
'Ugh, you and your needs. Fine, you can breathe. But nothing else!
A moment later, he'd been shoved unceremoniously in her closet with no further explanation. At this point, she was just lucky he hadn't injured himself by being flung atop her numerous pairs of heels or slammed into the corner of one of the many boxes, all toppled and unorganized. Instead, he was just forced to awkwardly perch amongst her things, leaning most of his weight against the door and settling as comfortably as he could on his knees.
Naar huffed, and his breath rebounded off the door to brush against his face. This was annoying, ridiculous even. How long was he supposed to wait here not moving and not talking and not questioning how he'd gotten into this mess?
As his fingers roamed to brush traitorously against the door handle, a vaguely unfamiliar, undeniably masculine voice gave him pause.
"-later than usual. The hybrid scum that flock to this city-" Annoyed, flustered, gruff. For the life of him, Naar couldn't put a name to the voice, but he was sure he'd heard it once or twice before.
"Sh, love, sh..." Syth's voice, hushed and velvety, barely audible with the closed door standing between her and Naar. Her quiet shushing was accented by the soft sucking sound of lips meeting lips that Naar had become quite familiar with over the waning months.
Any shifting or shuffling or allegedly necessary breathing halted at that point. For whatever reason, he'd been placed in Syth's closet to be part of this event, whether all parties involved knew of it or not. Just one thoughtless shift of his weight, one puff of air that was just a touch too loud... He and Syth would both be in trouble.
It was exciting in a way he wasn't fully prepared to admit to.
There was the quiet rustle of fabric, heavy, presumably metallic things hitting the carpet, Syth giggled between murmurings, and then a 'fwump!' from what Naar could only assume was a body flopping onto the bed. He perched forward, muscles straining as he forced himself to move with the utmost care and silence, twisting his neck to press his ear to the sheet of wood.
Sounds of breathy moans and quiet hums floated over to him; the scuffle of sheets and creaking of the mattress and clinking of buttons and zippers being unfastened and Naar just wanted to see. Sure, he'd seen pictures, read a few books, had his imagination, but he was still barred from partaking in anything real per Uncle's wishes. It wasn't weird. Nope. It was normal. A completely normal thing for a sixteen-year-old boy living amidst a troupe of whores to want.
But Soudana forbid anyone go against Remalus.
So this is what it had come to: Naar sitting in a closet, pinching his tongue between his teeth, and trying not to wriggle as he thought about precisely what was happening just beyond the threshold.
It wasn't sad.
It wasn't.
It was normal.
He was completely normal.
Whether it was or not meant nothing in the following minutes, an hour, tops. And the tail end of that was quiet enough that Naar assumed they were just laying there, muttering to each other. He imagined soft kisses, gentle caresses and murmurings of praise, though he doubted Sytherina particularly wanted those things from some stranger (or even someone she'd shared relations with on a steady number of occasions). He didn't know the client well enough to gauge whether she received those things or not, though.
In time, the man redressed, and Syth saw him off with the silent patter of bare feet sliding across the carpet. When the shuffling sounds of the two of them departing had completely faded, Naar slipped from the closet, stumbling gracelessly about after freezing himself in such an unusual and uncomfortable position for however long. After planting his bum to the floor, his gaze lingered over to where Syth had shared her company with the other man.
Rem had always condemned his employees antics as something with so little intimacy and hope that a child should never actually aspire to do it for a living. The word 'depressing' had been used more than once.
But as Naar thought about it, it wasn't right of him to want anything else. Even worse of him to hope for it. If he was here, he wasn't alone, and if he was here, no one would distress when he was gone from this world.
It was best for everyone.x
x
Results: Is trapped in a closet.
Word Count: 892
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Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 12:07 pm
L E A R N I N G x S O L O
Sweet As Sin Naar's lids narrowed as his speculative gaze scraped over the brown, marble-sized sphere he held between his fingers. Squishy, smooth, a little warm and gooey, thanks to the Eowyn air. With a quiet hum of disapproval, he popped the chocolate covered cherry into his mouth. Etheria, the woman that owned the sweet shop in Obsidian City, crafted much more elegant and tasty morsels. He could practically taste devotion to her craft in every bite. And sugar. Lots and lots of sugar.
With a sigh, Naar slid the box of candies off his lap and onto the bed before flopping backwards into the sheets. Several years now, and it was still Etheria's treats that he missed the most. Nothing in Tukyere even came close. At least here, he still had...
"Look what I found!" The Oblivionite woman barged into his room without so much as a knock, and Naar couldn't help but quirk Sytherina a tiny grin as she plopped on the bed next to him, throwing herself back to take up her place at his side. She extended her arms above them, displaying the shoddy and barely legible cover of an old book. "The first romance I ever read! I checked it out of the Sanctuary's Library when I was just a little girl. It was the corniest, crappiest romance that has ever been concocted, and I loved it. Of course, it's... Sanctuary approved, so it definitely..." Thought made her brow crease, and she dropped the book to her side. "Anyway, it was special at the time, so I just sort of bought it without much thought."
"Little girl, huh?" Naarhiji questioned with a coy grin. He imagined a sixteen-year-old Syth strolling through Obsidian City with the confident quirk of her shoulders, wearing her favorite black lacy stockings and carrying a little grey bag bigger than the shirt she was wearing.
The woman leaned forward to toss her hair up as she nestled back against his shoulder, effectively earning Naar a faceful of dark locks. "Eleven or twelve or so," she admitted carelessly. "Just as things started to-"
"That's even younger than I was when I got here," Naar scoffed sourly as he thought of a preteen version of his friend scampering about reading scandalous materials and indulging her curiosity. "And Uncle still treats me like a child." He frowned up at the ceiling. "It would make sense if I was a girl-" Syth stiffened next to him. "-and could actually be hurt by some random guy-" Her head craned back to look at him, lids wide and eyebrows raised. "-but I'm not, so... What?" Naar asked, tipping his head down to stare quizzically at her.
She stared back at him, something like disbelief and confusion on her face. Her lips parted into a little 'O,' but she closed them again, her brows furrowing as she shifted to stare across his chest at the wall. "I-I gave you the... You can't really believe- There's no way you'd think..." Her murmurings were soft and muted, barely discernible to even Naarhiji, sitting so close to her. She peeked back up through her lashes at his curious gaze, then away again. Baby face, slim frame, ridiculously short, even when standing next to her. She'd carefully chosen any reading material she'd lent him, picked out his clothes- women's clothes. Because hopefully- No, she'd been confident that he understood.
The majority of his clients weren't going to be women.
In the grand scheme of things, women weren't anywhere near as frequent visitors as men, anyway, and Naar should at least realize that. But he didn't. Should she come right out and tell him? What if it made him sad or scared and he ended up leaving? Naar was a ridiculous coward. He probably would leave... Elric would probably handle it better than her, or maybe she should tell Rem- No, not that. Definitely not. Rem deserved to know nothing.
But as Naar's best friend, he needed to know this from her. It was her civic duty.
Pinching her bottom lip between her teeth, Syth rose from the bed in one fluid motion, strode toward the door, and silently closed it, clicking the lock into place before turning back to him.
"Naar, my sweet, beautiful, innocent little protégé." He must've heard the shift in her tone, or maybe his uncle's warnings were getting to him and he felt unsafe behind a locked door with her. Because when she slipped closer to him, he tensed. It didn't matter. It was for his own good. The virginity of a seventeen-year-old boy was a sacrifice she was willing to make.
Probably one Naar was willing to make, the way he complained about Remalus's restrictions.
When she perched at the edge of the bed, resting one palm between his knees, Naar opened his mouth. "Uncle will-" It proved to be unimportant as she wound a finger under the leather of the collar at his throat and dragged him forward with minimal resistance. His breathing hitched and his temperature spiked. As her lips found his, Syth found herself realizing that it was probably his first kiss too, unless he'd had a girl on Soudul that he'd never mentioned. Slipping her tongue past his lips, she chose not to comment on the fact that he tasted like a cavity waiting to happen. It was a problem to address later.
More pressing was the rigidity with which he held himself, and the notion that he was somehow... afraid to hold her. She leaned back an inch to scrutinize him. "If you aren't even comfortable with me, a friend you've known for years now, I fail to see how you'll have any success with anyone else." When Syth's hand settled on his knee, Naar jumped, and a sound completely un-masculine escaped from his throat. Her nails grazed the inside of his leg scraping up along his thigh until it met with the swatch of cloth at his hips. "Are you going to be the 'man,' or not?"
~~~
Naar's arms wound loosely around the older woman's waist, hands settling at the small of her back and holding there. Syth lay her head on his chest, her lashes dusting against his skin as she blinked. His heart and breathing were still rattled. Having her weight on him probably didn't help, but she didn't try to tug out of his hold. With a tiny tilt of her head, she looked to his face.
His eyes were closed, cheeks still warmed and darkening his already muted skin. Moisture glinted at his forehead, and his hair clung to his neck where she'd pulled it from its pins. Despite the sense of relief, a disgruntled look etched across his lips. "Sorry," Naar muttered.
She was confident that he understood. But to be on the safe side, Syth added, "You see, you wouldn't be a great lady-pleaser."
He huffed.x
x
Results: Not everyone can be a Podrick.
Word Count: 1148
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Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 1:54 pm
D E V E L O P M E N T A L x S O L O
Approval Codes Remalus could easily say he didn't enjoy the company of any of his employees. They were the means to an end, and good at what they did, but they were not his friends. And they were not friends to his perfect little nephew who was so eager to be tangled in webs that he didn't belong in. That being said, there was one of them he liked more than the others, and if he was forced to, the elder Oblivionite could trust this one individual to keep an eye out while he wasn't around.
"This is the list," Rem hissed out as his slid a roll of parchment across his desk to stop right before Hadelric. Remalus's shoulders tensed as the whore picked up the paper and looked it over. Realistically, he would've preferred to have Ilretta in charge, even if he hadn't known her as long. But as always, she refused to be a part of anything that wasn't distinctly meant for healing. She, of course, felt bad for his employees and refused to propagate the business. Rem didn't blame her.
He was, however, forced to rely on Hadelric for his nephew's safety and well-being, since Rem would be departing to Soudul (to which Naar adamantly refused to return).
Elric turned the page over, flipping it this way and that as he scrutinized it. Once he was finished, he turned back to his employer. "This is four names," he stated. "And a grievous misuse of paper. Really, if this was all you were going to write, you should've used a note-pad or something..."
"But to the point," Rem growled, stamping a finger down on the paper. "I'm not an idiot. I know what's going to happen as soon as I leave." Hadelric doubted any of that to be true, but he smartly said nothing. "So these are the regular clients I'll allow Naarhiji to be with in my absence, should it please them."
The prostitute gaze back at the list, then flicked his attention back to Rem. 'All female names... And regular is a word I'd be hard-pressed to use...' Never mind that these women were all completely devoted to Elric, anyway. He shrugged his shoulders. Rem could believe whatever he wanted. Frankly, he probably still thought Naarhiji was a virgin, and Hadelric wasn't going to be the one to pop that bubble for him. "How long did you say you'd be gone, again?"
Rem shifted. His head tipped down. His shoulders sagged. He fidgeted. "I didn't," came his rumble. "Because I don't know yet. However long I'm needed. However long my brother needs me to care for him."
"Your brother... So... Naar's father?" It wasn't Elric's business, of course, so he didn't care that much, but... "He really didn't want to be by his ill father's side?"
"I was asked not to tell him yet, so I expect you'll keep your mouth shut," Rem ground out with a meaningful glare. "If Naar's presence is needed... for whatever reason, I'll send word. Until then, stick to the list. Or perish."
Perish, huh? Elric tried not to grin. "Of course, oh, wise and noble leader, I'll do as you say." He ran a hand through his hair. But that meant... finding a way to control Naar, which was next to impossible for his own father. How Hadelric was going to manage it was still beyond him.x
x
Results: Rem departs for Soudul, leaving Naar alone with the whores.
Word Count: 566
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 12:37 pm
L E A R N I N G x S O L O
Take a Penalty It wasn't often that Sytherina could muster up some sign of embarrassment or nervousness, especially not in the face of anyone she'd known for more than a couple months. But as she stood before Hadelric, her lips puckered out and her brow pinched together and her shoulders tense and her fingers bunching in her skirt, it was clear that she was uncomfortable with something. She tipped her head up to peek at him from beneath her lashes. "I... need a favor..." Syth mumbled as she fidgeted with her frills.
Elric crossed his arms, gazing down speculatively at her. Syth was a woman. Of course she wanted things. If she didn't have the means to get them herself, she always came to Hadelric first. It didn't usually require so much muttering and shifting, though. "Yes?" He prompted impatiently when she didn't hurry along.
"I want- No, not me- Still, though, necessary- And we... Er, let's-!" She flushed, even if Hadelric couldn't see it, he could tell by the way she tucked her head in the tell-tale way Syth tried to hide her emotions. "Let's go to the gardens!"
~~~
Gone.
Uncle was gone. Why and for how long didn't matter. The point was, he wasn't here to stop Naarhiji from doing the things he wanted to do; like lounge in the crystal-clear pond in the center of the house's courtyard, during the day, an activity previously forbidden to him since Remalus didn't want anyone actually looking at him. Which was ridiculous. Looking didn't hurt anything. With a contented sigh, Naar tipped his head back to rest against the smooth stones along the edge of the pool.
When Hadelric saw him there, he swiveled to face Syth with new understanding. "I don't know if you're actually trying to accomplish something here, or if this is just your idea of a joke, but-"
"He needs you," the elder woman begged, drawing out each syllable in a soft whine.
"It doesn't look like it. He seems perfectly content."
Syth wriggled, then took it upon herself to tug at the laces across the front of her companion's shirt. "You know how children are. Just use some of your charm. It works so well on everyone else."
"Those people want something from me!" Elric exclaimed in exasperation. "Naarhiji doesn't even like me!"
The woman's brow set in determination as she yanked the other's shirt over his head and started work undoing his pants. "I'd hoped it wouldn't come to this," she hissed venomously. "But I've taken the liberty of hiding your smokes from you until you settle this. By my estimation, it'll be a few days before the trader comes into town with more, so if you think you can make it-" They both knew he couldn't. "-then by all means, back out."
Leaving Syth behind to stare at them from behind a leafy bush, Hadelric strode toward the pond and perched on the edge, dipping his legs into the cool water.
Naar must not have noticed until the ripple reached his skin. He sat up sharply, an arm dating out to cover his chest as if there was anything there to hide. When his lips parted to address the other man, it sounded like he said, "Can I help you?" But Elric, understanding the ways of language better than most, definitely heard undertones of, 'Get out of the ******** water. I'm trying to take a bath, you dirty scumbag.' Judging from the grimace set across his lips and the ways his eyelids pinched together, 'And if you touch me, I'll see to it that you're drowned today,' might also have been included.
He ignored the subliminal messages, and slunk into the water at the younger boy's side. Naar yanked his gaze elsewhere, drawing his legs in close and crossing his arms. "I'd hate to see how you treat a complete stranger." The younger male's attention ripped back to Elric with a scowl. "Are you... hiding something I haven't seen before, or...?"
"Well, I- I don't like you!" Naarhiji quipped, by way of explanation.
"And you think you're just going to randomly enjoy the company of every stranger you meet? What's worse is even if you don't, you still have to act like you do." Elric sidled closer to him through the water. Not touching, but close enough that he could feel the pulse of heat from Naar's bared skin.
"Uncle says if I don't like someone, I don't have to do any-"
"And that's just a fantastic outlook. Way to grab the hastar by the sac and really prove that you have some kind of purpose here. Be honest." His arm slipped around Naar's shoulders, and the lad instinctively coiled away from it. "Have you ever-" Fingers trailed to the nape of his neck, dipped into the water, and skated down the length of his spine. "-even tried-" Naar swallowed. Syth had admonished him for his lack of fluidity during their encounter, but that didn't make it any easier to relax with Elric's hand sliding down the small of his back and caressing. "-touching yours-"
The force with which Naar was able to crack his open palm against the side of the other man's head was enough to shock them both. Before the air had completely quieted of lingering reverberations, Naarhiji shoved himself backward, tugging free of Hadelric's grasp and recoiling to the edge of the pool.
He had no idea what prompted this; why had it happened? His chest hurt, his heart hammered, his fingers burned like they'd been caught on fire, and Elric said nothing.
The elder Oblivionite tipped his head away, arms falling back to his sides in the water. But he didn't show any actual signs of anger, didn't glare at him or move to strike him back or even snarl from being hit, just... Frowned at the water and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.
"I'm sorry," Naar blurted suddenly. "You can't just sidle up to somebody and start touching wherever you want. I was scared, and you-"
"Are you?"
Naar assumed his companion wondered if he'd actually managed to scare him, so he nodded tightly, words bumbling from his mouth like a flowing river. "Yes! you caught me off-guard, and I just didn't expect- Didn't think-"
"No, are you sorry?"
It was inexplicably much more menacing, and Naar clamped his lips shut, instead responding with a terse nod.
"Then you have to take a penalty."
Naar whimpered.
“What… What’s that supposed to mean?” Naar whispered in trepidation as his companion’s hand slipped beneath the water, caught his slim wrist and slowly dragged him through the pool and back to his side. The ripples dusted his skin and billowed out like a cape in the wind behind him as he glided to a halt a fraction of an inch from Elric.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” the elder Oblivionite assured with a coy grin. Somehow, the words didn’t inspire much relief. Even less so when fingers unclasped from his wrist and slid over his waist to wrap across his hips. Naar swallowed and draw his arms toward himself, posture stiffening beneath that heated smirk. His wide-eyed attention flicked briefly to the other man, then sharply down into the water. With only minimal effort, Elric lifted the smaller lad from his stasis and guided him into straddling his hips.
Was this something he was supposed to fight? Or at least appear disinterested in? He wasn’t particularly fond of Elric, and he’d always his feelings were reciprocated. ‘I’m not that sorry,’ lingered on the tip of his tongue, kept at bay only by pursed lips and Naar’s intent focus on keeping his skin from actually touching the other man’s. Inasmuch as he could, anyway, with Elric’s hand planted firmly and unwaveringly in the small of his back, applying just enough pressure that if Naar relaxed even a bit, he’d find himself pressed more intimately against Elric than he was fully prepared for.
Not that he was aptly avoiding-
Well, maybe a bit.
“Don’t liken yourself too much to a board now…” Hadelric muttered off-handedly, abandoning the attempt to settle Naar comfortably atop him as his arm breached the water to skim gentle fingertips up the length of his Naar’s back (eliciting a shiver from him, despite the warm Eowyn air) and entangle his digits in the loose hair at the nape of his neck. Where Naar must have taken a particular offense to Elric’s collar-bone (because that was where he chose to cast his glare, rather than at his face), a gentle tug made him raise his gaze in time for the soft brush of warm lips against his own.
It was the first thing Hadelric had ever done that inspired any form of actual want.
With a muted gasp, Naarhiji’s heart lurched and his breath stuttered, and his hands found their way to rest upon his companion’s chest of their own accord. Traitorous limbs. The soft whine that slipped from his throat as his lips parted embodied the hesitancy and uncertainty he felt about moving forward. But Elric’s hands were surprisingly soft and gentle, coaxing him onward with flighty touches to his thighs, his hips, his waist and light tugs to the back of his hair. With a sigh, Naar tipped his head into the kiss, and without realizing it, relaxed into the older man’s hold, settling into his lap and pressing against him without reservation.
If anyone else could, he should be entitled to do the same. He actually lived under the same roof as the man, so if he wanted to have a nice, relaxing, refreshing kiss once in a while, what was the harm in that?
He felt Elric grin against his mouth, and the older Oblivionite’s lips parted to pass his tongue across Naar’s bottom lip.
Which probably would’ve been fine from anyone else, except the lingering scent of smoke and ash that clung to Elric’s clothes and hair was exceptionally, overpoweringly strong when coming from his mouth. Instantly, Naarhiji was assaulted with the notion that he was inhaling smog, and he ripped backward despite the incessant fingers still buried in his hair. With a heartfelt grimace, he asserted, “I don’t like the way you-”
The hand previously tracing across the base of his spine beneath the water shot up to cover his mouth, and Naar huffed out a garbled complaint. “No,” Elric admonished. “You can’t speak to people like that. Think whatever you’d like, but you need to control what you actually say.” The younger boy grunted, squirming to free himself from adamant fingers, without much success. When he stilled again, Hadelric added pointedly, “Do you understand?”
A moment of silence, then a huff and a nod.
If only because he was willing to sacrifice a complaint or two if it meant… Well, it wasn’t important enough to break up more than one kiss, anyway.
“Good.” The hand swept away from his mouth, finding its way down his neck and over his shoulder before disappearing from his skin completely as Elric stretched back behind himself, fingers scouring across the smooth stones for the white swatch of fabric Naar had discarded on his way into the pool.
The younger male’s gaze suspiciously followed the retreating limb, and his lids narrowed. “What are you…?” Once the cloth had been secured, Elric held it in his mouth while his hands skimmed down the length of Naar’s forearms, caught them at his elbows and bent them behind his back. When a simple tug wasn’t enough to warrant release, a sudden sense of dread had tension curling through him again, causing him to press away from the older Oblivionite once more.
The other man entrapped his slim arms in one of his hands while the other collected the cloth from his lips. “You slapped me before,” Elric reminded him as he wound the shirt (blouse? ...Skirt?) between and around Naarhiji’s trapped arms. “And this is your penalty. Loss of ability to use your appendages.” In the recesses of his mind, Naar hoped that Elric would see the terror on his face or maybe feel the way his breath had stopped or how his heart battered his ribcage so much that it hurt. Instead, the fabric tightened as a knot was tied.
And Naar was suddenly reminded that he didn’t know Elric that well. He could be completely deranged and psychotic and have just as sick intentions- His breath quickened.
His fear didn’t go unnoticed. Satisfied with his work, Elric returned his attention to the smaller boy, catching his chin in his fingers and holding his gaze. There was a moment where nothing was said, a moment where Naar collected his thoughts and settled back into a more secure mindset. He must’ve looked however faintly more at ease, because Elric’s fingers left his chin to comb back through his hair, fingering soft ends and laying against his neck. “I have nothing to gain from hurting you. If you say stop, I’ll stop. If you aren’t ready, I’ll wait. ...If it hurts, I’ll try to be more gentle. But while I’m willing to do these things, you can’t expect-”
Naar stiffened, his brow punching together and his lip jutting out. This wasn’t just one of Elric’s awkward and convoluted greetings, as he’d expected it was. It was just another attempt at getting him to quit, leave, and go home. Rem probably put him up to it before he departed. “I know.” The words ground from his throat as Naar glowered at his companion. He twitched away from Elric’s fingers and tipped his head down to frown at the ripple of water that separated them. “I know what you’re going to say…” That he couldn’t expect every client to be so lenient and forgiving and, as Syth and Rem and Ilretta and everyone else had said, that a cowardly crybaby was not especially suited for the job (perhaps using slightly a slightly different set of words).
The smaller male exhaled, tension evaporating from his frame once more as his forehead dropped onto Hadelric’s shoulder and his body sank against his companion. To his surprise (and his chagrin), arms wound around him, petting his hair and rubbing his back, above where his own limbs were trapped. “You aren’t being forced to stay,” Elric murmured soothingly against his neck. “You can return home and-”
Naar would’ve slapped him again, given the chance.
Instead, Elric broke off with a hiss as the smaller boy’s teeth drove into his shoulder, only to be replaced by warm lips, gingerly sucking against the bite and slick tongue skating across the forming bruise, dragging its way from his shoulder, up his neck, over his jaw until Elric felt heated breath ghosting against his ear.
If he was going to do this, he could at least start acting like it.
Sometimes.
When it was right.
“Why would you think that meant I was leaving?” Naarhiji whispered, an edge of determination cutting through his words like a knife.x
x
Results: Naar comes to understand that slapping people won't be tolerated.
Word Count: 2507
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 1:51 pm
P R P x R E F L E C T I O NBack Alley Serums While hunting for a remedy from Elric's torturous intrusions, I somehow stumbled across the khehora I met in Obsidian City several years ago. She was helping in an alchemist's shop then too, so I shouldn't have been surprised to hear that she was capable of creating a few herbal cures. What I didn't expect was to see her at all, considering I haven't had the pleasure of meeting anyone from back home in several years.
I guess if it had to be anyone, Malta is probably best. I wasn't enthused about the set-up of her shop, considering she made her remedy in a disgusting, smelly, filthy alleyway, but as someone who lives in the wild, anyway, she probably didn't know better. I... can't say that I know for certain whether it'll work or not, but it might, and that's good enough for now. If it doesn't, I can visit the actual shop tomorrow.
For now, I can be grateful and show Malta around a bit. She doesn't seem familiar with Tukyere, and I doubt she's even less familiar with where I live. I invited her over for some food, so... hopefully that goes well.Results: Collects soreness poultice from Malta.
Word Count: 1910
JR Word Count: 194
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