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 Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 1:57 am
|✦| And So it Continues... |✦|
Leukos and Xewai
The reunion of two childhood friends, torn apart by slavery, and reunited by a circus! Link
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Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2016 1:58 am
|✦| Creepy Crawlies |✦| Leukos and ArimaThe appearance of a huge insect foreign to Oba stirs up some trouble for Leukos, and a pretty albino girl who gets dragged along for the ride. Link
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Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2017 3:34 pm
|✦| Mysterious Wreckage: WE Solo |✦|
Leukos finds himself intrigued by a strange metal item a wandering traveler has been flaunting. Link
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 7:45 pm
|✦| A Private Tour |✦| Leukos and ArimaLeukos treats the girl he met at an oasis to an after hours tour of the circus grounds. Link
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Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 3:41 am
Prentice Solo: Class Affinity |✦| The Price of Courage |✦|
Another day, another show.
With trained efficiency brought on by years of perfecting their craft, the circus troupe had put on another spectacular performance, wowing the eager guests of the city they had set up in just the day before. If Awat could even be considered a city; the people of this small settlement didn’t really have much excitement on a day-to-day basis. So something as spectacular as their roaming circus always drew huge crowds whenever the troupe made a rare appearance to this out-of-the-way location at the edge of Oba. They wouldn’t stay long, but for every show they hosted, a full house could be expected. The locals would drink in the spectacle as much as they possibly could before normalcy was returned to their humdrum lives. And the circus would suck up as much coin as they were willing to give.
Having finished the work necessary to close down the show for the afternoon, Leukos found himself with free time on his hands. His friends within the troupe invited him along to hit the town, but Leukos politely declined the offer. The market here was rather lackluster; merchants did not find it worth their while to frequent this far-flung settlement very often, so pickings on interesting finds were rather slim. And for whatever reason Leukos found that he didn’t particularly crave boisterous companionship at the moment, even from eager locals who were desperate for some interesting stories and new faces to share more than a few drinks with. So he pilfered a piece of fruit from the galley and wandered out of their camp at the edge of town, heading in no particular direction.
With his feet aimlessly carrying him along, Leukos soon found himself out of sight of the encampment, munching on his fruit as he surveyed the land, taking in the scenery. It was pleasantly quiet, save for the ambient noise of nature. But out of the silence the sound of laughter drifted towards him, Leukos curiously following it to the source. Just over the edge of a small drop off lay a boulder strewn gully, in which two Oban children were boldly cavorting over the rocks and laughing, tumbling through the dirt without a care in the world. Leukos tossed the pit of his finished snack aside and leaned on a boulder, quietly smiling to himself as he watched them play. What are two younglings doing so far from their homes? No doubt they found the chance to sneak away when no one was looking; seeking adventure... I should probably bring them back-
But the words halted in his mind as a sudden feeling of unease settled over him. Something wasn’t right; it was too quiet. The children’s shrieks of joy were piecing an empty silence. His quickly scanned the ravine, trying to locate the source of his triggered nerves, until a flicker of movement made his eyes snap into focus. Well hidden by the piles of large boulders, a grey Janarim was silently stalking the children, inching closer and closer as they frolicked unawares. Oh Gods… It would be within striking distance soon, there was no time for thinking!
Leukos vaulted over the side of the ravine down the slope, scrambling over rocks and shouting at the children, urging them to run. But the two were startled into dumbfounded silence at the sudden intrusion by a stranger, standing like little stones in the sun as they stared at him. Cursing loudly Leukos snatched a large rock as he ran, hurling it with all his strength between the children. It whizzed in front of their startled faces and slammed against the boulder the Janarim was crouched atop, fracturing into pieces that shot off into the dirt.
The children whirled around to see where the rock had struck, only to come face to face with the startled beast scrambling atop the boulder above them, huge jaws panting in the heat as it tried to regain its footing. Finally their little minds understood the peril. With blood curdling screams they bolted towards Leukos, kicking up sand as their tiny feet frantically pounded beneath them.
With a frustrated roar the Janarim leapt off the rock, its huge mass hurtling through the air towards the younglings, claws outstretched to ensnare their fragile bodies. But Leukos wasn’t going to let that happen.
He scooped up another large rock as he raced headlong at the falling beast, and in one fluid motion, too afraid to think, too fast for regrets, he slid between the children and sidestepped out of the way of the Janarim at the last second, whipping his arm around to smash his rock against the side of its exposed face.
In a singular moment both Leukos and the beast cried out in simultaneous agony as the Janarim landed on the ground in a crumpled stagger, its huge claws tearing down the length of Leukos’ other arm that he wasn’t able to move in time, hot blood splattering the sand as it burst from his torn flesh
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At the sudden nearness of so huge a monster that shook the ground as it landed, the children rotated at breakneck speeds, running back the way they came to put as much distance between themselves and the predator, hiding behind the boulder it had leapt off of. Leukos took a few staggered steps back, regaining his balance, shaking from the adrenaline and pain setting his arm on fire. He wanted with every fiber of his being to clutch at his injured limb, but knew that if he dropped his bloodied rock he would be without a weapon. So he ground his teeth and endured, readying his stance.
The Janarim shook its head and shakily wobbled on its feet, stunned from the violent impact to its temple. It lowly moaned, the strangled growl almost heart wrenching in its pained sincerity. Leukos felt a pang of guilt underneath his relief. Yes, that’s right, it hurt didn’t it? So now you know it’s not worth it. You should run away now, come on, I don’t want to fight!
But the Janarim soon shook it off, threateningly growling at Leukos as it padded closer, a small trickle of blood running down its jaw and dripping onto the dirt. The cold hand of fear gripped at Leukos’ heart and he shouted at it, trying desperately to scare it off, waving his arms erratically, “JUST GO! LEAVE! YOU DON’T WANT THESE CHILDREN! COME ON!” But as Leukos looked into its eyes and saw the pained hunger lying within, its ribs poking out menacingly against its skin, he realized that there was no warding off this beast. It was just too starved and hungry to think with reason. And right now, Leukos was in the way of its meal.
Suddenly he felt very small again, brought back to the crushing terror of being surrounded by angry monsters, alone in the dark. Where no matter how hard he cried, no matter how loud he screamed, no one came to save him. He hadn’t been strong enough then. After so many years spent working with beasts, he had thought he had gained control, could bend them to his will.
How could he have been so wrong?
With lightning fast speed the Janarim lashed out at him, snarling angrily. It could smell his blood. Leukos just barely tumbled out of the way in time, its claws catching the fabric of his shirt and tearing it open. It was like a twisted nightmare; the routine that Leukos so enjoyed performing with his Janarim in the circus had come to life. But this time, it was no act. This time he really was fighting for his life. He was able to narrowly roll out of the way as it snapped at his face with its jaws, crying out in pain as he landed on his wounded arm. Leukos tried bringing up the rock in his fist to smack at the creature again, but it just bounced off uselessly, ricocheting off the roiling muscles and flying out of his hand.
As he scuttled away from the onslaught, he whipped his arm around, sending an arc of large droplets of blood careening into the Janarim’s face. They burst against its snout in a macabre splash of red, some landing in its eyes, blinding it for a moment. That precious moment bought Leukos enough time to scramble to his feet, shaking in fear, his mind racing to find a solution. But there was none. This was it. He was going to die.
Hearing the screams of the children behind him, Leukos found a small kernel of comfort in the idea that perhaps they could run away while the monster tore hungrily at his body. At least then he wouldn’t have died for nothing. But as the Janarim blinked away the blood in its eyes and stared right into his soul, Leukos felt his grand ideas of heroics dashed to pieces. There was no way being mauled to death could ever be anything more than horrific. He didn’t want to die here.
The huge creature crouched, and as its muscles tensed for a moment before their release, Leukos knew this was it. He was too tired to dodge it in time. But as if the heavens themselves opened up and sent lightning down to smite the beast, there came an ear snapping CRACK, the Janarim’s face contorting in pain. Again and again the sound came, and with every snap the monster lost its focus on Leukos, finally whirling around to face the terror that assaulted it. In thunderstruck shock Leukos looked beyond the creature, to see a man fearlessly brandishing his whip, driving off the beast. As the lighting fast material snapped against the Janarim it tore open skin, rivers of blood streaming down its body, but the enraged animal was never able to get close enough to the agile man to lay any return blows. Finally having had enough abuse, it snarled angrily and turned tail, loping down the ravine, rubbing swears of blood against boulders in its wake.
Leukos dropped to his knees and clutched his arm; he couldn’t find any words, his mouth hanging open uselessly. The dark Oban man watched the creature run off, then turned and came over to Leukos, kneeling in front of him. Suddenly more people appeared, sliding down the slopes and rushing towards them, a sea of concerned faces and babbling voices. Leukos was aware of a hand on his shoulder but couldn’t register who it belonged to, watching as the two crying children ran out of their hiding spot and were scooped up by adults. It was all so much so sudden. Were they really saved? Someone had heard them?
He felt a hand slapping repetitively at his cheek, groggily focusing again, his savior’s face before him. The man stopped patting his face and looked him in the eye, “Hey, Boy, are you alright? Is that wound on your arm the only one? Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Leukos blinked a few times and limply nodded, “Y-yes, I-I’m fine. I think. You…you saved them. You saved me. T-thank you.”
The man smiled and stood, helping Leukos up, holding him steady as his knees gave out for a moment, “You’re welcome. Now take it easy, you’re probably experiencing shock right now, judging from the glaze in your eyes and that gash in your arm. That’ll make a fine scar, Boy. Wear it with pride. You probably saved those kids. That was very brave of you.”
Leukos clutched at his arm and simply gazed up at the man in adoration, “N-no, I’m not strong… not strong enough yet. I was a fool. An a-arrogant fool. It’s all fake, what I know is pretend, it’s not real, I’m just a s-stupid boy playing with housebroken pets, th-thinking he knows what true wildness is, I know nothin-“
The man gives him a little shake, jostling him out of his rambling, “Hey, hold on a second. I have no idea what you’re talking about, I don’t know you. But I do know that if you think all that about yourself, then maybe you just need to learn. You’re young enough; don’t let this get to you. You survived!”
But Leukos was letting it get to him, today was going to stay with him for the rest of his life. He wasn’t as strong as he thought he was; he couldn’t protect people. And his control over nature was far more fragile than he had believed; he was just a weak little Earthling before its might. As members of his troupe swarmed around him, wrapping his wounded arm and leading him out of the gully, he stopped and looked at the mystery man, calling out to him, “I want to get stronger! Just like you! Who are you?”
He finished coiling the whip in his hands and attached it to his side, patting the bundle with a smile, “I’m just a beast tamer.”
Leukos’ eyes lit up, a determined fire burning away the fog in his mind. The pain in his arm faded away. Voices became a dull roar. All that mattered were those words.
A Beast Tamer.[Word Count: 2,206]
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Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 5:34 pm
Prentice Solo: Class Quest |✦| The Weight of a Promise |✦|
A comfortable silence lay over the encampment of the circus troupe, the Oban sun just barely peeking over the horizon in the early morning, casting a pale blue gloom over the colorfully decorated camp. Leukos slept heavily under the thick covers of his bed, snuggling against a large pillow tightly to fight off the cold chill of the dark desert.
“GET YOUR a** OUT OF BED LEUKOS! DON’T THINK I WON’T COME IN THERE AND PERSONALLY DRAG YOU OUT!”
And with that, the silence was broken.
Leukos groggily shoved a pillow over his head to try to drown out the incessant pounding at his wagon door, whining into it, longing for just one more moment of sleep. But he knew from experience that the voice outside did not belong to a patient person, so with a long-suffering groan he dragged himself out of bed with a blanket draped over his head. He opened the door a crack and squinted at the large man outside, trying to warm up his sleep muddled brain, “Thank you as always for that lovely wake-up call Franko, you’re a true poet, a blessing to this world.” The burly man rolled his eyes at him, rubbing his temples, “I swear to the Gods, must I be greeted with this sass every morning…? You know damn well we wouldn’t have to go through this if you would just wake up on your own like everyone else. How has your internal clock not adjusted yet? I swear you could sleep through a herd of rampaging Quhar running right through camp…” And with that he turned and left, muttering to himself.
Leukos slipped his hand out from under his blanket to throw a less than flattering gesture at his turned back as he walked away, sticking his tongue out at him. But as he closed the door he smiled to himself: he really was grateful to the man; at least he showed enough consideration to not just barge in without taking into account Leukos’ privacy. But there’s no way he’d tell him that. Shivering in the morning cold, he stretched languidly, but froze as a bolt of pain raced up his arm from his wound. The Janarim attack had only been a few days ago, and the gash was still sensitive. He tentatively put his clothes on, careful not to agitate the healing wound. He sat in front of his vanity and tried to blink the sleep out of his eyes, beginning his extensive daily beauty ritual. After brushing out all of the kinks in his long thick hair, analyzing his face for any blemishes, and rubbing soft lotions and oils onto himself, he finally deemed himself worthy of viewing by the outside world. Securing all of his possessions in place for the bumpy ride ahead, he locked the door to his wagon and journeyed outside to begin the day.
The sun was finally starting to warm up the camp, people moving around greeting each other and exchanging pleasantries as they gathered for breakfast. After that was taken care of and cleaned up, the long and arduous process of tearing down the whole circus encampment began in earnest. Everyone was eager to get as much done as possible before the sweltering heat of the day could roast them all. But as it always did, human hands cannot work as quickly as nature, and soon enough everyone was sweating as the sun blazed down on them. In spite of it all they did make good time, only working through the worst of it at the tail end of packing up.
Leukos was in the middle of placing a small crate onto one of the large carts when he heard someone calling his name, wiping off his sweaty brow and squinting into the light. He saw someone motioning at him, then another came running over and stood at the lip of the cart. It was a panting young Matori boy he did not recognize with a large bag slung over his shoulder, “Hello sir, I was told your name is Leukos?” He nodded at him and watched as the boy retrieved a letter out of his bag and placed it onto the cart in front of Leukos, bolting off again. He crouched and picked up the letter, at a total loss as to what it could be. Then it clicked in his tired brain, the memory of his heartfelt goodbye with Xewai all coming back: the promise that Xewai would send for him when he was safe in Matori again. He eagerly tore the envelope open, reading the contents of the letter.
My most treasured Leukos…
Everything went perfectly! They are safe! WE are safe! Here, in the village! It was terrifying, and we nearly lost one of them due to their mistake (not mine, I promise, it was not my fault!), but we are SAFE.
That being said… I am now free from missions for a while. I requested leave and it was granted, so… If you’d like, you could come visit now! I can’t exactly give you directions on how to get there, but I could come get you, and take you to my home so you can see what it’s like! Well… Uh… Kinda! I am forbidden to cross into Oba right now, due to obvious reasons, but I CAN meet you in one of the Matrorian Border Villages. The main one, that’s kinda empty now, but it’s still there. If you could meet me there, at the inn, I could come and get you! If you’d like!
If you’d like that, and can get some time off, I could meet you there on the first day of the Winter Solstice! You don’t have to reply to this letter; since it’s going by normal courier it most likely would be very hard to reply and get it back to my hands… But It will work out! It always does in the end!
I look forward to seeing you again, Leukos. More than I’ve looked forward to in a long time. I can’t wait to see you! AHH, I’m excited just thinking about it! But I’m running out of ink because I keep spilling it all over the table. I guess I just got too nervous writing this the first eight or so times! Ha! But yes! I look forward to seeing you! Pack light, nothing but sandy shores and blue skies where we’re headed! I’ll see you soon!
Ubeli’ae’s Blessings!
Xewai
Leukos read it over a few times, smiling at the messy but lovingly written note; he could practically hear Xe’s voice reading it excitedly to him. It had already been almost two weeks since Leukos had spoken with him, but with everything that had happened in the mean time it felt like an eternity. He stuck the letter into his waistband and hopped off the cart, hurrying to find the foreman of the circus. His excitement carried him to the man quickly, but once he was alone with him, Leukos suddenly found himself in an uncharacteristically anxious mood. With nervously fiddling hands he explained the situation to the man, about how Xewai was a dear friend he hadn’t seen since he was a slave, but they were recently reunited again, only to be torn apart by uncontrollable circumstances. He had invited him to come visit Matori, and Leukos had agreed, but he wanted to get permission to leave before he did. Once his story was done, Leukos stood patiently, unconsciously messing with the end of his long braid.
The older man leaned against a barrel of ropes, looking Leukos in the eye as he calmly spoke, “How long have you been with us Leukos?”
The question caught Leukos off guard, fishing for the answer in his brain, “Umm, about six years Sir, give or take?”
He nodded his head, “And have you ever asked for extended time off before?”
Leukos twisted his braid fretfully, “No Sir, I don’t think I have. But this is important, and I promise I’ll never ask again! I’m sorry, I know this seems sudden, but I made a promise to him, and I don’t want to break it, I know how much promises mean to a man like you, not that I’m saying I KNOW how you think or anything, I’m sorry please don’t be cross with me…”
The foreman stepped forward and put a hand on Leukos’ shoulder, cutting him off, “Leukos, calm down boy, I’m not mad! I’ve never seen you this worked up before! I only asked because I wanted you to stop and think about your contribution to this circus. You’ve been with us since the beginning; I’ve watched you grow up! And in all these years you’ve never spoken of leaving, taking a break, or slacked off. You’re a hard worker. Heck, you’re still recovering from getting mauled by a Janarim and you’re already insisting on helping us pack up! You deserve a break. Your acts are always a favorite amongst our guests, but I’m sure we can get by for a while without you. That’s just a part of the business; we have to be open to adapting.”
Leukos felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders at the man’s kind words; the fear of letting down the people he considered closest to family had been crushing. He smiled gratefully and let go of his braid, the hair frazzled and coming out of its bindings. A sudden urge overcame him and he hugged the older man, blushing at his own atypical clinginess, “Thank you so much Sir, this means the world to me… I’m going to work harder than ever when I get back! I’ll set up everything with the other cast members so that things run smoothly while I’m gone; you don’t have to worry about a thing!”
He patted the hair on Leukos’ head, “I don’t doubt it at all. I imagine a few of them will be happy to have a break from your shenanigans for a while!” He teased lightly and laughed.
Leukos pulled away and beamed at the man, wiping away a few traitorous tears that had welled up in his eyes, “They won’t get to rest for long, I intent to fully make up for all the lost time when I get back!” He stepped away and waved, dashing off to make all the necessary preparations. He’d get his things and leave immediately; they were already heading out of Awat, there was no better time than now where he’d be so close to the Matori border.
His heart was beating wildly in his chest; he felt unease at the thought of journeying alone to a foreign homeland that he held no connection to, where he might be viewed as an alien by his own people. But there was also immense joy; he’d finally be going off on an adventure of his own, like the ones he used to dream of as a child. To meet exotic beasts and conquer new terrain, to reconnect with a long-lost friend. It was all so exciting and terrifying.
And Leukos couldn’t wait.
[Word Count: 1,550] Leukos is finally going to be stepping out into the world alone for the first time in his life, there will be no one to make agendas for him or tell him where to go. He's put off going back to Matori ever since slavery was outlawed, for fear of not feeling anything towards it, like he'll be betraying everything his people suffered for if he doesn't feel like it's his true home. But he's finally found the bravery to do it thanks to the encouragement from his old friend. Leukos always worries that he needs to prove himself to people, that in order to be a success he has to work hard without anyone's help. So hearing from someone he looks up to that he's a valuable part of their patchwork family means a lot to him, it shows he's appreciated.
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Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 12:26 am
|✦| Alone at Last |✦|
The city that the boat steadily approached as it was carried along by the swift gale slowly grew larger and larger, once a blue smudge on the horizon, now a mass with features that were just now coming into focus. The wood creaked under his feet as it cut across the waves, a sensation he was just starting to get used to. It was only his second time on a boat in his life, aside from the occasional leisure ride in a little rowboat. But that was only ever on a small oasis in Oba, nothing could compare to the vast expanse of the open ocean.
He watched the bustling dock grow ever larger as they pulled up, deck-hands grabbing the ropes tossed to them to secure the boat to the dock. As the sails were collapsed and crew members bustled about tying down the riggings, he paid his farewell to the ship captain, congratulating him on a successful voyage. The trip from the island of the Buhwahi to Nated had been short and without incident. Maybe there was a true Matoran deep down in Leukos after all; the voyage had been a pleasant one, his stomach untroubled by the constant swaying of the boat. Though he did keep a safe distance away from the railed edge: that expansive water was just a little too gloomy for his liking.
He shifted the weight of his bag over his shoulder as he stepped onto the busy dock, the cry of sea faring birds and shouting sailors adding a constant cacophony that was solely unique to a port town. The city was not as grand as the many well-developed metropolis found in Oba, but it was certainly impressive, for Matori. Everything felt new and exotic; Leukos couldn’t help but feel like a gape-mouthed tourist as he took in everything around him. But that was the point of this whole trip after all, to learn things about his homeland, and experience it for himself.
He had made the trip from Awat to Sald on his own, the first time he had ever been truly alone. It was a little frightening, to be in charge of himself for once in places he was unfamiliar with, but also incredibly exhilarating. The wait for Xewai in the quiet town of Sald had felt like an eternity to the excited young man, but on the start of the Winter Solstice, Xewai had come, as he had promised. Then they traveled by boat to the secret location of the Buhwahi settlement, passing through jungles so lush, it made Leukos’ head spin to see so much moisture in one place. The air felt heavy with it, the humidity practically clinging to one’s skin.
That week with Xewai had felt like a day, he’d done so much with his old friend. Learning the ins and outs of his life, exploring the expansive beaches together, visiting the local town to take in the sights and enjoy the native cuisine. Leukos had gone swimming in the ocean for the first time, an experience that was both intimidating and enchanting. There was simply so much life found in the depths, in every nook and cranny of the rocky enclaves under the waves. He’d tried his hand at fishing under Xewai’s patient and enthusiastic tutelage, landing a meager little minnow. It may not have been Leukos’ cup-of-tea, he was far too restless for the sport, but he cherished every moment he got to spend with the boy. Lying on the sandy beaches with nothing but the endless starry sky at their fingertips and waves crashing at their toes was one of the most magical experiences of his life. And while he loved his visit, Leukos felt a need to discover the secrets of Matori for himself, on his own time. So they parted ways, Xewai helping him secure passage on a fishing vessel heading north to Nated, with the invitation to come visit him again any time he pleased. A few tears were reluctantly shed, but the excitement of going at it on his own soon dried them.
Which all led to this moment, this chance to connect with a part of himself Leukos had long overlooked. He was a Matorian, and while this place did not feel like home, he hoped to at least come to an understanding of what made it so special. And with every new experience, every new sight, he felt like he was coming a little bit closer. So he headed into the city to set up lodgings for himself, ready to take on any opportunity the universe was willing to throw his way.
[Word Count: 776]
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Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 12:21 am
|✦| You Stole My Attention |✦| Leukos and ChrysantheAfter having his money stolen by a pickpocket, Leukos meets a hybrid girl under rather stressful circumstances. Link
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Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 1:43 pm
|✦| A Temperamental Beast |✦| Leukos and DravenNot all Janarim are friendly. Luckily, it's owner is a bit more well behaved. Link
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Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 11:01 am
|✦| Looking For Trouble |✦| Leukos and SajahkaWhat happens when you drop a mute thief and a frisky-fish into a bar? Well, add a little bit of alcohol into the mix, and you've got a recipe for massive miscommunication. Link
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Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 6:38 am
|✦| The Hidden Cost |✦| Leukos was a slave.
A slave to the lap of luxury.
There was nothing he enjoyed more than savoring the finer things in life. As a child, he’d been allowed to taste a shadow of what it was like to live the life many could only dream of: fine clothes on his back, delicious food in his belly, and cultural enrichment of the arts saturating his daily life. Of course, that had all come at the high price of his freedom, his right to be a real person. Those memories were tainted by the realization that his life been but a twisted facsimile of happiness, but the fact remained that the lifestyle had infected him. Which only made it hurt even more when it was all taken away, every day since then feeling like living through withdrawals. He could try to mimic what he had had as best he could, but there was no avoiding the simple truth that his circumstances were different now. And while he loved his life in the circus, there was always a part of him that yearned for finer things.
So whenever he could, he’d seize the opportunity to splurge, to indulge in the privilege of a decadent lifestyle. Spending the night enjoying life without worrying about the cost of it all, then sleeping the day away without interruption, were opportunities that were few and far between. He relished them every chance he got.
But regrettably, all good things must come to an end; the body had certain needs that could not be ignored. It was the gnawing pangs of hunger coming from his traitorous belly that eventually dragged Leukos out of the blissful embrace of sleep into the world of the living once again. His lashes trembled as he slowly opened his eyes, squinting as bright late-morning sunlight tried to assault his weary mind. Eventually he adjusted to the light enough to open them all the way, only to squeeze them shut again as he stretched out languidly in the bed, little tremors shaking his body as he groaned quietly. He rolled on his side to reach out to embrace the body he’d gone to bed with… but his fingers found only cold sheets.
He’d already gone.
He couldn’t blame Sajahka for departing; there was no telling when Leukos would have woken up, and the man probably had things to do. He had his own life. Leukos had just been a fleeting moment in it. Still…
He rested a hand on the vacant tousled sheets, gripping lightly. A dark lock of hair fell across his vision, blocking the view. But it didn’t really matter; Leukos wasn’t looking at anything here. Oh so rudely, the palpable silence was suddenly interrupted by a growl from his stomach, reminding him why he had even woken up in the first place. With a long winded sigh he sat up, disheveled hair falling over his broad shoulders as he assessed the damage from last night around the room.
Considering he only felt a bit queasy with a minor headache, the hangover situation was looking pretty good. The comforter had fallen off the bed, and it looked like one of the chairs had been knocked over to join his clothes strewn about the room during all the excitement. The maid would definitely have… a bit of a mess to clean up. But considering nothing was broken (which he’d been responsible for on a few occasions), this little tryst had worked out rather well. There were a few missing bits in his memory towards the end of the night, but it felt like they had been good ones. The exact face of the man he had spent the night with was one of them. But for whatever reason, Leukos remembered his name. Life was funny like that…
He was considering the feasibility of just going down in the nude to get some brunch rather than deal with the hassle of getting totally dressed, when his eyes landed on the little collections of things on the bedside table. He didn’t remember them being there last night. But what mattered was that there was a fruit-roll waiting, and even if it was stale, he was far too hungry to care. He leaned across the bed to grab at it, bringing his knees to his chest as he sat against the headboard to start eating.
He’d gotten half way through the tasty morsel when he noticed a slip of paper on the table as well, turning to reach out with his foot and pinch the slip between his toes, determined to not have to move from his comfy spot as he reeled it back in. Pushing his hair out of his face as he unfolded the note, he nestled back into his position to start reading. The handwriting was less than neat, and the grammar lacking, but Leukos felt a little smile part his lips nonetheless. Apparently his partner had enjoyed their rendezvous as well, which was reassuring, since he hadn’t been able to hear the confirmation himself.
But wait, no. He couldn’t have heard from him any way… Sajahka had been mute. His grin got a little bigger as he recalled some parts from their night together: being mute certainly didn’t mean he had been incapable of letting some other desirable noises be heard.
Leukos looked at the little pile of money on the table and frowned a bit. Getting paid for spending the night with a man felt a bit too close to prostitution for his liking. Or maybe… it was to cover the costs of last night? He did recall buying some food and drink for the man, how much had that come to anyways…? He shrugged his shoulders and pushed the thought away; it didn’t really matter. It had happened, this was what Sajahka had felt was right. So he’d take the money; if nothing else, maybe he could buy something nice for himself while he was here to remember his little vacation by. He’d only gotten some small things here or there, maybe he’d treat himself to a larger purchase.
The thought of having a shopping trip made him smile even broader, giving the little flower on the note a kiss as he set it aside, flopping down to wriggle to the edge of the bed so that he could have some of the water mentioned in the message. His ankles linked together in the air as he lay on his belly to drink, elbows hanging off the side as he counted out the coins one-by-one with a lazy finger. The sum came to just over the cost of half a day at the inn. But lucky for Leukos, he’d already paid in advance for his time here, so this would just be more spending money to play around with. How lovely!
While the fruit-roll had been nice, he still felt an empty spot in his belly. It would be time for lunch soon; the cook here would have started making that delicious lobster stew by now. Just the thought of it was enough to drag Leukos off his butt to get ready to head down for the day. He threw his legs over the side and stood, wincing a bit as he got to his feet; it would appear that landing on one’s rear on hard wooden floors while dancing was not an advisable practice. That, and it had taken abuse from some other measures as well…
So he began his morning ritual for making himself presentable: different stretches to limber up, tending to his excessive amounts of hair, giving himself a quick wipe down with a wet cloth. He’d have to see about requesting a proper bath later; he was awfully sweaty from the night’s endeavors. For now, he’d just have to get dressed and head down for lunch, that was the first step to take. After moving everything off the floor and back onto his body, he checked the mirror to ensure everything was as it should be, then snooped around for his money bag. He located it near the foot of the bed, kneeling down to retrieve it.
But something was wrong.
It was light. Way too light. There was no way he had spent that much money last night. It simply wasn’t possible. With shaky fingers, he quickly unfastened the ties, opening the hole wide to look inside.
It was empty.
Absolutely, heart-wrenchingly, gut-droppingly, empty. Not a coin in sight. He turned it inside out, shook it upside down. Anything to make something fall out. But no, there was nothing inside.
All his money was gone.
He dropped the empty bag to the floor, eyes wide as a corpse as he placed a hand to the ground to steady himself. It felt like the fruit-roll was lodged deep inside his throat, air refusing to travel to his hungry lungs. A million thoughts raced through his head, too fast to count, too unfathomable to fathom. Though a single thought did fight its way past the others, screaming loud over the chaos.
He’d been robbed.
He didn’t want his suspicions to be true, what he knew and felt in his twisting gut to be the truth. He practically sprinted to the open curtains, reaching behind the ruffled drapes to grab the bag he’d left tied up to the railing behind the fabric. His emergency precaution, in case he’d lost all his coin while out drinking. But as he ripped the bag open, his gut seemed to drop even further than it already had. This too was empty. Someone had already gotten to it.
The man he’d spent the night with.
He stumbled over to the bed, sitting down like a limp doll as his situation sunk in even further. This had never happened before. No one had ever been so balsy. He didn’t think it ever could happen, so he’d never even considered it, never prepared. But it had. His skin crawled at the thought that the person he’d shared himself so personally with had taken everything so easily from him. Perhaps… that had been his plan all night long? Every move, every word unsaid had been a way to get closer to what he’d really wanted; to take advantage of him? His empty eyes fell on the money resting on the side table, when recognition hit. He picked up one of the coins limply between his fingers. He recognized it, a weird green corrosion making the shape of Matori on the face of the coin. This was his money.
The shock that had carved a vacant hole in his heart was suddenly filled with fiery rage, flinging the coin at the wall with so much force that it ricocheted back to peg him in the leg before flying off somewhere into the room. Soon Leukos was standing and flinging around whatever demeaning words could come to mind at the moment, the name “Sajahka” turning into a scorching pile of smoldering lead he didn’t even want to think of again. The b*****d thought he could take from him, hurt him like this, and then leave a pittance of his own money behind to rub it into his face, like a bloody calling card? Treat him like some pretty little whore that he could laugh at?
He wanted to see him again sometime? Oh, he’d be seeing Leukos again; he’d make damned sure of that. If Sajahka liked his taste so much, he could taste Leukos’ fist smashing his frickin teeth in. Did he think this would stop him, bring him down? No, he wasn’t going to let him have the last laugh. He was going to rise above this. Some things would just have to be sacrificed, some comforts forgone. Leukos was a fighter, there was no way he was going to let this damned country defeat him. He was going to get home to Oba. He was going to earn it all back.
And he was going to do it with his head held high.
[Word Count: 2,010]
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 9:03 am
|✦| Meeting of the Queens |✦| Leukos and Sajahka and NykoLeukos is forced to endure sass from the mute guy who took all of his money and a boy who just might be even more of a diva than he is. Link
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Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 3:00 pm
|✦| An Uninvited Guest |✦| Leukos vs Alol Leukos helps a damsel in distress deal with an unwanted reptilian intruder. Link
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