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 Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 2:09 pm
They swam further down through the tunnel, with the darkness eventually opening up into a shallow cavern of glowing vegetation. Vaiarii expected this was why his parents had chosen this family for him to marry into. The herbs and mosses were a valuable source of sustenance that he didn't have the practical skills to cultivate. Rationally, the pair should want for very little between them, save for maybe a flair for craft.
But Pekelo wasn't rational. He was whiny.
Vaiarii's brows pinched as he gazed at the sight before him. It would've been lovely, truly. It was a unique sight to see so many various clusters of herbs growing in one place, each with their own enchanting glow about them. But his mood was soured by the company.
"Are you shaming me for having good parents?" He demanded quietly. "Or for me respecting their wishes?" Vaiarii had wanted to be polite and to try and be supportive, but how was he supposed to manage that when his intended did nothing but b***h about how unfair his life and the situation was and spit on Vaia's life while he did it? "It's no wonder they tell you to keep your mouth shut when all that comes out of it is venom."
He turned from where Pekelo had begun to fiddle with his plants and headed back the way they'd come. Vaia didn't want to put up with this any more than Pekelo did, and he was absolutely not going to be the only one who tried to be understanding.
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 2:29 pm
Pekelo ripped out something from the roots of a plant. A bad, infected section that needed to be cut off so that everything else could thrive.
That’s how he felt when compared to the rest of his family. While Vaiarii might have felt some sort of desire to respect their wishes, his own heart couldn’t simply give in to them.
“That’s not...” No, it was true. Ever since they met, he was being a little s**t, and he knew it. It wasn’t Vaiarii’s fault.
It was neither of their faults...
With a sigh, he stood back up and swam back to the other man, taking his wrist to try to stop him before he went too far.
“Look.... I’m sorry, okay? You’re right, I’ve been a jerk this whole time... I’m really sorry, it’s not fair of me at all to act like this. And I’m not just suddenly changing my mind because you’ll go tell or I’m scared or anything! It’s more like... This isn’t fair to you at all, and I don’t want to have you leave thinking I’m completely awful. A little bit of awful is fine.” While he couldn’t stop Vaiarii from leaving, he could hold on and try to slow him down.
“If you’ll forgive me, I’d like to maybe hear more about your good parents. They’d be my in-laws right?”
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 4:36 pm
It wasn’t like Vaiarii wanted to leave, but what else could he do? He certainly wasn’t going to hang around and be berated, either. He wanted things to work out because that’s what was expected of him, and he was capable of rising to expectations... But it didn’t feel like there was anything to do or anything to be gained in this situation. Pekelo hates him. That was obvious, and he’d hated Vaia before they’d even met, so how could he change that opinion? Not by sitting here and smiling about being insulted.
He didn’t intend to whine about it. He didn’t intend to complain to his mother and beseech her to reconsider. He didn’t intend to do anything besides... wait. Once things were more situated, it would be easier.
Probably.
Vaiarii said as much when Pekelo grabbed his wrist. “I’m not going to tell on you,” he retorted. “I’m not a tattling child. So you don’t have reason to be concerned.” Because Pekelo stating he wasn’t scared didn’t really reassure Vaiarii that he wasn’t. “You can feel however you want. It’s as... uninspired a plan to you as it is to me.” He couldn’t help but be wary of the apology. He hadn’t gotten the impression that the other man was the apologizing type. But what did he really know? “I forgive you, anyway...” He grumbled. “I do think you’re only a little bit awful.”
He scratched at the back of his head, where his hair tie tugged at his dreads. “I... guess they would,” he agreed, having never really considered any role someone else’s parents would play in his life. “They probably wouldn’t bother you too much, at least...”
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2020 4:55 pm
Good.... Good. He wasn’t going to leave.
“I can handle a little awful.” Pekelo actually smiled at that, and tugged him back towards the gardens.
“Let me make it up to you. We can... Maybe put together a little basket of things to give my in-laws. Some herbs they could use. And maybe you can tell me a bit about your last hunting adventure. I’m sure it was more exciting than little ol’ me in a garden, right?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 1:32 am
Vaiarii didn't think it was odd of him to still be suspicious despite the apparent change of heart. He did want to like Pekelo, but he hadn't gotten the impression that Pekelo wanted to like him. He hadn't gotten the impression that Pekelo wanted to do anything besides bemoan the injustice of being engaged to him. So when the other boy began to pull him back into the garden again, Vaiarii sent him a tiny frown.
"That does... sound nice," Vaiarii admitted hesitantly as he allowed himself to be pulled in Pekelo's wake. "I'm sure it would please them that you thought of them." And he couldn't imagine his mother turning down a gift of food. "What are the kinds of herbs you most enjoy?"
His face heated anew at Pekelo's sudden interest in his life. Vaiarii, of course, enjoyed what he did. He didn't wish for anything else. But it wasn't something he talked about often, perhaps just because there wasn't anyone to talk about it with, but he liked to think it was something else. "Well, I'm not very sure what to say about it," he admitted awkwardly. "I don't really do it for the story. Sometimes I don't even think I do it for the meat or for protecting my home from predators..."
"It's just about a feeling. It's something that... makes my heart pump faster and gives me a thrill." He glanced to Pekelo's garden. "So I can't really imagine what it'd be like to sit here with the plants all day."
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:15 pm
Near the entrance of the cave were several baskets and Pekelo picked up a one, though kept Vaiarii’s hand in his own. He wasn’t quite ready to let him go, not when he was so ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
“I like ones that make things sweet. There’s so few of them, but I’ve specialized in cross breading the plants that have a sweet, or complimentary flavor to them, so that we can expand what we have. But my tastes don’t matter here, if we’re picking things out for your parents. What do they like?” His free hand grazed over a particularly plump looking coral head, and gave it a small squeeze. Good, but not quite ready.
He paused at another plant, taking a look at it more closely and finally letting Vaiarii’s hand go.
“A heart pumping thrill, huh? You’re right, there’s not the same sorta thrill working here with my garden. It’s much more... Nurturing? Like seeing a new born hatchling... Watching something you’ve made with your own hands grow into something that could help so many. It may not be meat, but It can help cure wounds, illnesses, even provide sustenance when hunts don’t go well. Hehe, I suppose my preference for that feeling proves who will be the egg layer, hmmm?” Pekelo was teasing again, laughing softly to himself as he plucked a few leaves and gently tied them to a bundle, adding them to the basket.
“Ah, but there is a thrill I do love. Exploring the caves. Every so often we go deeper into them, into the darkness, to find different minerals for our soil needs. I want to someday go deeper than anyone else has.”
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