|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:36 pm
|✦| How About Brunch? |✦| Leukos and NiamhLeukos and Niamh were supposed to enjoy breakfast together after their first date. But after forgetting all about his guest, through no fault of his own, Niamh proposes he treats Leukos to brunch instead. Link
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:37 pm
|✦| Let These Words Be My Last |✦|
Wiggling his toes in the warm sand, Leukos sat on his new rug, boots and shirt cast off next to him. It was too hot to worry about those kinds of things, even with the cool breeze blowing in off the ocean. Kyro didn’t seem to mind the situation at all, curled up next to the discarded vest as he dozed in the tropical sun. Leukos stroked along the length of the creature’s snout, ever amazed by the beautiful vibrancy of its scales, and then turned his attention back to the paper in front of him.
With the appearance of the Dretch thrust upon them, the whole of Tendaji seemed to be in a buzz, rumors spreading around like the wind. Monstrous mages that could tear apart the very fabric of their world? Ancient beasts that had crawled out of the darkest forests of the Shifters and Alkidikes? It all seemed far too outlandish, but with so many different people reporting the same thing, it had to be true. And now that this new crisis had cropped up, Leukos couldn’t put off something he’d been dreading having to conquer since things had first gone downhill for him in Matori: he had to let the circus know what had happened to him.
Leukos hadn’t given them a specific time frame for how long he’d be away, but even he knew he’d been gone for too long now. They’d surely been wondering what was taking him so long, and now with all this talk of missing people, they were probably worried about him. And the last thing he wanted to be was an inconvenience. So Leukos gathered some of his meager funds, spending that precious money on paper and ink to write an official notice. Setting quill to paper, he composed the same message he’d worked on in his head―
Greetings friends,
I hope this message finds you well, and that nothing terrible has befallen the troupe in my absence. I’ve sent out countless letters all containing these same words in the hopes that one of them will reach the town you are residing in at the moment, as I have not the power or means of knowing where you may be. Perhaps you’ve already seen this message already. If that is the case, please disregard this note.
But I digress. I wanted to let you all know that I am alive, and reached Matori safely. Unfortunately, due to circumstances of my own foolishness, I have not been able to return home to Oba. The long and short of it is that all of my money was stolen, and I have taken to performing the streets of this strange land to make ends meet. I hope to raise enough funds to afford the return trip home soon, Gods willing. It is thanks to everything I have learned from you all that I am able to survive without resorting to deplorable means. And for that, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
And now, for the painful topic that needs to be addressed: the situation regarding my belongings. I want you all to know that I bear you no ill will if you’ve disposed of them, or divided them amongst yourselves by now. It cannot be cheap to keep toting around my empty wagon. But if by chance you have still kept things the way I left them, my feelings still remain the same: the moment it becomes an inconvenience, you have my permission to do as you will with my things. I trust your better judgment, and hope it may benefit the good of the troupe. You’ve all been like a family to me; I know you’ll find good homes for them.
But space is running low and paper is not cheap, so I’m afraid I must cut this letter short. Don’t worry about me, I’ll make it in this world; you’ve given me the strength to realize that. My only fear is that should something happen, I will never be able to properly say goodbye to your faces. So let this message be my last if it must, I leave that up to the Gods.
Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and may we sing together again soon,
~Leukos
P.S. Please don’t let Prash eat my good scarves. The little glutton does not deserve them.
Setting the quill aside, Leukos waved the parchment about as the ink dried, smiling quietly to himself. He hadn’t written anything this lengthily in a while; it was good to see his penmanship was still excellent. Placing that letter inside an envelope, he scribbled the destination in Oba and sealed it shut, setting it on the pile of other finished letters. There really were quite a few; but this was important, he couldn’t be too sure how long things would take to arrive. The more there were out there, the better his chances were of one of them reaching the nomadic troupe of performers. After standing and cleaning up his station, Leukos scooped up the drowsy alol from his spot in the sun, heading to the nearest postal service that would get his message out into the world.
[Word Count: 867]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:38 pm
Stage 2 Solo: Class Quest |✦| Taking the Reigns |✦| “Oi, watch out! It’s gotten spooked!”
Leukos looked up from the colorful sash he’d been inspecting, drawn by the sound of the shout and a rising commotion. Not far down the street a gilded carriage had stalled in the busy marketplace, held immobile by the snapptrotter rigged for drawing it. The beast was clearly agitated, throwing its large head about viciously as its nostrils flared, struggling against the restraints binding it to the carriage. But this sort of thing could happen all the time: animals get startled by noises or sudden movements they are not used to. It should quickly get resolved so that business could continue and everyone could be on their way.
But as a sharp CRACK resounded through the space, his eyes widened and he dropped the sash back onto the table, struck dumbfounded by disbelief. “What is that damned fool DOING?” he muttered, eyes locked onto the scene unraveling before him. The carriage driver hadn’t pulled back on the reigns, holding fast and gaining control of the agitated beast once again. No, the idiot had struck the thing with his WHIP, obviously with more force than intended: a new red welt had opened up on the snapptrotter’s alabaster hide. This only caused the beast to panic even further, suddenly under attack from behind. It jerkily dropped to the side, attempting to barrel roll the assailant off its backside. The carriage almost tipped over completely―but whether by luck or damnation―the wooden shafts holding the reptile in place snapped in half, separating it from the carriage. As it tipped back onto all four wheels, the snapptrotter whipped its head as it lunged forward, ripping the reigns out of the driver’s gloved hands.
And just like that, the thing was loose.
Screams rose as civilians ran from the scene, backing away to put as much distance between themselves and the enraged reptile as possible. The driver was shouting, standing up from his seat as he scrambled to grab the retreating reigns, lashing out with his whip to subdue the creature. Its cobalt eye rolled about erratically, darting from side to side as it took in every threat surrounding it. A few brave, stupid souls had stepped forward and were waving whatever props and weapons they could near its face, ensuring the trotter didn’t trample through the crowd to escape.
As Leukos removed Kyro from about his shoulders, leaving the alol on the stranger’s table to rush to help contain the animal, someone jabbed at the reptile with a spear. The shot was meant to spook, not engage. But mistakes happen in stressful situations, and as the spear dragged along the snapptrotter’s jaw line, it cut a fresh wound, severing the binders keeping its jaws locked closed in the process. With a primordial hiss its mouth opened wide, snapping closed around the shaft of the retreating spear as it splintered like brittle bird’s bone. The man holding the weapon screamed, dropping the severed stick as if it were scalding his flesh, jumping back into the crowd.
Now freed from many of its restraints, the predator backed itself away from the jabbing earthlings, growling and hissing defensively. Another strike from the whip sent its head swiveling around, snapping its fanged jaws to try to bite at the elusive weapon. Pushing his way through the throng, Leukos tried to be heard over the din as he shouted, “Stop, you’re just making it worse!!” But the more the trotter tried to bite at the whip, the more the driver used it, quickly losing any control left in the situation. Leukos finally broke free of the wall of bodies, darting forward just as the whip came down again.
Sharp pain shot across his arm as the whip lashed around his limb, drawing his blood instead of the snapptrotter’s. He grabbed hold of the leather and yanked it free of the coach driver’s hands, bellowing up at him with a snarl, “STOP IT!!! You’re just keying it up into defense mode you IGNORANT PIECE OF TRASH!!” The other man opened his mouth to holler some kind of reply, but Leukos was too quick, barking out again, “NO! You will shut your DAMNED MOUTH! Don’t do anything else, stay out of this!!” He then turned on his heel, facing the angry reptile as he addressed the rest of the crowd, “All of you SHUT UP! Put those weapons away, you’re just scaring it!” He threw the bloodied whip to the ground, shooting daggers with his eyes until everyone else had lowered their weapons as well, intimidated into action by the sudden demands of this stranger who had burst onto the scene.
A tense quiet fell over the scene, people whispering uneasily as the white snapptrotter hunkered down, mouth open wide as it grunted and hissed intimidatingly. It was way too amped up on adrenaline for anything constructive to happen, not with the beating it had received. So Leukos just motioned for everyone to take steps back, giving it more room to breathe. He slowly unwound the scarf from around his hips, talking as calmly as he could under the circumstances. “Alright, this is good. This is better. Let’s all just...bring it down a few notches, catch our breath for a moment,” he said, taking a tentative step to the left. The predator’s eyes followed him, but made no move to lunge, content to hold its defensive position. “You’re mad, I get that. No one wants to be treated like this. But if we don’t get you under control again, I can’t guarantee you’ll make it out of this alive; someone’s going to panic, and things won’t end well. But no one’s been hurt yet, so you can still walk out of this...”
He moved in a slow circle around the animal as he talked, which rotated in place to keep Leukos in its sights. At least no one was shouting anymore, so they were making some progress. In truth, most were just too scared to say anything, but too intrigued to run away. This was an uncommon kind of drama unfolding before them, fascinating in its inherent danger. As he made a full circle, Leukos squatted down to pick up the bloodied whip, projecting loudly but evenly, “I’m going to try to get a hold of its head. But I’m going to need a distraction, something to draw its attention away while I get behind it. Someone is going to need to help. As soon as I move and it’s down, we’re going to have to secure its legs. Everything is going to happen very quickly, and if anyone makes a mistake, s**t’s going to get real ugly real fast.”
At first no one made any move to step forward, an uncomfortable still saturating the area. But then an older Matori man with a closely trimmed blue beard spoke up, locking eyes with Leukos. “I’ll give you your distraction, Boy. But are you sure about this? Do you know what you’re doing?” There were some whispers that rose up as he spoke, but Leukos couldn’t be bothered to care what they were saying. There were more important things at the moment. Like the massive reptilian that was giving him a death glare. Leukos handed the man the driver’s whip, tone clipped as he moved on. “Just back me up when I need you. I don’t want to be wrestling this thing alone when it’s pissed off.”
Apparently feeling inspired by the moment, someone else stepped forward, a younger man with a crooked nose. “I’ll get his hind legs if you get the front. I’m used to handling struggling animals; my family has a whole swarm of feisty zanteers.” Leukos grinned and gave the stranger his own whip, saying as he passed by, “Thanks, that’s good enough for me. Let’s get this over with.”
A moment’s pause as the men got a feel for the cords in their hands, gathered their courage, and then it happened. The older man snapped his whip on the cobblestones before the snapptrotter’s face with a practiced accuracy, shouting out some profanity Leukos had never heard before. But that didn’t matter, as it was enough to distract the creature, which lunged forward to snap its jaws at the air the man used to occupy. Leukos was already there, looping his arm behind its head as he wrapped the scarf around the eyes, dragging the beast down with him as he let himself fall. He was able to get his body out of the way of the reptile’s huge mass as it came crashing to the ground, but not without landing hard and heavy against his shoulder.
But there was no time for feeling the pain, everything hinged on this moment. He lashed the scarf a few more times around its snout as he straddled the snapptrotter’s neck, dropping his chest to lie flat against its cranium. The other two men were just as quick, tackling its legs just as the beast fell to the ground. They wound the whips around its twitching limbs and held fast while it twisted, lying their weight down over its feet as well.
“Shhh, calm yourself, be still. Be still,” Leukos panted as he struggled to keep the thing’s head pinned to the ground, his armpits covering its eyes as his hands clamped around its snout. Snappers were known for having an incredible biting force, able to snap a man’s arm in two with one bite. Now opening their mouths again…that was something they weren’t as good at.
Once its jaws were tied closed, getting them open again would be almost impossible.
Leukos continued to coo quietly into the creature’s ear as they held it down, waiting out its panicked wriggling. Its tail continued to thrash about, but never met its mark, everyone staying as far away from the felled beast as possible. With its eyes covered and soothing words filling the quiet darkness, its struggling became less violent, until slowly, slowly, it became still. Breathing that was once ragged was now even, its tail lying motionless on the ground.
“There, you’re alright. Everything is fine. Everything is better,” Leukos whispered, heart thumping less frantically now. His body was covered in a cold sweat and his hands were shaking, but heck. He was alive. He still had all his limbs. That felt like one hell of a win. He lifted his chin up, sitting back slowly so he could turn to look at the two men behind him. “Alright, you can untie him now. Slowly, and be gentle. Then get up and step away, give him space.”
The two obliged and soon the only thing holding it down was Leukos and his measly little scarf. He shifted to get off its neck, instinctually hesitant to relinquish his seat of restraint and power. But if you wanted an animal to trust you, you had to trust it too. “Time to get up. Let’s show everyone how calm you are, okay?” he said, leading the snapptrotter to its feet as he stood up again.
It was hard to equate this stately, beautiful animal with the same reptilian terror that had been gutturally hissing at everyone but a few minutes earlier. But there it was, just the same, right before everyone’s eyes. There was still a tremor of unease running through the crowd, as if the calm might snap at a moment’s notice. But Leukos was confident in its state of mind; the poor animal was clearly not a cruel, wild beast. It had just been startled, and needed reassurance to get to its well trained state again. He unwound the scarf from its snout, stroking under its jaw line as he tied the fabric around his own bloodied arm. “There, such a handsome gentleman, aren’t you? Look at your eyes, so beautiful and blue. I’m sure your pedigree is quite distingui―”
“Oi, step away from that creature right now!”
Leukos looked up to find the coach driver clamoring down from his perch and marching his way, apparently having found his voice again. The man was red in the face and sweating, decorative hat all askew from the previous drama. “How DARE you just jump in here like you’re some kind of hot-shot SOMEBODY, putting MY charge in danger! You could have broken its damned neck, and then YOU’D be footing the bill for that, you can be damned sure! You put everyone’s lives in danger here with your cowardly antics!”
Lip curling back distastefully, Leukos glared down at the shorter man, attempting to keep his rising temper under control. “No sir, how dare YOU treat this situation so deplorably? This never would have gotten so out of hand if you’d simply done your job right from the start. What kind of IDIOT strikes an already startled animal?” He rested his hand on its opalescent neck, inching closer protectively to the injured snapptrotter. “Whips should only be used for self defense, never for punishment. You can accomplish much more with an animal before you EVER need to draw blood.”
Leukos’ eyes darkened as he took a step forward, closing in on the other man’s personal space. “Only heartless cowards use fear to maintain control, where their own strength is lacking. You’ve obviously never tasted a whip’s bite before, or you wouldn’t be so quick to use it. Perhaps you need a lesson?”
The carriage driver swallowed, puffing his chest up as he took a step back. “Don’t try to tell me how to do my job, BOY. I had everything under control. It would have only been moments before I subdued the animal, before YOU butted in. Now hand that beast over before I must call for the authorities.”
His fist shot out to grab a handful of the man’s shirt as Leukos’ irritation crested, hissing at him, “Listen you VILE little man: your spinelessness lies may work in whatever silver-tongued courts you are used to serving, but I will NOT tolerate accusations against me, not when the well-being of other people and blameless animals is in danger. So I suggest you change your tone an―”
“What’s going on out here? What happened?”
The nobleman whose carriage had been halted stepped outside, embroidered purple robes skirting against the cobblestones. From the gilded ornamentation of his transportation, to the gold around his neck, it was clear the man was a person of wealth and importance, not including the way he carried himself. The coach driver’s ashen face whirled to face his employer, prying Leukos’ fingers loose from his shirt as he bowed. “Forgive the disturbance, My Lord. There was something that startled your snapptrotter, causing it to panic. It broke free of the riggings attaching it to the carriage. I was in the process of putting a lid on the situation, when this PERSON interrupted me. He intimidated everyone into putting their weapons away, endangering this whole crowd, and damn near got himself killed when he tried to―”
“I’m just going to interrupt you right there,” interjected the swarthy man from earlier, large arms crossed over his chest as he walked forward. Leukos hadn’t noticed before with how distracted he’d been, but this man’s own clothing was clearly of a fine quality, though the tailoring was reserved. He bowed his head towards the nobleman, gesturing over at Leukos. “You can thank this young man for restoring order here. Your trotter was indeed spooked, and worked itself up into quite a frenzy. But his quick thinking prompted us into action, and now we’re all able to stand here, having this conversation, instead of towing bodies away from the scene. Of either your trotter or the ones he might have felled.” He looked Leukos’ way, nodding with a grin. “He did quite well.”
The nobleman eyed Leukos for a moment before bowing his head, tone as dignified as one might expect. “Then I thank you. It would have pained me greatly for anyone to be hurt because of my property. This creature is very special to me: he was a gift from my late wife. Thank you for resolving the conflict before he could be hurt any further.”
Leukos felt his cheeks warm as he dipped into a loose bow, straightening again as he patted the calmed trotter’s neck. “Thank you for the praise, Lord. He’s a lovely animal; I’d hate to see him wounded in any way.” He pursed his lips, shooting a nasty look at the carriage driver out of the corner of his eye. “Though some may not share that same sentiment. I suggest you look for people who are less heavy handed with punishment in the future.”
Raising his eyebrows a notch, the nobleman’s eyes wandered over to his hired help, before settling again on Leukos. “I’ll have to take that into consideration.” He strode over to stroke the snout of his mount, addressing the older Matoran man in the group. “If you say things were handled well, I will take your word on it, Reevus. Hasn’t he grown marvelously since you last worked with him?”
Leukos’ brow shot up as he looked over at the man, bewilderment evident on his face. Did the two know each other? Just who was this guy? He’d seemed to handle the whip earlier with skill: was he familiar with using it?
Reevus hummed approvingly, hooking his thumbs into his belt. “Yes Margreev, he’s certainly become a handsome beast. Legs have gotten mighty powerful, I can tell you that. You might want to try taking him for a hunt some time: I’m betting he’d be fast as the wind itself.” He frowned, eying the cut on its face. “But first, bring him by my facilities sometime, if you’d like. I think we should work on his ability to cope with sudden unexpected stimuli. So something like this doesn’t happen again.”
Margreev nodded, stepping back a pace. “Yes, I think that is a grand idea. I look forward to seeing him in action again; you always seem to bring out the best in him. I will write to let you know when you can expect me.” He turned away, facing his grounded carriage. “We’ll be needing to find a way to get this back to my manor. Browmun, see to that, if you would?”
The driver gulped, bowing deeply as he addressed his master, “Yes, I’ll make it happen, Your Lordship. If you’d like to wait inside out of the sun, I’ll make the proper arrangements.” He gave Leukos one last venomous glare before he stepped away, to see to the cleaning up of the situation.
The swarthy Matoran, Reevus, huffed in reply, clearly a man of minced words. Though he did spare a few of those for Leukos, addressing him as he took hold of the snapptrotter’s limp reigns. “You know, I really was impressed; that was exactly how I would have handled the situation. You carry yourself well, Boy. What’s your name?”
Leukos cleared his throat and bowed his head, offering the man his hand to shake. “It’s Leukos, sir. And thank you. Though to be honest, I’m surprised I don’t have piss soaking my trousers! It was really just a whole lot of assumptions and impulsiveness. I work with some large predators back in Oba, so I thought the same treatment might work. Looks like I was right, thank the Gods!”
His chest rumbled as the large man chuckled quietly, shaking the hand offered to him. “We’ve all been there, trust me. I’ve had to change my pants more than once in this business.” He paused, eyeing Leukos appraisingly. “I wouldn’t peg you as a beast tamer, what with the flashy getup and all that fancy hair. But I guess you really aren’t as soft as you look. Your hands have seen some action, there’s no doubt about that.” Another moment, then he just came out with it. “Come work for me.”
He was a little caught up in feeling mildly offended by the comment about his appearance, when Leukos was struck by the man’s sudden request. “Wait, what?” he asked, shifting from foot to foot. “Work for you? I’m sorry if this seems ignorant, but I have no clue who you are. I’m not from around here.”
Reevus laughed again, running a hand over his neatly trimmed beard. “Well s‘cuse me, I just assumed anybody with half a knack for beast taming and blue skin must’ve known what I do. Guess that’s a reminder to keep myself humble.” He grinned, standing straighter. “My name’s Reevus Dullaney, and I run a training business for mounts here in Matori. I’ve been told it’s the finest on the islands, but I suppose I can’t really form an opinion, seeing as I haven’t investigated any others off this particular floating chunk of land m’self. But either way, I’m proud of the work I do, and I get results. That’s all that really matters.” And just like that his smile was gone, back to business. “So I’ll say it again, Leukos: come work for me. I’m always looking for assistants that have a talent for the trade and more than half a cup’s worth of brains in ‘em. I think you’ve got both.”
Leukos certainly was flattered. The man seemed confident in himself―with the backing of wealthy clients as well―if the nobleman from earlier was anything to go by. And he couldn’t deny that this Reevus had a certain brusque charm about him: he seemed like the kinda guy that would give it to you straight and honest, only dishing out as much criticism as you really deserved. He liked him already. But there were other factors that made Leukos hesitant to accept the offer, things that needed to be cleared up. “Well, thank you Mr. Dullaney; I’m honestly glad to have earned the approval of someone like you. But I can’t accept under good conscious if I don’t put some things out in the open.”
He paused, fiddling with the binding around his injured arm. “I’m not a local. My home is back in Oba, with a traveling circus troupe. I’m just here on a vacation of sorts, which has kinda turned into an unexpected extended leave of absence. It’s a long story that I won’t bore you with, but basically―I don’t plan on staying here for very long. I’m not on a strict time schedule or anything: I just don’t want to linger any longer than is necessary to build up the funds to afford the voyage back home. I wouldn’t be in it for the long haul.” He stopped, bowing politely towards the older man. “So while I’d love to accept your generous offer, if that is something that you could not allow, then I’d have to decline. I hope you understand.”
Reevus let Leukos run his spiel, absentmindedly stroking his thumb along the jaw of the snapptrotter still at his side. When he had finished, the man stroked his beard, itching a spot under his ear. “Well, thanks for being straight with me; even if it was wrapped up in a fancy little package.” He took a breath and sighed, dropping his hand away. “I won’t pretend to know or care about what sort of situation you got into that’s made you have such a wonky schedule. But the way I see it, a strong pair of hands are always valuable, no matter how little time they work. So if you don’t mind taking commands from a salty old-timer such as myself, I’ll use your hands for as long as you lend them to me, and ya might even learn something in the process.” He stuck his hand in the space between them, boxy fingers slightly splayed. “How’s that sit with ya?”
Leukos thought for a moment―just a moment―and his mind was made up. “It sounds like a hell of a lot of work…” He took hold of the hand, shaking it firmly with a grin. “When can I start?”
[Word Count: 4,000] Leukos demonstrates that he has gained a confidence around a wider range of animals than just those he worked with back in the circus in Oba. His time spent observing and interacting with the creatures of Matori has given him this; a more flexible frame of mind in regards to applying what he's learned into situations he is unused to. He is finding the voice to speak up about things that he is passionate about, whereas before he might have held his tongue for fear of causing a scene. He demonstrated that he might have an aptitude for leadership, when it comes to things he is skilled at: in this case being beast taming. This new job opportunity will allow him to gain more experience honing his methods and tactics, as well as some battle training he had been lacking before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:40 pm
|✦| The Trappings of a Warrior |✦|
Ducking his head to pass through the low doorway as a small bell chimed, Leukos crossed the threshold much as a pilgrim might when entering a holy space. He had no knowledge of what went into being a currier, or a leather craftsman, and as such looked about the room with an equal mixture of interest and respect. All manner of metal and wooden tools hung from pegs on the walls, looking to Leukos’ inexperienced eyes like mini devices one might use for extracting rotten teeth―or rotten secrets―from the mouths of both willing and not so cooperative customers alike. But the overwhelming smell of fresh leather and oils that permeated the place dissuaded any notions that this might be any other place of business, that and the numerous pieces out on display. Brigandine tunics, molded gauntlets, laced boots, and many other examples of the craftsmanship one might expect from the owner decorated the long room that was part showroom, part workshop. Sitting on small wooden stools in the back, a few Matoran Prentices hunched over their work, stabbing large needles and hammering wooden awls into the forgiving flesh of the tanned leather swatches they were shaping into all manner of forms. An older man was pacing about the space, hovering over the shoulders of each employee like a great vulture, scrutinizing their work and interjecting when correction was needed. He carried himself like he owned the place, and seeing as he was the eldest man in the room, Leukos suspected he probably did.
Closing the door behind him, the same bell signaled his presence once more. And as the last note rang through the air, another equally charming sound filled its absence. “Hello Sir, welcome! How can I help: are you picking up an order today, or looking to take something new home with you?” The voice came from a tall green-haired boy, standing guard behind a large wooden counter near the door. The faint whisper of stubble on his chin helped age up his face, but the softness in his eyes and blemishes on his cheeks placed him firmly in the realm of teenage-hood. He was likely another Prentice, one whose duty it was at the moment to handle the sales while his peers handled production.
Leukos walked up to the counter and rapped his fingers upon the solid surface, smiling back at the lad. “Well, I’m hoping to take you up on the latter option: I’m in need of some armor. My new employer insisted he wouldn’t even let me through the front doors if I tried to show up without any; something about not wanting to have to ‘waste his afternoon cleaning up my severed limbs off the sand’. So here I am, hoping to keep my arms and legs right where they are. He recommended this place by name, said you carry quality products. You’re familiar with Reevus Dullaney, yes?”
The boy clapped his hands together, obviously thrilled to be familiar with the name. “Oh yes, we’ve dealt with him before! Thanks are in order for the recommendation; we’ll have to let him know ho―”
“Dullaney? You’re working for Reevus Dullaney?” The question came from the elder man, whose voice sounded as deep as a rumbling autumn storm. He came over to the counter; his presence pushing the lad away with all the silent ease a wave might a buoy. “How is that salty snapptrotter? He hasn’t been here himself in a while.”
The older man’s interest made the other prentices look up from their work, taking the chance to spy on the conversation while his attention was diverted. A round faced girl with more speckles than usual whispered under her breath, perhaps louder than originally intended, “Holy Jonal― he’s gorgeous!” The plump girl to her right gasped, poking the other with the awl in her hand as she hissed, “Are you daft?! Keep your voice down!” The red that bloomed across her round face seemed to effectively silence the first girl for the moment, but not before an embarrassed squeak was able to slip past her lips.
Keeping his amused smile to himself, Leukos addressed the older man’s question. “He just offered me a job working for him, yes. I have yet to go to the facilities, but I’m greatly looking forward to it. From what I could tell of our meeting, he seemed to be in good health and high spirits. Certainly in great shape for someone his age, that’s for sure. But I guess that’s what happens when you wrestle giant lizards for a living!”
The man chortled quietly to himself, patting his more generous belly with an open palm. “Yeah, we can’t all be so lucky. Hardly going to work up a six-pack myself hammering flowers into leather all day! But I suppose my problems hardly seem relevant to you young people; I can’t BELIEVE what some of ya’s are able to get away with eating!” He waved his hand dismissively, resting an elbow on the counter. “But these are just the complaints of an old man; I don’t have it that bad. Let’s talk business. What are ya looking for? The whole shebang? Head to toe fitting? Custom job?”
Leukos grinned as the man’s laugh rumbled; he liked him already. But regrettably, as lovely as personalized armor sounded, he simply didn’t have the funds for it. The bare minimum is what he could afford right now, enough to keep him from getting mauled by the beasts he’d be working with. So he sighed, running a hand along the braids atop his head. “While I’d love to spend all day in here getting the finest you have to offer, I’m afraid that’s simply not an option. I’m really rather new to this whole armor thing, since I’ve only used simple cloth padding for my work in the past. But I think something to protect one of my arms and both my legs would work for the moment, since they’ll probably be receiving the most abuse. Something light weight, since speed is of paramount importance. But thick enough to withstand any attacks the beasts might try to throw at me. Do you have something like that ready to go?”
The man hummed as Leukos spoke, as if taking a mental inventory of his stock and checking requirements off the list as they came up. When he was done, the man nodded, stepping back from the counter. “Yeah, I can think of more than a few items that might fit your needs. We’ve got quite a bit in stock right now, so there’s a good selection. But you’re pretty damn tall, that might make things more difficult…” He scratched the back of his neck absentmindedly before turning to bark at the prentice that had been standing silently at his side. “Broake, measure him would’ja? His chest, an arm, and both legs. Make sure you write it down this time, I don’t want you trying to memorize all the numbers.”
The boy, Broake, jumped to action, grabbing a measuring tape out from a cubby in the counter as he came around with a piece of paper and charcoal. “Sir, could you come over here, where it’s more open? Which arm did you want to protect, your dominant one?” He grabbed one of the stools, sliding it over.
Leukos moved as directed, pausing as he thought for a moment. “It doesn’t really matter which one, since I’m ambidextrous. So I guess either, depending on what you have available? I’ll leave it to your discretion. Is right here correct?” The boy nodded as he hopped up on the stool, wrapping the tape around his bicep. “Yes, there’s good, thank you. When we’re done up here, could you take off your boots for me? I’d like to get the most accurate measurement. Your shirt is fine, it’s thin enough already.” Leukos hummed to show he’d heard the boy, standing still as the numbers were collected. Quite a few places he would have never thought to measure were taken into account, the width of his hands being just one such example. When it came time to measure his torso, Leukos had to help by moving his ample amount of hair out of the way when needed, holding it behind his head in a ponytail made of his fists. And when the lad pressed close as he wrapped his arms around to loop the tape behind Leukos’ broad back, a breathy whisper could be heard mumbled by the girl from earlier, “God I wish that were me.”
Then the green haired boy hopped down off his stool so Leukos could use it, prying his boots off to set aside for the moment. The whole process started again, the boy quick and efficient in his job, scribbling down numbers onto his paper with abbreviations that Leukos couldn’t understand. He was probably one of the most responsible of the group, more mature for someone his age. Leukos side eyed the collective to see if they were back to work now that their boss’s attention was swiveled back their way. And most were, studiously resuming where they had left off as if nothing had happened. But as the boy’s face came near the crook of his pants while he kneeled to measure his thighs, Leukos happened to glance their way again, catching the same girl staring at them with her tools all but forgotten in her hands. And being a tease no matter how old he got, Leukos turned his head, winking at her with a simmering smolder. The poor thing nearly combusted on the spot, choking on her tongue as all the blood in her body seemed to rush to her round face. The plump girl patted her friend’s back as she tried to collect herself, earning the attention of the owner who came round to question what the hell was going on. Leukos just looked away and laughed quietly, putting his boots back on as the measuring session came to a close.
The prentice collected his things and brought the paper to the owner, exchanging words with him. The man took the slip and scrutinized the measurements, the gears in the head practically clicking out loud as they churned in thought. Then he was barking out orders again, sending some of his help scurrying around the room and into the back to retrieve the pieces he demanded of them. And in moments a selection of three different sets were collected for Leukos to try on, varying in color and craftsmanship. He needed some help getting the straps figured out and tightened properly, how the buckles all worked in relation to the assembly. Things were eliminated, being too clunky or too small for him, but after a time, Leukos came to a decision he was satisfied with.
Looking at himself in the full length mirror, it struck him as odd how some simple pieces of leather could transform the way he felt. These were the trappings of a warrior. Accessories worn not for decoration, or to please a crowd. They were there to protect him, because he was going to be entering a new kind of battle-field in his life. He somehow felt more…well―manlier―just by wearing them. Like he was someone to be taken seriously.
Like he could take care of himself. Or someone else.
Flexing his arm to feel the leather shift and slide along with his muscles, he nodded approvingly, rolling his shoulder. This would work. Hell, he felt better just by wearing it. If this was how armor made you feel, he should have bought some way earlier. He turned to face the owner, grinning. “It’s perfect. How much do I owe you?”
The man scratched behind his head, pursing his lips. “Tell ya what: since Dullaney recommended us to you, I’ll give you his discount. I appreciate that he sends business my way, especially with how often his attendants get chewed up; keeps me busy with repairs. So I might be seeing you again. But I hope for your sake, it’s not too soon!”
The man laughed easily, infecting Leukos to join him as well. The discount was appreciated, but not expected: he would have offered to pay full price anyways. For things of quality, Leukos felt less inclined to haggle: the price was usually high for a reason. So as numbers were discussed, he pulled the funds happily out of the purse squirreled away on his person. The man told him what to expect with the gear, how to take care of it, sold him a few extra bottles of oils for maintenance. And when they were done, he shook Leukos’ hand with all the firmness he had come to expect of the girthy man. Leukos pulled back, the bag at his side a little heavier with the extra product. He said his goodbyes, giving the young attendant a respectful handshake as well, which the boy received with about as much puffiness as a preening peacock.
And as he stepped through the exit laden in his new armor, his departure heralded by that same tinkling bell, it felt as though he was entering a portal that would take him to a whole other world.
[Word Count: 2,204]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:41 pm
|✦| A Storm of His Own Making |✦|
The afternoon sun filtered through the slats in the blinds like sand through a sieve, illuminating the interior of the drab hotel room in the equally drab part of town. Moving about the meager space, Leukos went about putting the final touches on the preparations for his departure; stowing away all his possessions into bags, checking under furniture for runaways, making his bed one last time. As he smoothed out the coarse fabric, his eye alighted on a smear of dark brown near the edge of the duvet. It looked like he had left his mark on the place after all.
Reaching out to brush the tips of fingers against the blood stain, his mind ran with a replay of the events of the night that had resulted in the mark. That night, and the morning after, was just one of many complicated memories he’d carry with him of the roguish stranger that had landed him in this dump to begin with: the thief Sajahka. And while he had been understandably infuriated at the stranger in the beginning, now―as he was leaving―he felt none of that same roiling anger. He didn’t know how he felt. Maybe…he was a bit relieved. Sajahka had a way of spurring Leukos into bouts of illogical thinking, of forgetting the boundaries he always set up to protect himself. He’d already triggered the first relapse Leukos had had to suffer through in a while that night when he’d snuck into his room, bringing up all kinds of insecurities he’d rather just forget.
So this was for the best; he was simply too dangerous to be around. Leukos knew he wouldn’t try to harm him in the physical sense, they’d already established that. But being near him was like playing with the knives the thief seemed so fond of; sooner or later, Leukos would get hurt. He’d slip up, and then there’d be no going back, opening up too many old wounds again. No, this way, there’d be no chance of that. He should have moved the moment he’d learned the security of his room was compromised. But he hadn’t. In another example of how irrational Saj made him, Leukos had stuck around in a place he KNEW was vulnerable.
It was dumb. It made no sense. Receiving that job offer was the best thing that could have happened: it would give him a real, logical reason to leave. So here he was, packing up all his things and his memories, glad to leave this s**t-hole behind him. Well…there was some good that had come of his situation taking a serious nose-dive for the worst. He thought back with a smile at the pleasure-flushed face of the boy he’d spent the other day with; Leukos suspected he’d been his first. He hoped Niamh would think fondly of the encounter, that he’d done a good job by him; with all the noise the boy had made, he assumed he had.
Nimah deserved the best. He was a charming, clever, awkwardly endearing young man. Being swept away from his worries for a while in a fun, whirlwind tryst was more therapeutic than Leukos could have hoped; it was nice to feel more like himself for a change. Things had been way too chaotic for his taste lately, and hopefully, with this move to a new city and landing a real job with a real wage, they might settle down for him. Things were looking up.
But even as he placed the last thing in his bag and buckled it shut, looking about the now empty room, he felt like there was still something left unfinished. His alol was lying in a sunbeam on the table, ready to go, the rug he’d purchased for the creature rolled up in a tube next to him. So that wasn’t it. Did he forget something? Leukos made another loop of the room, scanning for discrepancies, checking under furniture, scratching behind his head. While his eyes found nothing amiss in the room, his mind continued to search. Though every time it came close to the truth of what was bothering him, Leukos always steered away, assuring himself it had to be something else. But try as he might to fight it, stubbornly as an ostrich sticking its head in the sand, he kept going back to it, until he was left staring at the empty table with his fists at his sides.
Dammit.
This wasn’t the first time he’d disappeared after a brief fling. It was practically his M.O. The tactic had always worked in the past, aided by the convenient excuse of needing to move on when the circus did. It didn’t make sense to keep stringing someone along when he was no longer going to be around. It wasn’t fair to them, they should be free to forget about him and move on with their lives. He didn’t want to leave any lasting impressions. If they kept thinking about him, then he’d think about them; and then where would they both stand? Longing for someone that wasn’t going to be there? Longing for something more, when Leukos wasn’t sure he was strong enough to risk that?
No, it was best to just make a clean a cut as possible, with no lingering ties. That was fair. No expectations that could be broken. Hearts that would only hurt for a while, and then move on to better things.
So why did he feel so guilty?
He hadn’t promised Niamh anything. Nothing. There had been no talk of solidifying the relationship, of it being anything but a brief romantic affair. They’d only spent two days together! He’d called it off after longer periods than that!
But even as he tried to rationalize it, the knot in his stomach wouldn’t go away, twisting his innards into a jumbled mess that matched the inside of his head. He sat down in the chair, drummed his fingers, stood up again, laid down on the table, rolled off of it, lied down on the floor. Why did everything feel so wrong? It made no sense! Nothing was different; he’d gone through this same scenario too many times to count! He was basically an expert at it.
But every time he closed his eyes, he kept seeing Niamh’s face as he had said goodbye at the door, all aglow with what they’d done together. But it was more than that, the boy’d looked so…hopeful. Like he could see the future, as if the world had suddenly gained more clarity for the first time ever. As if anything was possible.
And worse, he’d looked like that as he’d gazed up at Leukos.
He hadn’t meant to inspire those kinds of feelings. It was never his intention. But despite his best efforts, somehow it had happened. Was it because he’d spent too long with the boy’s family, in his home? Had he learned too much? Rule number one was to never let it get personal. Yet he’d sat with his MOTHER, let her tell him the boy’s whole life story. He should have just left, told her he’d come back another time.
But NO, he hadn’t. He’d drank up her tea and her stories, like an idiot. And somewhere along the line he’d lost his way, gotten lost in everything. He’d WANTED to know more. And like a fool―a stupid, ignorant, naïve FOOL―he’d let himself imagine what it might be like to become a part of Niamh’s story. Like he had any right to those kinds of thoughts. To a normal family. He’d broken his golden rule, the one designed to keep him from ending up like this.
He’d gotten attached.
Leukos gripped at his hair as he pounded the back of his head against the floor boards, stomping his feet in frustration. “Dammit dammit DAMMIT!” He rubbed at his eyelids, groaned and cussed―but no matter what he did, he kept seeing Niamh’s smiling face, the adoration in his eyes. He didn’t want to hurt him. He didn’t want to be the cause of so much light and life leaving those eyes. He wanted more of it. Like a gluttonous child too stupid to know when to stop, he wanted to drink in the sight until he choked. Until it killed him.
Rolling up off the floor, he flopped back into the chair, rooting around in his bag as he grumbled and muttered. Then before he could stop himself, he was writing a letter, selling himself out with the location of his new job. Burning his bridges. Any chance of a clean break was being dashed to pieces the more words he wrote, sealing his fate with inky black strokes. He wanted to be found out. He wanted to be chased. Gods above, he wanted it so bad.
And before he could let regret stop him, he stomped out of the room and down the stairs with everything he owned on his back, holding the sealed letter in his hand like a burning ember. His feet carried him out the front door and down the street to a letter box, shoving the paper down its open mouth with all the speed one might feed a wild beast. And just like that, the deed was done, the letter safe inside its metal stomach. There was no going back. He couldn’t get it even if he tried.
Leukos turned on his heel and began the trip down to the docks, letting the high he was feeling carry him over the sea of panic and regrets brewing just under his feet. Hopefully he could weather the storm of his own making.
Either that, or he’d drown.
[Word Count: 1,613]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:44 pm
|✦| Ride it Till You Fall off the Saddle|✦|
Far below the white cumulous forms that hung motionless in the vast azure sky, little brown dust clouds floated around the many arenas of the training facility as both animals and earthlings alike went about their day. Separate areas were sectioned off for the different animals, predatorial growls mixing with the grunts of prey. In a small round paddock to the side, a shadow flew across the dirt like the hand of a clock, kicking up little puffs of dust as it went. The lean black Xaaran’s feathers flickered as it moved, led around the perimeter of the pen by a white rope. At the center of the circle stood a young Matoran man, his raven-black hair a mimicry of the creature’s dark hide. Leukos held the rope loosely in his left hand, his right sporting a lunging whip that hovered above the raked dirt at his side. Just as the Xaaran finished making another full loop around the pen, Leukos flicked the line suddenly, speaking lowly in the warm air, “Woah.”
The creature jumped to a halt, stumbling a bit as it decelerated abruptly. A brand new cloud wafted about its feet as it stepped backwards, shuffling in the dirt. Leukos wiggled the line again, repeating his command. “Alright, don’t fret, that was pretty good this time. Let’s try again.” He clicked his tongue and motioned near the animal’s flank with the long stick in his hand, urging it into a trot again. Another few clicks and the Xaaran was back into a canter, then a gallop, loping around the pen with ease. He could see sweat glistening on its hide, shimmering in the sun like an oil slick. His own brow was just as wet, the sun bearing down on the pair all morning. They’d have to take a break soon; he didn’t want to wear it out too much. After a few more rounds in the pen, he tried once again flicking the rope, verbalizing his command one more time. This time around the beast seemed to function as if by clockwork, coming to a halt with only minimal movement of its feet.
“Good, good,” Leukos said, keeping the line slack as he came to the Xaaran’s side. “That was excellent; I think you’ve earned yourself a break.” He adjusted the length of rope in his hand, stroking its beak affectionately. Leading it along, he tucked the lunging whip into the slot near the gate, slipping it a treat from the pouch at his side. It crunched happily on the hardened pellet, tail bobbing behind it as the raptor-like creature plodded along beside him.
A sharp whistle to his right cut through the air, making both Leukos and the Xaaran swivel their heads towards the source. Leaning up against the fence of the neighboring paddock was another young man, blue curls peaking out from under the scarf tied around his forehead. The sleeves of his loose shirt were rolled up to his elbows, tucked into a pair of beige trousers. The Matoran absent-mindedly patted the cheek of the Bushi to his right, squinting through the sun at Leukos. “Hey, did that Xaaran just come out of a full run while you were lunging her?”
Leukos paused the cool down lap he’d been taking her on, stating rather hesitantly, “…..yes?” He was still so new here: to the city, and to the facility. He didn’t THINK he’d broken a rule or anything, but it was hard to tell; there were so many to memorize. And he’d been ordered to take her out to be taught how to lunge, so why was there a problem…?
The other Matoran’s eyebrows rose, leaning further over the wooden fence post. “And you just started doing that with her this morning?” Again Leukos was caught by the question, swatting at a fly that landed on the back of his sweaty neck. “…..yes?” He glanced at the great black beast, which was occupying herself munching on the wooden post beside her head. Tugging a bit to get her away from the splinters, Leukos wiped his moist hand on his pants nervously. “Why, is that bad? Mr. Dullaney said…was she not supposed to run that fast or something?”
Great, he’d messed up on his second day here. Fantastic. Just what he needed.
The young man’s face scrunched up, leaning back. “What? No!” He grinned, laughing at Leukos' confused question. “No, that’s not bad, that’s amazing! She’d never been taught how to lunge, and you’ve already got her stopping at full pace? That one can be rather pushy around new handlers, so I’m just surprised you made that much progress in one morning!”
Leukos sighed, relief washing over him. Thank the gods. He was already on edge enough as it was, he didn’t need the stress of mistakes looming over his head. “I’m sorry, I misinterpreted your questions. I’m just…a little paranoid at the moment. New job, new place, you know how it is…”
The blue haired man waved his hand, the tawny leather gauntlets around his arms catching in the sun. “Don’t worry about it: the owner seems tough, but he’s a nice guy. So long as you don’t kill yourself or any of the animals, you’ll be fine. My first day here, I left the paddock gate open and one of these bad-boys charged right out into a group of visiting clients. No one got hurt, and nothing was damaged. Well…except my pride.” He motioned wide, as if welcoming the embrace of the gods themselves into his arms. “And yet here I am, still standing by the grace of our generous employer.” He grinned at that, tipping his head questioningly. “I think I saw you making the rounds the other day? Sorry I didn’t say anything; I was pretty distracted by handling this guy right here. My name’s Faro. I’ve been here about two years.”
Leukos turned himself to fully face the other Matoran, walking across the paddock to draw closer. “That’s quite alright; you needn’t have bothered yourself over me. Mr. Dullaney was simply showing me about the place and assessing where my strengths and weaknesses lie. Standard routine for newcomers, I am sure.” He dipped into a semi-formal bow, intent on showing his new coworker the proper respect. “You may address me as Leukos; it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Faro. As my senior, I hope we can establish a mutually beneficial relationship together.”
Faro’s eyebrows pinched together as a corner of his lips rose, face taking on the appearance of someone who’d just heard something ridiculous. “Wow, don’t I feel like the King of Oba!?” He rested his elbows on the wood, tilting his head amusedly. “You’re a really fancy guy, aren’t ya? There’s no need for all that stuffiness here; the guys who work here treat each other more like brothers than anything else. It’d probably make your transition easier if you adopted the same attitude.” He motioned with his hand, as if quickly patting the head of a dog. “So drop the formality, okay? And Gods above don’t call me mister―I think you might even be a couple years older than me! Just Faro is fine. Or MY personal favorite…” He puffed himself up, taking on the air of someone much larger and older. “‘Hey, you, Trotter Bait!’” He laughed, relaxing again. “Either one is fine, people tend to get creative with titles here~”
Leukos grinned, tipping his head with a shrug: better to be safe than sorry when meeting someone new. But he could do casual; it’d feel like being back in the circus. Although…he WAS a fancy guy…so dropping formality completely might be a bit of a challenge. Especially at first. He hoped to get used to it.
He wiggled the lead held in his hand, making the Xaaran at his hip turn away from gnawing at her guilty habit again. “Well, just Faro, thanks for the tips. I’ll try to adapt as quickly as possible. Might take a bit of work though, so try to be patient with me~” Walking to the gate of the pen, he slid the lock out of place and led the beast outside as he spoke over his shoulder. “And as nice as it is getting acquainted, to put things in layman’s term for you: it’s hot as balls out here. I’d like to get out of this sun and into the shade before I turn into a puddle right here in the dirt; I feel like that might put a hitch in my plans for a smooth transition into the workforce. So I’ll just take this girl back to th―”
“Oh, wait, hold on!” Faro chirped as he hopped down off the fence, leading the blue Bushi along with him towards the exit of his own paddock. “I’m actually all finished up here, so why don’t we walk back together? That way we can talk some more, and the trip will seem that much shorter!” He lifted the bolt keeping the gate shut, walking in a brisk pace over to where Leukos stood.
Making a welcoming sweep of the air before him, Leukos waited for the other Matoran to make the journey over to his side. “Oh fantastic, maybe while we’re at it a lunch break might be nice? Orman has been bringing this homemade juice the last couple of days, and I have been DYING to try some before everyone else drinks it a―” His ramblings came to a halt as his feet did, eyebrows rising so high they almost touched the fabric around his forehead. “Sweet merciful Nessat you’re tall. Like…wha-what are you, part alkidike or something?”
“Pfft, what? No! Do I LOOK part alk to you?” The notion was so ridiculous, Leukos just…he began laughing outright for the first time today, tipping his head back as waves of humor just kept washing over him. It really shouldn’t have been that funny, but for some reason, it had him cracking up. He gulped air a few times, attempting to regain his composure. “I-I’m sorry, it’s just…I don’t know if I’ve ever been asked that before? This feels like the first time. And I just…how did it take you this long to notice? Weren’t we talking for like…5 minutes?”
Clearing his throat briefly, he looked down at the admittedly MUCH shorter young man, whose head barely made it past his shoulder. “Maybe it just…seems like so much more because you’re, you know…kinda…” He trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud. Most guys he’d encountered tended to be very sensitive about their height, especially the short ones. Standing next to Leukos just tended to make it appear even worse, with how vertically inclined he was. Which most just ASSUMED was the greatest thing EVER, that he was born unfairly lucky. What no one seemed to take into account was how HARD it made some things: low ceilings, finding pants that fit, lying in beds…kissing someone. And besides that, finding an attractive partner the same height as him was nigh on impossible. Just once―JUST ONCE―it would be nice to know what it felt like to be the little spoon. And being swept off his feet, completely literally? Not a chance.
Faro’s lips pinched into a tight pucker as he glanced to the side, cheeks tinged a rosy pink. “Yeah, okay, when you say it like that, it DOES sound ridiculous. And I KNOW I’m short. This isn’t news to me. I just…from far away, it was harder to see. And I mean…COME ON? Are you kidding me?” His free hand gesticulated up and down, flapping about in front of Leukos like some frantic sea bird. “Look at this? Are you for real?”
Leukos tipped back away from the sudden frenzied motion, blinking as he tried to keep up with the other Matoran’s train of thought. “I’m…sorry? I don’t quite follow. Is something off?” He looked down at himself, checking for…whatever might elicit this kind of reaction. Nope, everything was in order, besides the unpleasant aroma of sweat that was surely just rolling right off of him.
The young man’s mouth hung open as he stared up at Leukos’ confused face, his own a mirror of that same emotion. “What? No! Nothing is ‘off’, that’s the whole point.” His hand resumed its exasperated flailing, clearly at a loss in the moment. “You look like a teenage girl’s wet dream! No living person should be this perfect!” He rolled back the sleeve of his shirt even higher, exposing the well toned, if rather slim, bicep of his upper arm. “This! This is what normal people look like! I could grate cheese on your abs, for Gods’ sake!”
If anything, the man’s outburst might’ve only confused Leukos even more. He was practically fuming, heat coming off of him in waves. But it sounded like he was…complimenting him? Should he be flattered? This felt more like an attack than anything else. He stroked the beak of the Xaaran at his side, calming her as she tried to shy away from all the noise. “Look, I’m sorry if my appearance is somehow…threatening…or something? I’m not really sure what’s going on right now. Because it SOUNDS like everything you’re saying is flattering, but I don’t know, you seem so MAD. Thank you?” He gestured at the other man’s chest in return, attempting to locate the source of the problem. “I’m sure your abs are lovely; you look like you are in fantastic shape.”
Faro took a step back from Leukos’ extended hand, as if touching it might burn his flesh right off. “What? No, I’m not MAD at you!? It’s just...you’re…you’re too much! HOW THE HELL am I supposed to focus on anything else now, when all I can think about is riding you until I fall off the saddle??!”
As soon as the words left his lips, the poor thing looked like he was going to pass out, his face going from beet red to ash white in a matter of seconds. His hands flew up to cover his mouth, like a deer caught in the headlights. Stunned, Leukos wasn’t quite sure HOW he was supposed to address the sudden change his outburst had drawn out. Tentatively he smiled, hopefully as disarmingly as possible. “That’s…the first time I’ve heard that particular metaphor.”
You could almost hear the sound of any last pieces of the young man’s composure shattering, crumbling to fall to the dirt all around him. His fingers curled into claws on his lower lip as all remaining color drained from his face, his last exhale pushing out words like a dry whistle. “I can’t believe I just said that…” He dropped the rope in his hand and bolted, leaving his after image in the space he used to reside. The Bushi that had been restrained by it took a few nervous steps back, grumbling low in its throat at the sudden unnerving freedom it had earned. Before it could go far though, Leukos had stooped to pick up the line, now holding the leads for two different mounts. He opened his mouth to call out after Faro, but it was too late, the boy was already long gone.
Then it was just him and the beasts, a rather unexpected and odd conclusion to his first morning on the job. But the sun was still sweltering and the clouds unmoving, so with a definitive step forward, Leukos began the walk back to the main stables, now laden with one extra travel companion. He pursed his lips, leaving a question to hang between the trio in the dusty air:
“Okay, but be totally honest guys: that was bloody adorable, right?”
[Word Count: 2,619]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:47 pm
|✦| Pining in Vain|✦|
Spearing a steamed vegetable with his fork, Leukos popped the morsel into his waiting mouth as he worked on finishing up his lunch. Grilled fish and vegetables could hardly be called a feast fit for kings, but considering the location he was enjoying it, the whole experience felt more special. After swallowing the mass, he ran a tongue over his teeth, ensuring nothing was left behind. “So is this normal, for a kitchen to be on location that serves food? Since none of us live here, anyway?”
The group he was sitting with was at various stages of consuming their own meals, a party of about 8 conversing at the large wooden table. It was just one of many similar tables, all located under a covered patio to shield them from the hot sun. A slim woman was the one to answer his question, leaning to be seen at the other end. “Depends on where you work. As a house servant, yeah, that’s obviously normal. As a shipwright? Not so much. But it just makes sense to have one here, since we’re so far flung from the city. We only get an hour for lunch, so if we had to travel all the way back just to pick up some food, it’d eat into more than half that time. So Dullaney decided it’d just be easier to have a kitchen here, since he has to receive food shipments for the animals anyways. This is the same stuff they eat.” She scrutinized a leafy piece of greenery, shrugging her shoulders. “Not that I mind: at least it’s fresh. And it’s not like Dullaney’s trying to make a profit or anything, just charging enough to cover the costs of preparation. Plus this way, we can get done faster, and get back to work sooner. I think it’s a win-win.” She bit down on the leaf, the loud crunch of fresh vegetation snapping through the conversation.
One of the men gestured at her with the meat stuck to the end of his knife, chiming in. “Yeah, but you’d keep costs low even if he charged a prince’s ransom for the meals, Prya; you eat like a damned sparrow. Have you had any meat yet today? No wonder you’ve got the rack of a twelve year old girl.” For that statement, the man earned a swift middle-finger from Prya, quick with a rebuttal. “Yeah, but you’ve got the rack of a fifty year old grandma.” The whole table sounded off a chorus of ‘ooh’s, laughing at the dry remark. The man waved his hand dismissively, going back to eating his meal. “Ha ha, to heck with you all. A well fed man is a happy man. And I’m happy as a clam, so suck on that. AND: I’ll have you know my lady finds my girth charming. I aim to keep her pleased, so it’s three meals a day for this guy~”
Well, it was hard to argue that kind of logic, hums of agreement coming from other members of the table. Orman sipped at his cup of juice, throwing his own two cents in. “Bertha’s actually been hounding on me about putting on some weight myself; says that I look too thin. I’ve been eating more, plus the juice helps with the sugar, but it hasn’t seemed to help at all.” Pyra interjected again, smiling at him. “Yeah, but none of that’s your fault, Orman. After that nasty injury you got a month ago, who can blame you for being on the weak side? Surgery takes a toll on your body. And I for one am just happy that you’re back here with us.” She lifted her own cup of the juice he’d brought for everyone, others raising a toast as they tossed a few ‘here here’s in as well. Orman mumbled a humble thank-you into his cup, smiling around the rim.
Someone else chimed in, an older woman with a long scar over her left eye. “You’re a great husband Orman, don’t worry about it; Bertha is lucky to have you. You’re better than half the lot at this place: didn’t Rennel just spend last week’s wages on that RIDICULOUS boat he’s been working on? I heard that man-project is a sore spot in his relationship with his wife.” A few nodded their heads, tutting under their breath. Leukos couldn’t imagine parting with all that money so quickly; he’d just received his share of wages, and was hoarding the coin like a dragon would his treasure. It was the most sizeable sum he’d earned in a long time, helping pay for the better lodgings he’d been able to afford in the city. He’d had a real bath the first day he arrived, and a good night’s sleep in a bed that didn’t look like it’d fall apart if you sat on it too heavily. These were luxuries he was more than grateful to have again, feeling indebted to Mr. Dullaney for granting him the opportunity to live like that again. Like a person who's life was in order.
One of the younger men at the table, a boy who looked like he was barely past Prentice, chirped from beside Leukos. “Well, you won’t see me making any dumb decisions like that: I’m going to be spoiling Aedryna for her birthday at the end of the month! I already rented this room on the beach, and arranged for a private boat ride on the bay. Did you know that blue crab is her fav-“ A few people at the table groaned, rolling their eyes in unison. “-HER FAVORITE FOOD? Yes Greer, we KNOW.”
Pyra laughed, wiggling her eyebrows at him. “How long have you been wooing that girl, Greer? A month now?” The boy blushed pink, hunching his shoulders up to his finned ears. “YEAH, it HAS. So what? She’s the most beautiful girl in the world, and a dumb guy like me who doesn’t DESERVE her attention needs to work twice as hard to keep it! I even started learning how to play the lute, since that’s her favorite instrument!”
He reached under his seat, hauling out the aforementioned instrument. The thing looked too big in his small hands, like a child trying to hold a baby. But just the same, he leaned back, making space for it on the edge of the table. Pyra laughed again, leaning in to get a better look. “Gods above Greer, have you been toting that thing around all day?!” The boy scrunched his nose at her, patting the warm wood of its flat face. “I will have you know I DID. Laugh all you want, I don’t care! I need to practice as much as I can before her birthday; I’m going to surprise her with a song I wrote, and it’s going to be MAGICAL. Gonna knock the socks right off her, it will!”
The older woman just smiled knowingly at him, tipping her head. “My apologies, young bard~ But you realize you have to play a bit of it for us now, right?” Everyone else heartily agreed, turning all their attention to the lad. He blushed darker, but squared his shoulders, nodding. “Alright, fine, I WILL. But no one laugh, okay? I’m still working on it.” And with that he adjusted his hold on the thing, took a deep breath, and started. His voice was surprisingly reedy for someone his age, but all together not unpleasant; and he played like he really cared, which was saying more than some people did. His finger work left quite a bit to be desired, notes catching on more than one occasion on the strings. Leukos pursed his lips and just listened, even as his own fingers itched to get their hands on the instrument. And soon enough, the song stuttered to a close, Greer closing his eyes as he winced.
But all things considered, everyone was very tame, clapping politely in appreciation. He smiled sheepishly, holding it closer to his chest. “Thanks, sorry the ending was so bad. Like I said, I’m still working at it. But you should’a heard how bad I was when I first started; even my own mom told me to quit the racket!” Many laughed, Orman raising his empty cup up to the lad. “Well I think she’ll love it. Even if it’s not perfect, girls appreciate it when guys put in an effort for them. Just be passionate, and any mistakes you make will be forgiven!” Greer nodded, face souring a bit though. “But I don’t WANT to make any mistakes, it should be perfect! It’s hard though, since tutors are so expensive, I can only afford a couple hours a week. I feel like I’d be much better if I could just learn some more…”
Everyone exchanged sympathizing looks with the boy, patting him on the back. Leukos twirled the tine of his fork on the table before setting it down next to his empty plate, wiping his hands off on a napkin. “If you don’t mind me jumping in: I could help?” All eyes turned his way, including those of the young man. His eyebrows rose, shifting to get a better look at Leukos. “What? You play?”
Leukos nodded, smiling at him. “Yes, that and a few other instruments. I’m not a professional or anything, but I received lessons as a child. I’ve kept at it since then; I find it a very enjoyable experience.” He motioned at the piece in the lad’s hands, tipping his head. “May I?”
Greer scooted back, making more room on the bench as he tentatively held the instrument up for Leukos to take. With reverent hands, he received the thing like a holy relic, cradling it safely against his larger frame. “Well, first off, you weren’t holding it correctly: keep it high, just under your shoulder, and make sure your hand stays bent, but not too stiff. Like this. You need the right posture if you want to be able to pluck the strings properly. And don’t be afraid to strum harder: your notes sounded a little weak. I know it hurts at first, but your fingers will callous over eventually. No musician ever made great music without bleeding a little.” He strummed to emphasize his point, going over a simple scale. What before had been a whisper was more like a shout, the instrument accepting the more forceful hands as it sang with more resonance. More eyebrows rose around the table, honest surprise on the faces of his coworkers.
He made to hand the piece back to Greer, who held his palms out, pushing it back towards Leukos. “No, not yet! Could you play something? Please? I want to hear what the instrument is supposed to sound like!”A few others mumbled their agreement, scooting forward in their seats with open interest. This time Pyra spoke up again, leaning in from her spot at the end of the table. “Come on, show us how it’s done, mysterious new guy~. We don’t get to hear music very often.” The encouragement was louder now, the large man from earlier even going so far as to start a drum roll on the table that others joined in on. Leukos laughed lightly, shushing them with his hand. “Alright, if you’d like that, I will. Let me just tune it for a second, I think it’s off.”
Plucking the strings one at a time, he fiddled with the knobs, tightening them until he was satisfied with their sound. He then resituated himself, giving the instrument plenty of room to breathe. It had been so long since he’d been able to play anything; he’d be lying if he didn’t admit to being a bit nervous. So he took a steadying breath, beginning to play with no real composition in mind, trying to get familiar with this new partner in his lap. Her weight pressed against him, the shape of her neck, the cadence of her voice; he was attentive in addressing each, not progressing further until he was comfortable with them all. After a few moments, he started to feel more confident, falling naturally into a song he remembered well. The notes danced along, floating lightly in the air with a relaxed tempo, one that began to grow faster as he stroked her face with more complicated combinations. His long fingers danced across the strings, creating a tune that was both romantic and vaguely mysterious, rising and falling as they went on a journey together.
Soon he found himself smiling, singing softly as the lyrics set the scene of a hopeless lover pining for the touch of the one that had left him behind. But his pining was in vain, as they had moved on, taking his heart in a golden cage with them. Still he loved them, becoming nothing but an enchanted stone, waiting and watching evermore for their return. Just as his fate was sealed, the song came to a close, the notes falling to lie across the wooden table like autumn leaves.
Smiling quietly to himself, Leukos finally looked up from the face of the instrument, to find that more people were there than had started. They stood in a ring on the other side of the table, stopping their tasks to watch and listen to the impromptu performance. Like a spell that had been lifted, everyone stirred again, filling the silence left behind with their clapping. Leukos accepted the praise, thanking the crowd for their attentiveness. Greer leaned forward, planting his hands on Leukos’ knees as he looked at him with stars in his eyes. “THAT. I want to play LIKE THAT. What do I need to do to get that good??”
The boy’s sudden advance made him tip back, laughing. “This didn’t happen overnight; there’s no other way than to just practice. I had a very strict teacher and lots of motivation. Every chance you get, even when your eyes can barely stay open, you need to keep at it. And thank you, but I’m not THAT good; you should still try to get a professional to tutor you as much as you can.” At that quite a few people scoffed, one thin man in particular being the loudest. “What kinda ridiculous false modesty is this? Half the girls here are in love with you now, save some for the rest of us!” Everyone laughed, some of the aforementioned women blushing to themselves as they shook their heads. Greer chimed in again, pulling his hands away. “Why the heck are you even here? You should be in some fancy music hall in the city!”
Leukos flushed lightly, waving his hand as he passed the instrument back to the boy. “No really, you guys, I mean it, there are so many people that are better than me at this! You should HEAR the professionals; what they can do is amazing! I just like to do this for fun, and I haven’t had any training since I was a child. I’m sure I’ve forgotten so mu-”
His train of thought was derailed as he caught a familiar face staring at him through the ring of people, stopped in the dirt street past the rest area. Leukos stood up suddenly, hollering over their heads. “FARO! Wait, don’t mo-” But it was too late: like a startled deer, the young man’s face flushed red as he was caught in the act, spurring the Bushi under his rear into a run. Everyone turned to watch his escape, Leukos’ expression falling as the young man disappeared again.
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Orman turned back around, scratching the back of his head. “Well that was weird; I’ve never seen Faro just straight up ignore someone like that. What did you do?” Leukos looked up, sighing exasperatingly. “I think it’s all just a big misunderstanding. I wish we could sort it out, but every time I try to talk to him, he just up and leaves. I think he’s avoiding me.”
And now other people were starting to ask about it, great. All this silliness could go away if he could just…FORCE him to talk about it. He’d have to figure something out, this was getting ridiculous.
After the drama was over, people lost interest, going about their way again. Pyra stood up with her empty plate, tipping her head at Leukos. “Well, whatever the case, I still think you play wonderfully. Thanks for the performance~” She left the table, taking her dishes away for clean up. Leukos was just about done with everything as well, wanting a chance to think alone without having to deal with other people. He retrieved his own dishes, stepping out from behind the bench. “Thank you for letting me join you for lunch. But my plate is empty, and I’ve got things to take care of.”
He looked down at Greer to address him personally. “If you’d like, I can set some time aside during our lunches to help you out with that? I think you’re going to do just fine, she’ll love it.” The boy nodded, honestly still a bit overwhelmed by the whole experience. Leukos bowed to the group, taking his leave of them. It had been nice to just sit and eat with them; he’d been lacking that kind of interaction lately. But there was still much work to be done before the sun set, and he’d need a clear head if he was going to tackle it all. With both stubborn beasts and boys alike.
[Word Count: 2,922]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:51 pm
|✦| Sometimes, Even Smart Men are Stupid |✦| Leukos and NiamhGrowing doubtful of Niamh's arrival, Leukos makes the mistake of trying to hook up with another man at work. When Niamh DOES arrive, let's just say he is more than displeased about the turn of events. Link
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:52 pm
|✦| In the Lines of His Face |✦|
Filling his lungs with a deep breath, Leukos took the plunge, crossing the threshold into the shade of the stables. The smell of animals was strong, mingling with the natural musk emanating from fresh straw as it was trodden underfoot. He let the breath slowly leak from his lips as his heart sputtered like a startled bird fluttering in a cage that was too small.
“Hey.”
The one he had addressed shifted, the pencil in his hand stalling mid-stroke against the paper. His large golden eyes swiveled to glance at Leukos, as a dog might when looking up plaintively at its owner.
The young man sighed, continuing where he had left off. “Hey.”
Leukos came to a stop a few paces away, uncomfortable with crossing the invisible chasm that spanned between he and Faro. He rested a hand on the cool wood of the stall, looking inside at the bushi enjoying its afternoon meal. How easy it would be to exist as a creature instead of a man… too simple to question your lot in life, or raise any protest. Did animals truly feel regret? Guilt? He supposed they might…as some were prone to acting as if they were almost asking for forgiveness. About time he did the same.
“So…they’ve got you working again so soon? I guess your head isn’t bothering you too much?”
Faro nodded, adding more numbers to the sheet in front of him. “I’m fine, thank you. Accidents happen…we’ve got a few people here with some healing skills. Wasn’t the first time I’ve had to get patched up, and it won’t be the last. Plus, it wasn’t so bad, mostly just some bruising…” He tapped his temple where but hours earlier he had been struck a blow hard enough to make him pass out…but looking at it now, you’d never have guessed he’d been so much as touched in that spot. The skin was smooth and blue again, peaking out between stray curls that framed his heart-shaped face. “But they figured it might be best to not have me doing anything too strenuous yet, so here I am, taking measurements of the animals. Not that I mind, gets me out of the heat.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’d hate for you to be in any pain right now…” His words trailed off, leaving a heavy silence in the air. Leukos drummed his fingers against the wood, dragging his eyes away from the large reptile to the man next to him once again. “I…spoke with Carlyle. About what happened.”
Faro tensed, glancing at a pair of prentices that were working cleaning out a pen a few stalls down, very obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. They weren’t the only curious ones; some rumors had already started floating around in the few hours since the confrontation happened, people speculating where facts were lacking. He cast his eyes back down to the paper, posture caught in a state of anticipation. “Well…what did you say?”
“I told him the truth. It wouldn’t make sense to lie, not when it was pretty obvious what had caused the confrontation. And as embarrassed as I am about the unprofessional way I have presented myself…I’m not ashamed of us. About the way we felt.”
The tip of the lead snapped, leaving a harsh black gouge in the parchment. Faro’s fingers were shaking, head downcast. “And…where do we stand in that regard? How do you feel now?”
The space between them had started to feel threatening, like anything he said would just fall into the chasm before his words made it to the other man. Leukos stalled the nervous drumming of his fingers, dragging along the wood grain as he took a step closer. “Faro…I’m sorry. You are not in the wrong here: I am. The only thing you did was express your feelings in earnest, something that was difficult for you. I know it can be hard, when you are unsure whether another person shares the same…interests as you. I’ve been down that road many times. And I want you to know, mine haven’t changed: I was attracted to you then, and I still am. But things aren’t always that simple, even if we wa-“
Finally his resolve snapped, the other man interrupting him harshly. “Stop it. Why are you doing this to me?” Faro looked up at Leukos, moisture rimming his large eyes. There was pain, and sadness there, threatening to spill out completely. “I don’t think you’ve ever known what this feels like. Have you EVER been the one left wanting someone you can’t have? Been the other man, just a piece of tail to make someone else jealous? No…I don’t think so.”
He pushed the pencil flat against his writing board, the hurt seeping into every syllable of his words. “I’m not stupid. I know you’re too good for me…that I just got lucky. But even if it was just a spur of the moment mistake you’d regret later, I didn’t care: I was just so drunk off thinking that maybe if it was good enough, if you’d get just as much pleasure out of it as I did, then maybe…you’d choose me. I think I knew, even though I didn’t want to, that there was no way you weren’t with someone already.” His voice got soft, a few tears spilling over down his cheeks. “But even still…you shouldn’t have let me hope, if there was no chance. Why’d you even…” His voice broke, squeezing his eyes shut.
In that moment, Leukos felt even dirtier than the flies that flew in a wavering halo over his head. So many things Faro had said rang true, and he knew it. But not everything. “Faro…I swear that wasn’t what I had wanted. There was no endgame, no ulterior motive; I wasn’t trying to use you. I had started out just wanting to clear things up with you, that your attraction wasn’t misplaced, that you had nothing to be ashamed about. But when we were alone, and so close…” He stalled, glancing at the prentices who weren’t even trying to pretend that they weren’t listening anymore.
But to hell with them. This was the truth, and Faro needed to hear it.
“You wanted me in that moment, and I wanted you too. In my foolishness, I ignored what my mind was trying to tell me, because I didn’t want to hear it. And you tried, don’t blame yourself; you knew it was a bad idea. But I acted anyways, starting something that we couldn’t stop so easily, and when Niamh showed up-“
Faro visibly winced at the name, remembering all too well what had happened when he had arrived. But Leukos kept going, gaining steam now. “I didn’t know what to do. Yes I had been with him, and yes, I still felt something towards him. But he wasn’t my boyfriend, or an ex, per-se. Just another poor boy I’d gotten involved with, and bailed out on. I wasn’t sure he’d actually come here, and I never intended for you to get involved. I had thought that what I had with Niamh wasn’t real...but it looks like I’m not over him yet. You were not just some ploy, Faro. I respect your feelings towards me, and the courage it took to admit it.”
He closed the distance, touching the other man’s hand. “But I can’t return them. And for that, I am so, so sorry.”
Faro grimaced, letting his fingers unfurl, pressing their hands palm to palm. “I…I know. It hurts, but I understand.” For a moment, he let their fingers intertwine; drinking in the moment, the way his hand was so easily enveloped by that of the larger man. But then it passed, releasing him to curl his digits around the abandoned pencil again. “I knew the moment you said his name. The way you looked at him…” He looked back up again, smiling sadly but with acceptance in his eyes. “I won’t try to come between you two.”
It felt like a physical ache lingered in his fingers from the tender touch, gone all too soon. There had been so much affection there, a promise for a future that would never come true. Leukos drew his hand away, drawing it within the safety of his walls again. “I’m sorry you had to go through this. For what it’s worth, you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself: you are a very attractive young man, Faro. You will make another happy, one that really deserves you.”
Faro flushed at that, openly glaring in his embarrassment at the prentices who stared. They squeaked, jumping back to their task as if they had never strayed in the first place. He scratched the back of his head, tapping his pencil against the paper. “Well…thanks. That means a lot. Won’t make working here any easier though; especially after almost getting so…” He flushed even darker, swallowing hard. “…intimate. You really make it hard for a guy to not think about those sorts of things, after getting that kinda attention…”
Despite the situation, Leukos couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath at the man’s open confession, glad that the situation wasn’t so charged any more. “My apologies. Next time, I will endeavor to not be quite as attentive.” He sighed, head bowing as he leaned against the open railing of the stall. “Not that you’ll have to suffer for much longer though; I’m probably going to get fired. I don’t blame them, I’d fire me too. Mr. Dullaney has a certain reputation to uphold, and if an actual client had walked in on us…Well, things would be a lot worse.”
Faro’s brows knit together, resting a hand on Leukos’ forearm. “It wasn’t just you getting physical in that shed: I was just as much to blame. Why should you be the only one fired? Not that I’m fond of the idea, I rather like my job. But that hardly seems fair.”
Leukos sighed again, feeling the nails hammered even deeper into the coffin he’d climbed into. “Because I told Carlyle it was my fault? That I had seduced you into engaging in sexual relations with me, knowing full well what an infatuated young man you were, planning the whole time for my ex boyfriend to discover us in the act?” He grinned wearily at Faro, who looked anything but pleased by the revelation.
“But that’s not true! Why would you lie like that?! You had said yourself that you and the other boy weren’t in an actual relationship. And I wasn’t seduced; I knew exactly what was going on!”
The truth hardly mattered in this situation. This was a mess of his own making, and Leukos was going to clean it up. “I know it’s not. But there is a kernel of truth in the tail, regardless.” He stood up straight again, shifting his arm enough to cause Faro’s hand to slide off. “And besides…” He smiled, showing regretful tenderness in the lines of his face. “I’m just a temporary addition that confused you for a moment. You shouldn’t be punished for your years of hard work; you belong here.”
Faro’s eyes were wide, wet once again as a tremor slipped into his voice. “Y-you a*****e…” His palm stubbornly tried to dispel the moisture, turning to face the bushi inside the pen, the only audience member of their little drama. “You didn’t confuse me for a moment; you’re g-gonna be confusing me until the day I die…”
Leukos simply shrugged for a moment, at a loss for how to respond to that. He was going to be confusing himself until he walked into an early grave, with the way his life had turned out so far. But that was just the path he seemed to be destined to trod, as he had laid the bricks himself. Too late to change course now.
But it seemed foolish to linger any longer when the act had come to a close, not when he was being thrown out of the cast. Might as well make a good final impression. He stepped in close to Faro, wrapping an arm around his slim shoulders. Dipping down, he planted a soft kiss atop his head, murmuring into the plush blue curls. “Just do your best to forget about me…”
A choked gasp was all Faro had to say, pressing his hands over his eyes as his shoulders shook. Leukos pulled away, smiling fondly at the man that had unintentionally complicated his life so thoroughly, after it had just seemed to be settling down. As he padded out of the stable, perhaps leaving it for the last time, he felt like another small piece of himself had been left behind in the straw and dirt.
[Word Count: 2,144]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:53 pm
|✦| Better Than Perfect |✦|
Tiny little drops on the stone pavers shone like springs scattered across the desert, forming a halo around the polished wooden tub. Such spills were not to be fretted over, as they were sporadic enough to not cause a slipping hazard, and to be expected while taking a bath. Leukos was more than glad that he had thought to reserve the bathing room before heading back to the training facility to face the consequences of the fiasco with Niamh earlier; he really needed this kind of therapeutic soaking after the day he’d had. And he couldn’t really be bothered to feel put out by having to give the staff of the inn a couple hours notice before requesting a bath; he was honestly amazed to find that they even had a real bath on site, let alone one that could be filled and drained without having to haul countless buckets of hot water.
He didn’t expect this sort of engineering in Matori. In Oba, yes, they had mastered the art of indoor plumbing and aqueducts long before he was even born. But for the island nation just recently freed of the shackles of slavery…he’d just assumed it was too advanced for them. He was never so glad to be wrong.
And honestly, he could have gone to one of the public baths: they were free and easy to find. But Leukos didn’t feel like having to talk to or even look at other people for the rest of the day. He’d just dealt with too much drama today; he needed some me time. And the bath was one of his favorite places to do that.
Immensely grateful for the isolation that came with a private room, he sat on a stool next to the large wooden washtub, scooping warm water out of the basin to pour over himself. Scrubbing with a porous stone and cloth sufficiently removed all the dust and grime from the day’s activities, the water washing the contamination away in a little brown river down into the drainage along the walls. Then came the daunting task of addressing his hair. Working quickly with efficient fingers, he unwound every braid, unlaced every tie, removed every bauble, until nothing was restraining the black mass any further. He set to work partitioning off sections, ensuring every inch was thoroughly washed and combed, until the water beneath his feet ran clear. One might say it was foolish to continue sporting such an excessive amount of hair when the job you’d chosen required full exposure in dust and dirt all day, that it’d be easier to just cut it all off and be done with it.
But Leukos could never bring himself to do it. He was proud of his hair. It took a level of commitment and discipline to maintain it in a neat, aesthetically pleasing way; it was one of the first things people noticed about him. His hair was one more accessory to adorn himself with, to express his personal style. But perhaps, more than that…he was really just a sentimental guy. Having his hair brushed was therapeutic, soothing in a way that was deeper than logic could ever hope to penetrate.
It was in his bones. It had been embedded there by necessity; he’d learned at a young age to hold tight onto any soft morsel of tenderness, when so often everything else was lined with razors.
Lowering himself into the large wooden washtub, Leukos watched with cool interest as his dark hair billowed when it touched the water, floating on the mirror’s edge like an oil spill. Slowly, he drew his hand through the water, creating little waves that caused the silky tresses to drift down. He sunk lower, nose just barely hovering above the water, watching as the hair drifted around, between, under his fingers, like black spider webs caught in a breeze. Deep silence filled the small room, mingling with the warm steam billowing up from the tub. It settled over his head like a shroud, time melting away like fog in the morning, leaving him to wander the abandoned avenues of his memories…
“Leukos, it’s time to get out.”
He drew his large golden eyes away from the rose petal, a delicate pink boat that floated atop the murky water cupped between his petite hands. The attendant was kneeling at the edge of the sunken hole where he stood, blue speckled forehead pressed to the marble tiles. He drew his eyes away from her, up to the woman she was paying her respects to. Light from the small windows bounced off the ridges of her stately face, like a statue carved from dark chocolate. Her long skirts whispered against the floor as she drew deeper into the tiled room, brushing along the faces of sea creatures captured in stone. Wordlessly, the attendant placed an ornate stool under her as she sat, a silent exchange perfected by repetition. Leukos lowered the rose petal back into the purple tinted water, hair drifting behind him like a shadow as he made his way to the edge. He hoisted himself up out of the water, seated on the marbled ledge of the submerged bath as tiny gleaming droplets rolled down his slender frame, sparing a glance up at the face of the woman sitting in front of him.
Scarlet curls streaked with grey framed her hooded red eyes, which regarded him as a falcon might a stray kitten. She extended her hand; drawn like a lodestone, Leukos placed his chin on the edge of her finger tips. Like clouds skirting the sun, her eyes brightened for a moment and she smiled, rouged lips curling into a whisper of a grin.
“You’re sparkling today, my Little Gem.”
He drank her approval like honeyed wine, drunk with momentary joy. His heart sang a chorus of gratitude and pride, though he kept his voice soft as a feather, just the way she liked it.
“Thank you, My Lady.”
The ritual complete, a jeweled hair brush was placed into the woman’s waiting hand as the other slave took a step away, hands clasped and head lowered as she awaited the next task. Her thumb traced along Leukos’ lips, following along the curve of his cupid's bow, before she pulled them away once again. He screamed for her not to go, craving the soft touch for a bit longer; but he knew better than to say what he was thinking. So he just watched with a dull ache as they left, then turned around, facing out to the waters of the bath again.
It would be worth it. This was one of his favorite times of the day.
He practically vibrated with anticipation, waiting with his fingers twisted together in his lap, eyes rolling back contently beneath his closed lids as he felt the brush glide through his wet hair. The Oban woman carded through the black silk, slowly and methodically, reaming out the water as she went. Steam curled around the legs of her stool like a lazy housecat, infusing the room with the scent of lavender and honey. After what felt like an eternity to Leukos, she spoke once again, a low purr he could not see.
“The water was purple today. What did you think of the new scent?”
He knew what she wanted to hear, but it didn’t matter; he’d have said it anyways. “It smelt like good dreams. Thank you, My Lady.”
She hummed approvingly, brushing the side of her ringed finger against the edge of his finned ear. “Only the best for my Little Treasure. I want you smelling like a fantasy when we go to the Lady Turmekka’s manor today. Her attendants always smell like disappointment. You’d think she’d try harder.” The noble woman craned her head with all the serpentine grace of a snake, pointing her gaze at the other slave in the room. “Make sure you and the other girl use the oils in your hair today. The blue bottle. I think it will compliment my scent quite nicely.”
Keeping her eyes lowered to the floor, the young Matoran woman nodded, bowing slightly. “Of course, Lady Kashian. I will let her know.”
The lady of the household kept her gaze there, voice carrying all the quite danger of a knife’s edge. “Good. Let us not forget like last time, yes? You wouldn’t want to embarrass me again, would you?”
The girl swallowed, fingers bunching her skirts reflexively. “Of course not, Lady Kashian; we only wish to remain in your good graces. It won’t happen again.”
She held her under the weight of her threat for a moment longer and then relented, turning her attention away from the girl and back to the boy below her knees. “Good, I do so hate having to doll out punishment. What do I always say, Leukos?”
He looked out across the rose covered water of the submerged stone bath, at the eyes of the ocean nymphs dancing on the walls, their hands linked as they laughed wordlessly.
Beautiful. Graceful. Flawless.
“Perfection is never easy, but you should make it look like it is.”
The older woman smiled, voice velvety smooth. “Precisely. We have an image to uphold, and any flaws are a flaw on this household. If you need correction, it is never out of spite; we simply need to wean out the imperfections. I merely want you to be the best you can be…is there anything wrong with that?”
Leukos shook his head, maintaining his rigid posture. “No, My Lady. Thank you so much for always teaching me how to be better. I know it is something you do not enjoy; I’m sorry for my mistakes, and the sadness they bring you.”
She hummed, stroking along the speckled blue skin of his shoulder. “Such a good boy. Wouldn’t it be lovely if everyone else was so grateful? Nymira,” she turned, looking at the other slave girl again. “Do you appreciate the time I put into your corrections?”
The girl looked like her tongue had gotten stuck half way down her throat, rubbing along the old welts on her inner wrist. She glanced at Leukos, shooting him a malicious look, for just a fraction of a moment, before she found her words, bowing once again. “Of course, Lady Kashian. I am thankful to be in your service, and under your care. Any reprimanding is deserved, and greatly appreciated.”
Though her look might have been crippling to some, to Leukos, it was no more damaging than a leaf falling on his face. He didn’t care if the other slaves didn’t like him. None of them mattered. Only She did. So long as His Lady liked him, that was all he needed. If she was happy, then so was he.
The silent exchange had gone unnoticed by the noble woman, who simply turned away from the slave girl after receiving the answer she had wanted. “Good. You should be grateful; many would kill for the chance to serve under this household.” She resumed brushing Leukos’ hair, who was practically purring right where he sat. She’d touched his shoulder. His skin still felt like it was tingling where her fingers had been, holding onto the sensation even after it was gone. He was a good boy.
But all too soon the brush stalled again. A chill ran up his spine, the aura behind him shifting towards the colder side.
“Leukos, what happened to your knees?”
Like birds startled in a field, his eyes darted down to the area in question. Dark purple bloomed across his pale skin, a treacherous bouquet marring the otherwise flawless sea of blue. He moved his hands to cover the marks, trying to shield the ugliness from her eyes.
“Answer me.”
Her voice was like an icicle, a cold spear stabbing him in the back. He flinched, shoulders rising to his ears, shamefully glaring down at the violet peeking out from beneath his fingers. “I…fell. During class yesterday. We were doing grand pirouettes. I just…wanted to do it like the older girls. They just keep twirling and twirling, and they’re so beautiful…I didn’t stop when the instructor told me to, I wanted to keep going…” He could feel himself choking on his hubris, greed poison in his lungs. “The pointe slipped out from under me, and I fell. I stopped my face from hitting the floor, but my knees…”
His words trailed off into silence. Her aura consumed them, a presence that demanded silence.
“You did not listen to your instructions, and chased your own wants instead. Where did that get you?”
“I…I got hurt.”
Her fingers inched through his damp hair, touching the golden collar around his neck. As they traced the seal stamped into the metal, he was held motionless, too afraid to breathe. Her voice was soft behind his ear.
“You tried to take more than what is given to you. You disobeyed, ignored your orders.”
He felt so small, small enough to slip past the cracks of the mosaic and into eternity. His throat constricted, words little more than a whisper.
“I’m sorry. I…deserve to be punished. I’ve made you unhappy.”
Manicured nails scraped against the soft skin of his throat, holding him with little effort. She pulled his chin, slowly, so slowly, making him turn his head to face her. Eyes the color of freshly spilt blood―haunted by ghostly lines of age―looked coolly back at him.
“Yes, you have. I am disappointed, Leukos. I expect more of you.”
He would have cut his own beating heart out of his chest and placed it at her feet on a golden plate, if only it would make her smile again. She was everything. He was nothing. If she did not love him, no one else would.
With young eyes yearning for approval, he met her gaze, laying his soul out at her feet instead.
“I just wanted to be the best…for you, My Lady. That’s all I ever want.”
Twin blood moons regarded him in the chocolate sky, searching his face for something. Any inch of disobedience. The hint of hatred. A lie. But they found nothing, only honest adoration. As they should: Leukos had meant every word. With every fiber of his being.
“You did it for me?” Her touch softened―aura shifted―on the brink of change. “Is that why you tried to keep going?”
Leukos nodded, wanting to touch her back, even just a toe would be enough…anything. But he was not allowed unless invited. It wasn’t proper. Instead, he touched her face with his eyes, reaching where he could not. “Yes. I can be better than all of them. For you, My Lady…” He dared to press his chin further against her palm, looking up at her through his long lashes. “…I can be better than perfect.”
A pin could drop louder than a cannon in the vacuum left behind by his declaration. But it had been enough: the woman’s ruby lips parted, revealing a crescent of white teeth as she stroked his cheek. “So you shall be, my Little Gem. My precious Leukos…”
She could have slit his throat in that moment and he would have thanked her for it, that’s how far beyond bliss Leukos was. He would have cried, were it not for how he knew she disliked seeing tears on his face. No, it was enough to hold that back and just savor those priceless words, and the warmth of the hand on his cheek.
The hand of His Lady. The one he belonged to. Who wanted him.
Like a gentle lick from a mother cat, her finger traced along the curve of his little nose, tapping it thoughtfully as she smiled. “You’re such a funny little creature, Leukos. I’ve never had one quite like you before…” Her finger traveled lower, brushing against his lips again. “I wonder if you’re the only one of your kind with these feelings.”
Leukos didn’t have an answer for that question; he had no thoughts on the matter. In his young eyes, all that counted was the world he was able to see himself, to be a part of. And in the world of glittering jewels, chamber music, and perfumed nobles, he was blessed to be a part of it: even if his only purpose was to bring pleasure to them. Why would anybody want anything else?
Well, it would seem other people had different feelings on the matter, as the other slave in the room, who’d been silently watching the disturbing exchange, was looking at Leukos now like he was some kind of strange ocean dweller that had crawled up onto the shore. Her look was of disgust. Or bewilderment. Perhaps a combination of the two? Regardless, she clearly did not harbor the same feelings for her mistress as he did…and Leukos couldn’t fathom why.
Lady Kashian however, was not privy to this look, back turned to the girl as she drew her hand away from the boy’s face. “Well, it is of no matter. Clearly you are not feeling challenged enough in the course you are currently enrolled in. Shall I move you into the upper division Leukos, to receive more rigorous training?”
He smiled back at her, nodding once again. “Yes, My Lady; I would like that very much.”
“Well, then it shall be done. I will talk to the right people about it: I am sure an exception can be made.” Pushing against his cheek with her finger, she turned his head around again, resuming brushing his long hair. “For today, we shall have to select an outfit which covers your legs; I don’t want anyone to see those unsightly marks. Perhaps the golden leggings, with the embroidered rose vest and blue silk tunic…and your hair…in a braid? Yes, with the golden hoops and blue ribbon woven in…that will be beautiful. Nadiya,” She stopped to look at her attendant, who seemed to jump in her slippers at the sudden attention. “Have him dressed like that. But leave some stray strands loose, to frame his face. You remember how I like it? And bring the red kamanche as well: Lady Havanna might bring her slave girl along, and we can’t have her hogging the spotlight all to herself, not when Leukos has been practicing on it so much lately.”
The girl bowed once again, muttering her affirmation. It would seem she was still a bit shook from earlier, but those slow to adapt and recover hardly lasted in her line of work; she was already regaining her attentively ambivalent attitude. With that out of the way, the older woman resumed where she had left off, shifting in her velvet seat as her dress rustled like bird’s feathers. And Leukos contently sat below her knees as she ran the brush through his hair, sending rose petals drifting across the purple sea, ships sent on lazy journeys by the steady swishing of his little feet.
This was happiness. This was enough. If he died here, right now, it would be with a smile on his face.
And then he choked.
[Word Count: 3,188]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:57 pm
|✦| Butterfly Wings and Beautiful Things |✦|
Leukos opened his eyes, hacking up the water that had invaded his defenseless lungs. The water that had been still as death itself but a moment earlier was cleaved into a thousand choppy pieces as it sloshed over the sides of the wooden washtub, dashed away by his flailing limbs. Eyes watering, he successfully expunged every last drop from his chest, squinting around him.
He’d fallen asleep.
The water had wrapped itself around him like a warm blanket, and it would appear Leukos had been more worn out by the events of the day than he had realized. Gods…that would have been embarrassing: drowning in a bath tub. Not the most glamorous way to go. But the tub was no longer steaming, the water gone cold. What had been a soothing soak was now a chilly death-trap, something Leukos could do without. He climbed out and set the thing draining, inspecting his shriveled finger tips as the mini cyclone danced at the bottom of the tub.
How long had he been sitting in there? How late was it? Hard to tell, with only one small window in the room. The lantern he’d brought had gone out, so that had to mean something? Regardless, it was time to get mobile; there was nothing he hated quite like being covered in cold water. Towel drying as quickly as he could, Leukos pulled on the simple tunic and pants he’d brought to the bath room, squeezing out his hair. The contact made him pause, remembering the dream he’d had.
No, not quite…it had been a memory. An old one. What had made that one in particular crop up again? Any lingering joy he felt as its residue was brushed away from his mind was soured, leaving him scowling at the floor.
He’d been such a mess back then.
Well, he was still a mess: but at least he was aware of it now. How he ever could have felt anything but loathing towards that manipulative b***h was something of a twisted miracle itself. No one in their right mind should have felt any happiness in that place.
But he supposed…he hadn’t been of right mind. He couldn’t have been; not with that kind of brainwashing. Maybe he had been a little crazy…or just crazy desperate. Being a child, raised in that kind of environment, with so much toxic energy and emotions…who could blame him for developing the way he did? He had just been a kid. He hadn’t known any better: how messed up the whole situation was. It was any wonder he wasn’t more ******** up…
Okay, that might be a bit off too: he was still plenty
But all things considered, he was doing pretty well.
Ish. Well-ish, maybe.
Definitely not so hot lately. But he really only had himself to blame for that, much like all the other jacked up things that had gone wrong in his life thus far. Which was quite a hefty list. Lots of rather ugly spots he’d rather just forget about. This would likely just go down as another one.
He collected his things and set off into the inn, finding his way through the shaded corridors by flickering candle light. Had to be the evening, if not night by now. But he found that even as he stepped into his room and sat on the edge of the comfy bed, he was not tired. With a perplexed look, he lied down on the thing, scooting up to nestle his head against the plush pillow.
Okaaay…apparently not sleepy.
He should be. Even after that rude wake-up call from his impromptu nap, he could feel the weariness lying heavy in his bones, body eager to tap out and just say so-long to the rigors of the day. He should be emotionally exhausted too. He had been. He remembered feeling like that when he’d sunken into the wooden bath earlier. So…what had happened?
Leukos fiddled with a lock of wet hair over his shoulder, picking the strands apart as he muddled over the issue. The motions drew him away again, off that bed and into the shade of his memory. Rose petals. Marbled faces. Bloody eyes.
He shook his head, shooing the thoughts away. But the ghosts seemed particularly persistent tonight, pawing at his consciousness for attention. What was the big deal? What was so special about that memory in particular?
But maybe, it wasn’t the memory…it was the feeling? That despite how much he hated to admit it now, back then, he’d been…happy? At least in that moment? He’d proven himself in some way, laid a part of his heart open for attacks. And even if it was twisted, and perverted, she had presented…a fondness for him. Something he had been so hungry for, dumb enough to gobble up any scrap given to him, even if it was laced with poison.
He’d just wanted to be wanted.
Like a golden chime in the dark, he was brought back to another memory, one far fresher. Sitting in a wagon, with an injured, drunk boy. Hadn’t he thought the exact same thing?
Leukos scowled, staring up at the wooden boards of the ceiling. Yeah, maybe he had. So what? It didn’t mean anything. That was done; he was going to cut it off. Move on with a fresh start again.
‘He’d wanted you.’
The harsh lines on his face softened, unclenching the duvet between his fists. Yeah…maybe Niamh had wanted him…. But it was too late now: he’d messed it up. Big time. He’d been dumb and careless and horny, acting like an angsty teenager the moment feelings had started creeping up on him again. And he’d hurt not one, but TWO boys in the process. Boys who didn’t deserve that kind of treatment. No one did. That was why he was going to accept the punishment tomorrow, and leave the city. And this time, he wasn’t going to leave a letter for Niamh. That had worked so frickin FLAWLESSLY last time. He’d learned his lesson. Nope, clean break, that was best. For all parties involved.
‘He might still want you.’
“No…that’s not fair. That’s playing dirty.” He smacked his forehead, trying to drive away the voice as he growled. “******** you. You don’t get to come in here, when I’m feeling like s**t, and try to sprinkle that hope-nonsense all over me. Let me wallow in peace.”
‘Do you want him too?’
The growl caught in his throat, petering down into a whimper “Stop it…I can’t go through this again.” His fingers pushed back into his hair, then down, cupping his face as he curled up into a ball on his side, whispering against his palms, “You know the answer to that…it’s the same every damn time…”
‘Why shouldn’t you be together?’
“Because…” He felt moisture at the corners of his eyes, treacherous little goblins prickling him with their tiny spears. “I don’t-“
‘You deserve to be happy.’
He gasped on a sob, clutching his hands at his chest as he shut his eyes. Did he though? Did he deserve it? He’d done so many messed up things, done them willingly, done them happily…things that no child should ever have to endure. But he had. May the Gods forgive him…he had. And now he was like this. This absolute, self-destructive, disgusting, self-depreciating mess of a man. Maybe this was his penance: to suffer and die alone?
‘Shut up.’
Leukos curled up tighter, burying his face into the pillow.
‘You know none of that was your fault. So why are you being like this?’
“Because…” He mumbled into the fabric, letting his tears mingle with the dampness left behind by his hair. “It WAS.”
‘No it wasn’t. You never chose that life. You took the s**t hand that was dealt to you, and you survived; and no one can ******** say a thing about that.’
He clutched the pillow to his chest, wrapping his legs around it in a tight embrace. “But…what if they do? What if HE does? What if he finds out and he…” He buried another choked sob into the pillow, clutching it tighter with clawed fingers. “…he rejects me? He leaves?”
‘Whatever. Screw him. If he does, then he wasn’t worth your time, or your love, in the first place. What kinda shallow p***k could judge you for something you regretted, but were forced to do? The kinda p***k that should go choke on a stone, that’s who.’
His fingers loosened, the angry ligaments lying once again at rest beneath his skin. “But…I think I’ve fallen pretty hard for him. What if I mess this whole thing up? What if I chase him away, and I never find anyone else-“
‘Bullshit. That’s a lie and you know it. You’re smart. You’re funny. You’re kind. And you’re a sexy piece of tail that knows more tricks in the bedroom than half the men in Oba. There will always be someone else. And maybe that someone else will actually deserve you.’
“But…” He opened his puffy eyes, staring at the closed door. “I don’t want anyone else. I want him. I want Niamh.”
‘Then go get him.’
As the words left his lips in a voice more confident in himself than he realized he was even capable of, it was like a whole other person had slipped into his skin, fire coursing through his veins where once there’d only been blood. He tossed the pillow aside and jumped off the bed, working with so much newfound drive he didn’t even know what to do with himself. Should he just leave, go right now? Would he even be able to say what he wanted, would Niamh listen? Could he form coherent sentences? That was up for debate, he was working off quite the high right now. If he’d just gotten cheated on by the man he thought he’d loved, what would make him feel better?
Poetry.
Hell yeah. So what if it was tacky and overplayed? Maybe Niamh would hate it, or think it was dumb. Who cares? If he can’t appreciate the message, and see how much it meant to Leukos, then he wasn’t the right guy for him after all.
He vibrated over to the desk in his room, gathering together the materials faster than a streak of lightning. Scratching out phrases and measuring meters, he went through countless pieces of paper, leaving a battlefield of fallen balls of paper scattered around his feet. But he wasn’t going to let himself stop, even if trying to put his true feelings out there in so few words was like pulling his own teeth out of his skull. It was painful. He cringed. He swore. But the damned thing got done, and before he could stop to proof read it one more time, he slapped it into an envelope, afraid to spend any more time on it.
Then he was out the door and down the stairs, running out into the night without his shoes on.
He didn’t care.
Each star shone brighter than the sun. Every word was a song. The shadows were lovers, dancing along the walls and streets in mad revelry. He saw a pink rose and ripped it right off the bush, cutting his finger open on ragged thorns.
He didn’t care.
His wet hair whipped behind him like the tail of a frisky cat, flicking wet droplets onto the faces of people he passed in the street. His feet carried him through the dirt and dust, pirouetting and leaping past gawking onlookers.
He didn’t care.
Things always went to s**t when he thought. No more thinking. No questioning himself, doubting and weighing every move. No stopping to consider the next course of action. He wasn’t going to stop. He might wake tomorrow and regret, the old Leukos might come back with hell to pay.
But tonight he was a new man. A free man. Screw the past. Screw the future. What mattered was the present. And right now, he felt more alive that he had in weeks, months even.
Nothing mattered, and everything mattered.
The world didn’t make sense. He didn’t make sense.
And that was the beauty of it.
Like a winter storm blowing in, he strode through the doors of the inn he’d dropped the boy off at just hours earlier, carrying lighting in his eyes and thunder in his smile. The woman behind the front desk jumped clear out of her skin when he entered, dropping the papers she had been shuffling. Like some unfathomable god, his presence bore in on her, pure confidence and unchecked charisma rolling off of him in waves. “Where is Niamh Lorcan?”
Dumbfounded, she blinked, staring up at the man she might have seen earlier, yet nothing about him felt the same. “I-I beg your pardon?”
He launched his gleaming smile at her, bowing low as his now almost air-dry hair swept the floor, loose and free in all its glory. “Niamh Lorcan, my fair lady. I need to know where he is. I have words for him, some caught on a paper, and some that can only be sung when two hands touch. Which room is he in?”
Caught wholly unprepared, the poor woman began to speak, nearly telling him before she stopped herself in time. “I-I’m sorry, sir. I c-can’t give you that information. Customer confidentiality…I could lose my job. But, I can say…he’s not here. Well, he’s here, just not HERE, right NOW. He has a room with us. But he’s, umm, yes, not here? Oh goodness, you are very…WOW…umm-”
Leaning across the counter, he placed a slender finger on her lips, silencing any more stream of thought that might try to escape. “That is enough, kind lady; I do not wish to get you into any trouble. Trouble is grand, but not the kind that makes you lose your job. I should know: I happen to have partaken in that brand of trouble today.” He winked, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “But that is why I am here; to set things right. If he is not present, then I shall leave this with you.” He placed the letter under her stunned hands, patting them with an air of finality. “Make sure he gets that; I’m afraid I left a piece of my heart inside, and it would be a shame if it was to get lost. I am rather fond of my heart, but I seem to have made it a habit of giving it to the wrong people. I hope he is not one of them.”
He presented the blush rose to her with all the grandeur one might expect from a fairytale prince, placing it in the cup of water on her desk. “Now, this flower carries a rather momentous metaphorical significance to the contents of that envelope, so I would appreciate it if this found its way into Niamh Lorcan’s hands as well. Preferably, not dead. That would be rather tragic. Again, the significance of that tragedy may not be apparent, but trust me: it is vast. So please, keep it safe for me?”
She glanced from the rose, to the envelope, then back at the enigma of a man, grabbing words out of the air and forcing them out. “Yes. I will. To all of it. Is there...anything else?”
“Yes, there is.” He reached, placing his large hand atop hers. “Fall in love. Dance. Cry. Laugh. Do it all. Fear is a dagger we wield upon ourselves. Don’t let it rule your life. I may not be the same man tomorrow; this may only be a phase. But I don’t care. Stop caring once in a while. You’ll be amazed what you can accomplish.” He pulled her close as he leaned over the counter, kissing her with all the passion he felt coursing though his veins. Her eyes barely had time to widen before he was gone, hand on the door as he saluted goodbye. “I wasn’t able to give that to him, so you may keep it instead. Farewell, Beautiful Lady!”
He ran his hands over his face as the door shut behind him, out in the chill of the night again. His feet were cut and his clothes were damp: from the hair down his back or the sweat of his exertion, he couldn’t tell. While that usually would have troubled him, now…he couldn’t be bothered to give a damn. And that felt amazing. He started running back to his hotel...but along the same route he came? Who knew? His laughter at the whole nonsense of it all boomed like a battle cry through the night, heralding his coming before he came barreling through.
Maybe he was crazy. But this was the good kind of crazy, the crazy that tasted like stolen kisses and champagne wishes, like butterfly wings and beautiful things.
Life was a poem. And so was he.
[Word Count: 2,833]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:58 pm
|✦| A Poem for Niamh |✦|
...
I found a garden,
It’s earth ripe for love.
The soil untilled,
It waited
For a tender touch.
And
Drunk with power,
I planted
A treacherous seed.
...
To my great surprise,
A flower sprouted.
But in folly,
I tended
To the thirsty bloom.
Vain
Without thinking,
Or carring
If it wanted me.
...
These hands are too rough,
To handle soft hearts.
All that they touch,
Are poisoned
And rotted by time.
Fear
Drove me away,
Leaving alone
The flower to wilt.
...
But I did not see;
I did not want to.
And now I ask,
A question
Intended for you:
Love
Can a flower,
Once crushed
Ever bloom again?
...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 4:59 pm
|✦| An Overwhelming Declaration |✦| Leukos and NiamhLeukos is surprised to find his hotel room decked out in lavish bouquets, and wastes little time in tracking down the boy responsible so that he can thank him personally. Link
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:00 pm
|✦| Taking the Plunge |✦| Leukos and NiamhTaking an impromptu trip out of the city, Niamh coaxes Leukos into trying something he's been rather hesitant to take on: cliff diving. Link
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:06 pm
|✦| How Much Do I Owe You? |✦| Leukos and SajahkaA completely unexpected reunion with Sajahka leaves Leukos confused and wary, but when it becomes clear no one else can help the man, he takes on the task of finding work for him and a new place to stay. Link
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
