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 Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 3:00 am
Sakn couldn't help but laugh when his friend reacted so dramatically to the random tidbit, though his face did fall into seriousness when Xiu tried to wave it off as a childs story. Sakn's own father had told him that story, there for it had to be true. The redhead huffed and crossed his arms, hip leaned against the side of the craft.
"I's true! Mah da tol'me awl 'bout it. He says i's some kinda dragon or somethin'. Supposed ta protect us from," he lowered his voice at this point, as if the information he was telling couldn't be heard by just anyone. Or maybe he spoke low because he didn't want to draw the creature they spoke of's attention. One of the two. "them outsida's. Course, who's t'say someone trained d'monster to tell friend from foe, y'know?"
He shrugged then, because in his world Sakngea wasn't afraid of no sea monster and there for had no reason to worry. "Dun' worry, though! I'll protect us," he added with a thumbs up in his friends direction, reassuring Xiu as much as he could. And while Sakngea wouldn't plausibly be able to protect the two of them from a giant, boat-swallowing scaly sea monster, he would try his hardest to protect Xiu from anyone and anything. That, in Sakn's world, was what you did for a friend.
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Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 8:08 pm
Xiu flushed pink when Sakn laughed and crossed his arms with a huff. He looked Sakn up and down, his own mouth setting into an equally stubborn line. Sakn’s creepy voice derailed him though and Xiu couldn’t help an involuntary shudder of nervousness. This…couldn’t possibly true.
“I…I d-don’t believe it!” He was appalled that his voice squeaked. Xiu scooted a little closer to the redhead, but the male between him and the water. He peered around the line of Sakn’s body as if the creature would suddenly spring up. His friend’s assurances did little to sooth him. If anything, it made Xiu realize that he was a being a huge baby about some…story! Sakn didn’t seem worried after all, quite happy about the whole thing it seemed.
Well, Xiu wasn’t about to look like some scaredy cat. “Lets try and catch it!” He cried boldly, looking up and Sakn but still sticking close. “W-well catch it and show everyone how brave and manly we are. You can show me how to fish at the same time too, you know?” He was babbling now, but he didn’t care. He’d do anything to keep his overactive imagination from lingering over a mythical beast of the deep.
He’d fish for the rest of the day too. Just to prove how much of a man he really was.
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:32 pm
Sakn couldn't hide the smile that cracked his face when Xiu so excitedly demanded that they capture the sea-beast. It was an improbable and near impossible feat, but just the determination and eagerness in his friends eyes made the redhead grin like a fool. He chuckled lightly and slapped his arm around the shorter boys back, clasping his shoulder tightly under his large hand. "Y'wanna catch d'great beast?" he asked, raising a brow as he glanced down at Xiu, "Y'think y'could handle the challenge, do ya?"
It was a thought best left to dreams. That's what Sakn's father would say, but Sakngea didn't say that. Instead he nodded and motioned for Xiu to follow him to the rear of the boat, where there were three large, metal rod poles welded to the boat. These were the industrial rods they used to catch large game fish, and in seconds Sakn had one of the rods ready, line loose and bait sinking deep down into the ocean.
"Now, we wait," he said calmly before sitting down on the deck near the rod, back nestled up against the edge of the boat. He not so gently tugged Xiu down next to him and grinned.
"Dis c'uld take a while," he added. Because sometimes fishing could take forever. Sakn enjoyed the time out on the water, with the waves gently slapping the sides of the boat, and the winds whistling past. But he wasn't sure if Xiu was up to wait as long as he was.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 4:04 pm
“Of course I can handle it!” Xiu piped up, expression looking as fierce as it could look on such a young face. It didn’t last long because Sakn’ smiling made him smile and that arm around his shoulder was making him blush as well. For a split second, Xiu felt embarrassed for an entirely different and new reason. Sakn’ was touching him in a still friendly manner, but it made Xiu feel kind of warm and fuzzy on the inside. He leaned into the redhead just barely and thanked the gods when Sakn pulled away.
Shaking the stupid feeling off as just that, stupid, Xiu followed behind Sakn across the deck. He watched with interest as the lines were dropped and was thinking that Sakn must be really strong to handle those metal rods with such ease. Xiu was watching everything sink into the ocean with a little smile of excitement. Even if it wasn’t a monster, they had to catch something at least!
At Sakn’s pull, Xiu flopped down beside the male with an “oomph” of surprise. “Ow!” He frowned, giving Sakn’s arm a punch before he settled down again. “And I don’t mind waiting.” The weather was perfect and the sound of the ocean was just so soothing. He was sitting next to Sakn too, which was nice and…oh gods, that warm feeling was back.
Xiu vaguely realized he was completely and utterly content sitting shoulder to shoulder with his best friend. Sakn was there and real and wasn’t going to be leaving anywhere. At least, he hoped not. For now though, Xiu happy. With a sigh, he rested his head lightly against Sakn’s shoulder, not caring if he got punched for it or not.
“Hey, Sakn,” Xiu started, staring out over the ocean, “do you really want to be a soul conduit?” It was question that he been bothering him for a while
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 9:49 pm
Sakn stiffened for a moment when Xiu's head fell on his shoulder. It was awkward and not a usual thing for the redhead, but he excused Xiu for it due to the fact that the boy must be exhausted from the day before. He just wanted to rest his head was all, so Sakn would let him.
Though he did scowl slightly and ruffle the boys hair, just to annoy him.
His hand, still tangled in Xiu's hair, paused when the boy asked him that question, and his face went shockingly neutral. He slowly pulled his hand back and tucked his left leg against his chest, holding it there as he mulled the question over.
"I don'know," the redhead answered after a moment, his green eyes drifting off towards the seas as he spoke. He didn't like personal questions, because it led to feelings and feelings led to places that Sakngea preferred not to be. But he felt, in that moment, that if he stopped there Xiu would only insist on him spilling the beans, so with a soft sigh, the boy continued, "My ma wants me t'become some kinda priest or somethin', because she wan's someone in d'family to do somethin'important with their life. But m'da...he," he waved agressively in the air, as if swatting off thoughts that buzzed around him like flies, "He...jus'wants a son to be there after d'wars over 'n'awl."
He frowned then and tugged gently on one of his braids. "I...I don' know what I wan'. I jus'wanna survive," he tried his hardest to hide the fear in his voice; the fear of death and loosing his loved ones. He tried his hardest because Sakn wanted to be brave for his friends. Always for his friends. He had to be immovable stone, unbreakable.
"Wha'bout you, Xiu? Do ya really wanna be a part of this whole...," he waved a hand towards the land, towards the war and the city and all of the turmoil that came as the sun fell, "thing," he finished on a bitter note.
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:08 am
For a moment, Xiu was positive he was going to get yelled at. He tensed when Sakn did, but when he only got his hair ruffled, he relaxed. Thank goodness that was Sakn’s only retaliation. They were only on a boat after all and there wasn’t that many places he could escape to.
Xiu leaned up slightly watched Sakn closely, alarmed at the sudden change of expression. Worried, he nearly touched Sakn’s shoulder, but held back, merely biting his lip as he listened. From what was being explained, Xiu sort of already understood some of that after having had dinner with the family. It was like Sakn was being torn in two and couldn’t make up his own mind.
The uncertainty that Xiu sensed finally made him reach up and unwind Sakn’s hand from his hair. Whether the redhead pulled away or not didn’t matter, Xiu held his hand for a moment, simply letting him know that it was okay. He regretted asking such a serious question.
“I…no. I don’t.” Xiu replied lowly, head resting against Sakn’s shoulder again. “It’s not fair. Any of it. But I think,” he looked up at the sky feeling the vastness of it, “you should do what you think is right Sakn. It doesn’t matter what your family wants from you. It’s what you want.” He smiled slightly, looking back to his friend again. “You’re strong Sakn and you’re kind. Whatever you choose to do with your life it’ll definitely be something important, you know?”
The youth felt silent for the moment, feeling the breeze on his face and the gentle rocking of the boat. Xiu sighed, turning his face against Sakn’s arm as if to hide from his own thoughts. “I wish we could stay out here forever and ever.” He whispered.
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 12:42 am
Sakngea's body was stiff again, his hand barely moved when Xiu wrapped it in his. His face went rigid and every part of his being demanded to pull away. This wasn't how men acted, this wasn't a strong thing, a brave thing. This was soft and gentle and sad, a touch that brought up emotions that Sakngea wished not to remember, or even feel.
The whole moment was different, and Sakn's mind was reeling. Xiu was speaking to him so openly, reassuring him, comforting him. It was pleasant, like his mother used to do, but it upset him at the same time. He wasn't supposed to need reassuring, he wasn't supposed to need this. So the young man pulled his hand away from Xiu's, tucking it against his chest with his other hand on top, his eyes never catching the other boys; only staring far out at the sea.
There was silence for a moment then, the breeze whistling across the waters, and then Xiu's face was pressed against his arm and he was whispering and Sakn felt his heart skip a beat because that was how he felt. He wished he could just disappear, leave all the turmoil on land where it belonged. He wished he could hide out at sea and live off the ocean, who was kind and gentle and strong all in one.
More silence then, and Sakngea debated with himself on how to respond. His ego urged him to deny these feelings, deny any feelings, to push Xiu away and tell him to be stronger. But there was a part of him that wanted nothing more then to reassure his friend in return. To make things better for Xiu.
"I wish tha' as well, Xiu," he said in a soft, neutral tone, his eyes shifting for a moment to look at the boy before turning back to the sea, "but it can't be dat way," he furrowed his brows then before gently lifting his arm, pulling away from Xiu, and in that moment, he made a choice between being a man and being a friend.
"Don' worry though, Xiu. You'n'me. We'll survive, an'tha's a promise," he spoke in the same tone, his eyes never leaving the sea, but while his voice held no reassurance, no real emotion; the way he draped his arm over the boy and awkwardly(stiffly too) held him to his side was surely reassurance enough.
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 1:13 am
He was waiting, waiting, and waiting in that moment for…something. Xiu was afraid though for those few seconds. Would Sakn push him away? Yell at him? But then that arm came to rest across his shoulders like it had always belonged there, assuaging that anxiety that had been building. Already Xiu was relaxing, leaning into that stiff and almost formal embrace, knowing how much it meant for Sakngea to do such a thing.
For the first time in his life, Xiu searched for words to say as he sat cuddled in Sakn’s embrace. There were so many things that he wanted to say and yet there wasn’t anything to be said that could make the world better or the war go away. It would be there when they got back and they would have to go back to living.
“I promise too.” Was all Xiu murmured as he sighed softly, taking in the scent that was purely Sakn and purely comfort. He knew things would have to go back to normal, but, for now, everything would be okay. They had each other and their promises and that would have to be enough to get them to the next day.
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