[FIN] A Long Time (Eziya/Serr)

[Smerdle]

They had been in Belpol for months now: Serr, Fiia, and Thess. His aunt was thriving here, selling standard Tale fare to a new and appreciative audience, and Thess seemed to enjoy being her delivery boy more than Serr ever had at his age.

The storage city wasn't a bad place to be, all things considered, but he wasn't learning anything here except how to wait. Serr knew he was quite a bit better than the worst thief he had ever known, though that was hardly a consolation when he wanted to be the best. He needed to move on before he did something stupid like he had so many times before, something that made it necessary for them to pull up their tentative roots and leave before people got suspicious.

Today had started off slowly. Serr got as far away from the space his little family shared as he could, donning a sandy cloak and crouching in a large stand of tall rocks to one side of the trade road. Normally, it was quite busy, but every so often a lone traveler passed through, thinking themself safe enough while the sun blazed overhead. They were safe enough. Serr just wanted a trophy.

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

Eziya had been enjoying the freedom Oba had brought her. While she was still expected to check in with the group every now and then, for the most part she was able to travel all by herself and do her own exploring to find people in need. She had decided outside of Belpol was as good a place as any to start searching for anyone in need of help. She wasn't exactly sure what she would find, but hopefully she would find someone. It had been a while since she'd gotten to help anyone really. Oba was a large place place after all, but she was just sure she could locate others to help. If she didn't find anyone then she would be failing at doing her job.

Sighing to herself, she adjusted her pack resting on her hip. She had been walking for a while now and hadn't seen anyone else on the road for at least an hour. Should she turn back? She didn't want to just idly walk into danger, but maybe someone else was out there needing her help. She couldn't just turn back now! There was a bunch of tall rocks off to the side of the road, so perhaps she could at least rest for a moment.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Someone was coming. A woman, by herself. Serr actually noticed her pack before he saw that she was female, and that lack of attention was probably the main reason why he didn't remotely recognize her.

He crept around the far side of the rocks until only one of them was between the Shifter and himself. Then he calmly drew a knife and pressed its cold flat to her side.

"Let me see that bag and no one will get hurt."

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

Oh this was just her luck. She goes out to attempt to help people and gets robbed instead. Of all the things to happen she hadn't expected this. It wasn't exactly like she could defend herself either. She was a healer, not any sort of battler. She could barely cast a simple air spell. Her talents were strictly defensive and trying to fight back may just piss the guy off. The cold weapon against her side made her incredibly nervous, and if she wasn't careful one wrong move would hurt quite a bit. The best thing she could really do was offer help and be agreeable. Hopefully that would work in some way.

Way to not pay attention, Eziya.

"There is no need to resort to violence, sir. Just relax and put the knife down. My pack is yours to look through, but I promise you won't find much. Just some books and a few small trinkets. Maybe some leftover food if you're hungry enough for it. You picked a bad target to rob," Eziya tried to say calmly, but there was a slight hitch in her voice giving away how nervous she was. She tried shifting her head to get a glance at who her attacker was, but all she could really tell was that he was a Leafling.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Serr didn't care if she was nervous, but he did wilt a bit when she declared herself a bad target. He hadn't expected her to be rich or anything, but a jeweled ring given by a husband or a trinket passed down from mother to daughter for generations or something would have sufficed. Of course, she could be lying about her situation to get him to give up before he had begun.

He moved his knife from her person to her bag and nudged it open slightly.

No. She wasn't lying at all.

He was struck by a feeling of familiarity as the bag fell closed, like he had once rifled through a very similar one a long time ago. Suddenly unsure as to whether or not he was making a mistake with this target in particular, Serr removed his knife from the equation completely, resheathing it at his side. He leaned forward, catching sight of her profile and the crystal on her forehead, which was even more familiar than her bag. He smiled.

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

"Serr?" Eziya was shocked to see the familiar face peek into her view. Well, somewhat familiar anyway. It had been three years since she had last saw him, and boy had the years been kind to him. He was taller than when she had first met him, and a lot more muscular. She couldn't help it as her eyes slowly trailed over his practically washboard stomach. The years had been very kind.

She could feel her cheeks heating up as she realized just what she was doing and quickly glanced back up at his smiling face, hoping he hadn't noticed. Though it was a bit obvious much to her displeasure. It took a second for her brain to click before she realized just why they were in this situation. Then she was confused.

"Were you really just trying to rob me?" She questioned, though her features were still soft. Whatever it was he had been planning was all but forgotten at the realization that it was him. She really had missed her favorite Leafling.

Smerdle

Neeeeeeeerds. XD Also yay for getting a reply in while I'm at work! B)

 

[Smerdle]

At first the young man's smile persisted because she had recognized him, but it remained when he noticed where her attention had strayed, mellowing into something both teasing toward her and tinged with cheeky pride. Pretty girls had looked at him before now, though he'd had little time for dalliances and permanence with how much he moved around. Eziya was pretty too, but mostly what he saw was a more concentrated version of that girl from the past. Confident, intelligent, free.

"Not trying. I would have done it. But you're you, so I didn't. I already have something of yours anyway." He held up his hand, showing off his ring. "You shouldn't have let me," he murmured. "An elbow here..." He tapped the skin just under his ribs, some quiet part of him hoping he drew her eyes again. "...and a knee... in other places. You could have gotten away." That she would have also received a nasty slice for her trouble didn't concern him. Injuries healed. It was more important that she not be taken advantage of for being kind and trusting, not even by him. "I could teach you. How to get away, I mean."

OpticPeachx

:B

 

[OpticPeach]

"You actually kept the ring!" Eziya exclaimed, nearly bouncing with how pleased she was by the fact he had kept her gift. She had thought maybe he would have gotten rid of it over time, or at least kept it in a pack of some sort, but there it was resting on the same finger it had been when he'd first received it. She brushed her hand along the back of her head, lifting up the feather he had given her. "I still wear the feather you gave me too."

When he mentioned how she could have stopped him, her eyes automatically trailed down to where he was pointing, causing her to be looking over his impeccable abs once more as well as the rest of him. She noticed the scar along his side, reaching her hand out to touch the spot gently.

"I could never imagine harming someone though. Not like Jyn did to you, or even just to get away from something. I don't know if I could bring myself to do it, being a healer and all. It's still my job to help people." Her fingers lightly caressed the scar on his side as she shook her head. No, she'd never be able to harm anyone, especially if that someone happened to be him.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

Of course he had kept it! Serr was almost... well... not offended, but maybe concerned that she thought he might have gotten rid of the ring, but the tides quickly turned when she showed him the feather. His immediate reaction was to ask her why she still had that old thing, but considering how he had just felt, he kept his mouth shut. He had held onto the ring because it made him happy to see it on his finger every day. He could only assume she felt the same about the trinket he had given her, so he smiled and nodded briefly at the sight of it.

Though he was still rather wary of touch, he hadn't been averse to hers, so it surprised him when his spine straightened under her scrutiny. He swallowed and looked away.

"If you like. Whoever was trying to hurt you would deserve it."

But enough of that. Serr took a deep breath and glanced down at her. The odds had been slim enough that they would ever meet again. He wasn't going to sully their reunion by trying to force her to do something she didn't want to.

"So what have you been doing down here besides helping people? I haven't been any deeper into Oba than this to see what else there is to do."

OpticPeachx

sorry i was horrible about tagging today ;; i was working on a silly among other things c:

 

[OpticPeach]

"Well....I've been getting lost. A lot," she chuckled, grinning a bit sheepishly at him. Oba was so much different than Tale, and while the Leaflings were pleasant to her for the most part due to constantly seeing her kind, the Firelings were a bit different. Of course it was odd to see a Shifter among them, but no reason for them to avoid her so much. Her fingers made their way back to the feather in her hair where she continued to play with it, a habit she had ended up developing since the feather always made her smile.

"Other than that I haven't really done much other than a bit of traveling. My Xaraan usually helps keep me company, but the pesky girl has wandered off again. Though perhaps that was a good thing. She may have pecked you quite a bit if she had shown up."

There she was doing all the talking again too. Something Serr was probably used to by now, even if she had tried to not do as much. He had asked though....but she still didn't want to bother him with all her talk. Clamping her mouth shut for a moment, she struggled to think of something to say that wouldn't lead to her overwhelming him with words once more. A bit hard all things considered.

"So....what have you been up to? Other than working out, obviously," she said quickly, motioning to his muscular self and instantly regretting it as she realized just what she had said.

Well that was an awkward thing to say to the man you haven't seen in three years. Way to fail at communicating, Eziya.

Smerdle

It's okay!! And AHHH! It's so cute! They're such big nerds and I adore it!!! heart whee

 

[Smerdle]

Ah, yes. Lost. Serr was quite familiar with being lost himself, though he was reluctant to admit as much. Bakers, thieves, and scrubby kids weren't particularly well known for their inherent directional skills. Healers too, he supposed.

"Protective, huh?" he asked. "Your Xaraan." He had known of plenty of people in Yera with smaller pets, but they rarely had any companions that could be ridden. The things he could imagine himself pulling off with a loyal animal of any size to distract his marks were nothing short of amazing.

Had he been aware that she thought she was speaking too much, he might have laughed. Serr appreciated her tendency toward chattiness. It meant he didn't have to talk much at all. Even so, he found himself standing straighter and smirking again, this time as a result of what he perceived as a compliment, though its direct nature was much less amusing than her covert, flustered staring. While his active nature and inability to remain still for very long had molded him into a muscular youth, boredom on the road had contributed to maintaining and improving his physique. Since it would be rather pathetic to admit he trained because he had nothing better to do, he said nothing at all on that particular matter.

"We've been traveling since almost right after I met you. My aunt, me, and Thess, this kid we picked up." Thess was all right, more like a brother than the protege Serr had planned. In fact, he was turning sixteen this year and already knew most of the older thief's tricks. Hmph. "I think Fiia likes it in town a lot. I really want to move on." He couldn't keep a dash of petulance out of his voice, his frustration with permanence taking on an audible form.

He cleared his throat, itching to be moving again even now. "You need help finding your bird?"

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

"If you'd like to move on you're always welcome to travel with me. I can't say it'll be the most interesting of times, but you'd be able to travel with me! And maybe I wouldn't get as lost." Eziya chuckled, grabbing his hand in hers in her excitement. She'd love to have him as a traveling companion, and even if he didn't travel with her she would like to at least see his family. She was curious to meet his aunt and the new boy they had picked up. Serr seemed incredibly close to her, and the fact that she had been the one to raise him into such an incredible guy said a lot.

At the mention of Gift, she smiled. The bird really did know how to run off and get into things she wasn't supposed to. She didn't know Oba well enough to go chasing after her, and with the heat bringing her down so much she wasn't sure she even could. Even with what little she wore she was still overheating in the hot sun. Nothing at all like how it was in Jauhar and Tale. She couldn't exactly strip down more either.

"Oh I wouldn't want to bother you with that. She can be kind of a hassle sometimes. Always running off and getting into trouble," she laughed. Chasing down a giant cranky bird was probably not something she would consider exciting, but with how active Serr was he'd probably enjoy it quite a bit.

Smerdle

 

[Smerdle]

His gaze dipped to their clasped hands and Serr smirked, tightening his fingers experimentally for a brief moment before relaxing them back into a less giddy grip. He was relieved to note that he didn't jump or freeze at her touch this time, though he certainly didn't forget that he had done so in the first place by any means. The reaction had sparked formless questions in his mind that were easy enough to push aside for now, though he knew they would still have to be addressed when they solidified.

"Yes," he said, nearly at a whisper. Serr raised his eyes and his voice, looking at her properly as he continued. "I'll come along. I've just got to tell my aunt, but that won't take long. And, don't worry," he said, even though he was quite sure she needed no reassurance, "Traveling doesn't have to be exciting all the time or anything, it just has to be... happening." He had no doubt he would enjoy exploring Oba with Eziya indefinitely, or at least until she tired of his company. He would see to it that she was protected as well, since she wouldn't do so herself.

Clearing his throat a second time and easing his hand out of hers, Serr found himself at a momentary loss for words, even more so than usual. He had no idea how Fiia would react if he brought a Shifter she'd never met back to their temporary home, though he hoped she wouldn't make too much of it. She had a tendency to fawn over him as it was, and he could only imagine this would encourage behavior that was quite a bit worse. More embarrassing, to be specific.

"Is there anywhere I could meet you after I get my things?" He scratched at the back of his neck, losing eye contact as he was prone to. "Unless you wanted to come? I don't want to keep you if you have something to do."

OpticPeach

 

[OpticPeach]

"Wait, you actually will? Seriously? Oh this is so exciting!!" Eziya squealed happily, throwing her arms around Serr and giving him a tight hug. She was ecstatic at the fact that he had actually agreed, more so than she thought she would be. Sure she had been used to traveling with others before, but this was different. Now she was traveling with Serr. She could actually go around and help people and show him just what she did with her life! On top of being able to see him all the time now instead of hoping to bump into him again.

"If you're afraid of me meeting your aunt I can always wait for you here while you get your things. I wouldn't want to cause any issues with your family. I can attempt to be patient.....maybe.....hopefully? Yeah. Sure I can!" she said quickly, saying the last part more to herself than to him. She wanted to meet his aunt, but if he wasn't ready for it she wouldn't push it. She could hate Shifters for all she knew, though she hoped it wasn't that.

Smerdle

Sorry for this being short! Dealing with floodpocalypse.

 

[Smerdle]

He wasn't quite prepared for this level of enthusiasm. The hug startled a sharp laugh from Serr, and he gave Eziya a quick squeeze in return, much like the hand clasp he had already administered but on a much larger and more awkward scale. Honestly he was amazed that she was so obviously happy about the prospect of traveling with him. Maybe she wouldn't tire of his company after all.

Serr kept his arms loosely looped around her lower back, aware of every second she remained so close but wary of stepping away. It was one thing to drop her hand. Surely it would be rude to just back off. He wondered what the passersby thought, the stories they were concocting as they pretended not to see. Stories of giddy young lovers, stupid starry-eyed children who couldn't keep their hands off of each other. The kind of people he took advantage of and never wanted to be. He decided right then that he wasn't going to care what other people thought about the things they knew nothing of. Too bad it wasn't that simple. Too bad he might have been starting to feel a little giddy himself.

"Oh, no. You wouldn't cause any problems. Fiia would like you a lot." The liking part had never really been in question. But the stories his aunt would make up would be the worst ones of all. Serr fidgeted. "You can come. It's no problem."

OpticPeachx

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i actually always start out trying to only write a little bit because Serr isn't meant to talk a lot and then his brain has a lot to say instead XD
so short is always fine for any reason! <3