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 Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:32 am
[1/10]
Eyvin walked up to the exterior of a rowhouse with a little basket looped around one arm and a pebble in the other. Since it was the middle of the day there wasn’t much foot traffic so he didn’t have to worry about being seen, but there was still a part of him that worried. What if someone thought he was being naughty and tattled on him? Still, the longer he stood there, shuffling from one foot to the other, the more his mind was set.
With a hearty toss and a huff, Eyvin threw the pebble toward the tallest window. It failed miserably, falling short of hitting the house at all, as did the second and third attempts. The fourth hit the side of the building, just short of the window, but oh the seventh made it! By then he was tired and frustrated though, but at least he was making progress!
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:35 am
At first Zev wasn’t sure what the noise was outside. He’d thought it was a bird or passing creature, but when he heard someone hissing his name outside the little one pulled himself away from his studies toward the window. The sight that greeted him was a boy from his class, readying another stone to get his attention, tongue stuck out the side of his mouth in concentration. Before he could throw another one, though, Zev opened the window.
“Hi,” His voice was small and hoarse, still clearly affected by the illness that kept him cooped up.
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:40 am
[2/10]
Eyvin very nearly threw the next stone and pulled up short when Zev appeared. His friend was smiling, but Eyvin knew he was paler than he’d been the last time he was in class. There was a warmer hue around his cheeks, like a fever, and his eyes looked so tired. It was the first time he’d seen the other boy in a week and this…wasn’t how he’d wanted to greet him.
“Hi,” His own voice was small, but out of awkwardness instead. Lifting the basket, he held it up for inspection, “Do you still have the hook? Or I can bring it up.” The unspoken ’if you can’t lift it’ was there. Even on his best days when Zev was in class he wasn’t really able to play games like tag with the other boys. But, unlike Eyvin, the others didn’t pick on him for it. It was one thing to be held back from something and another entirely to choose not to participate.
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:43 am
When asked about the hook Zev nodded instead of responding and held up a finger before disappearing back into his room. He dug around under his mattress, in his secret hiding space, and produced a weird hooked contraption attached to a long chain of tied blankets. The ‘hook’ itself was an old copper spoon he’d stolen from the kitchen, one he’d stepped on until it bent, but it did the trick!
After returning to the window, Zev lowered the hook down to Eyvin’s level and held onto the ‘rope’. “How come you aren’t in class?” It was the middle of the day so why was he here?
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:47 am
[3/10]
Lying to Zev felt wrong. He and his sister were tiny and sick so saying he was ‘sick’ would be akin to smacking them in the face. Instead, he felt his cheeks darken in a blush and Eyvin looked down. “…I didn’t want to.” He made sure the basket was secured onto the hook before giving the blanket rope a test tug.
Trying to change the subject, Eyvin took a few steps back and looked up at the other boy. “I saw Yona in class earlier. She’s better but you’re still sick?”
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:51 am
Hand over hand Zev started to pull the basket up. Thankfully it wasn’t heavy enough to give him too much issue, though the repetitive motion was enough to make his tired limbs ache. “Sometimes it happens like that,” He croaked out, before stopping to cough. The boy very nearly dropped his hold on the rope when his body leaned against the windowsill just to catch a breath, but he pushed through. “Papa…papa made her wear a scarf though…and come home early.”
Getting the basket up to his level was tough work, but when he did it was a sweet reward. Inside the basket were tiny loaves of cinnamon bread and a few bottles of fresh apple cider. “They’re still warm.” He smiled, taking a moment to enjoy the smell.
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:56 am
[4/10]
The moment Zev started to cough Eyvin felt his heart go up into his throat. The sound was horrendous. It felt like his friend’s lungs were being shredded and even now, after the attack ‘settled’, the boy sounded so weak. He felt his hands move up to his shirt front to grasp at the fabric, a mist of tears springing up in his eyes. Maybe he shouldn’t have come. If he’d stayed away then Zev could have been resting or at least be able to take some medicine instead of lingering around the window with the open chill!
But then again…he looked so happy and that’s what Eyvin wanted. It was selfish, but he wanted to be the one to make him happy like that.
“I remembered you saying you liked cinnamon, but didn’t like apples so a tart was out. Uhm…and if you don’t feel like eating it now it tastes just as good cold.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 11:59 am
Zev shifted the basket so he could sit it on a table next to the window instead. When he came back he crossed his arms over the sill so he could lean against them, keen on talking to Eyvin despite his tiredness. At some point Papa would appear and tell him to go back to bed, but for now he was happy enough just having a moment with his friend.
“What have I missed? Are we still covering The Fisherman in class? I tried keeping up with the reading.” It was a dense book so sometimes the words crossed in front of his eyes, but his big brothers were pretty good about helping him, especially Colm. “I don’t want to fall behind again.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:03 pm
[5/10]
Now Eyvin was really blushing. “You’re missing class and you’re still doing better than me so I think you’re fine, Zev. You’re smart.” Eyvin…had no idea what the plot of The Fisherman was. It was such a boring, dry read that he hadn’t been able to do it by himself and when he asked for help from his parents….well, Papa was just as bored as he’d been!
Eyvin’s great-grandfather may have been Academy Elite, but he was not. Zev could have been, though, if he wasn’t a foreigner. And dying “We were talking about how the old man was an allegory for the….passage of generations? Or something like that.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 12:09 pm
He was only smart because there wasn't much else to do at home besides study. When he went back to school Zev wanted to make sure he didn't miss anything which usually led to him actually being a little bit ahead and that was alright with him. It made his transitions easier which in turn led to the boy being a little happier about his situation.
Not that that melancholy didn't get to him. The bad days were bad and seeing the way Eyvin looked at him...kind of scared him. He knew how bad he felt but how bad did he look to make his friend react that way?
"Hey, Eyvin? Would you...." Zev stopped to clear his throat, "Would you still visit me, even if I couldn't go to class anymore?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 3:49 pm
[6/10]
What...kind of question was that? "Of course I will; you're my friend and I miss you." No one else was patient enough to bring out the real Eyvin like Zev. He knew the other boy could have made friends with anyone, but he chose to wait until Eyvin was ready to play and that meant the world to him. "I'll come by everyday if you want me to, but I'm sure you'll feel better soon. Then you can come back to class."
At his tender age he didn't understand the nature of chronic illness and that tomorrow was never a guarantee. His friend, however, did and it showed in the way his eyes filled with a sadness that Eyvin didn't understand.
"What if I came back tomorrow? With more cinnamon bread and Inali? We could play a game if you and Yona felt like it."
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 3:52 pm
“You don’t have to bring Inali,” He smirked, a bit of a tease hidden behind the exhaustion, “I don’t think she’ll be able to sit that still for long.” Zev didn’t spend much time around Eyvin’s sister, but the girl was a spitfire. She was tiring to be around for long and he had a feeling she’d say something that would make Arden throw her out.
“You can come back, though; I’d like that.” And, after a moment, he added, “Can you bring a book from the library? A book about Zena?”
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 3:55 pm
[7/10]
The question threw him for a loop. “I can but…why? Isn’t your dad from Zena?” Couldn’t he just ask him about any questions he had? From what Zev said his father was a pretty smart guy too so why wouldn’t have that kind of information? “But, uhm, yeah, I’ll bring it. Is there anything you’re looking for? There might be a few different ones.” And with as heavy as they were Eyvin didn’t want to get stuck bringing them all over here. It was a long enough walk already!
The sound of a door opening in Zev’s house caught his attention and almost instantly Eyvin put his hands over his mouth.
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 3:59 pm
“I want a book on the Council and the history of the Capital-“ The same noise that caught his friend’s attention caught Zev’s and he turned. A few murmured grumbles caused him to get up for a second, craning to the side to peer through the open doorway toward the hall before settling back by the window. “My dad’s awake so I can’t stay long. He’ll get mad if he sees the window open.” More so because of the time of year. Fresh air was good for the children, but this chill wasn’t.
“He won’t talk about the real rich people and I want to know if they have Kings or Not. Can you imagine it? Kings with ice crowns?”
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Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2023 4:05 pm
[8/10]
Why wouldn’t his dad talk about the Council? Admittedly Eyvin had no idea who the Council was or anything Zena related but it seemed like if his dad knew that at least Aurick would tell him. Hearing that Mr. Asa was awake meant their time was coming to an end. On days that Zev and Yona weren’t so sick he might be invited in, given a snack and offered a walk back home later. Days like today, though, were different.
“When I come back tomorrow with your book can you help me? With our schoolwork?” It might have seemed silly, asking his ill friend for homework help, but it would feel like being in class with Zev again. Plus, it was better than admitting to his parents that he didn’t understand the big words yet.
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