Suikoden III, Borus/Chris
Fandom: Suikoden III
Pairing: Borus/Chris
Theme Set: Alpha
Rating: G to PG-13
Note: While the sentences could be part of a continuing story, I kept the theme order and did not sequence based on chronology. Two themes, "Forever" and "Freedom" were moved to the end, though, for closure.
Warning: Unrepentant abuse of semi-colons.
#01 - Comfort
Nothing felt as wonderful as the weight of his armor lifted off his shoulders after a long day of fighting; oh, if only his love for her was as easy to shed.
#02 - Kiss
Her mouth would purse as she delivered her speech in front of the council; he wished he could be the words spilling from her rosy lips.
#03 - Soft
The room was silent when he woke, half-sprawled on the table; he remembered the laughter and the singing and the drinking, and he felt fingers running through his hair -he kept his eyes closed, his breathing even, he even snored softly, for good measure.
#04 - Pain
"Brace yourself" she muttered, and he placed a hand on her upper arm as she yanked the arrow from his shoulder; his eyes flew to hers, they gazed back at him, cold and matter of fact, that hurt worst of all.
#05 - Potatoes
They would ride in the countryside, all she would talk about was her visit to the village of Iksay with Percival, and he would mutter under his breath "How did that potato farmer manage that?"
#06 - Rain
Yes, there was the stench of rust wafting from his armor, but there was also the raindrops clinging to her lashes...
#07 - Chocolate
"Women like chocolate!" Percival had assured him; somehow, taking cues from his rival didn't seem like the smartest thing to do, so he ate them instead.
#08 - Happiness
Louis was sitting in the hay, laughing, after the tall white horse had sent him flying as he tried to brush him; Chris was taking in the scene, her features transformed by a smile such as he had never seen before...
#09 - Telephone
It seemed like that woman had created yet another strange contraption she left lying around Budehuck, curious, he lifted the top of the box, heard Lady Chris's voice coming from it, and jumped back with a yelp: "Lady Chris is emprisoned in a magical box!"
#10 - Ears
Chris thought her outlook on life quite practical, and her appearance too, but she picked up a pair of delicate pearl earrings: after all, they were a gift, and it would be insulting to Borus not to wear them at least once, right?
#11 - Name
He had made the mistake of calling her "Christine" once, the guantlet thrown at his feet had left no doubt as to her thoughts on the matter.
#12 - Sensual
"It can be so lonely to be the Silver Maiden of Zexen", Borus, ignoring propriety, raised his hands to Chris's shoulders, then ran them slowly along her arms, calloused hands over rough fabric, until he reached her fingers, too soft to be that of a warrior, "You are not alone, the knights and I, we live only for you".
#13 - Death
She hadn't cried that day when their captain was lost on the battlefield, she had squared her shoulders and taken his place, their rock in these confusing times; Borus had never been so proud of her.
#14 - Sex
He couldn't remember how Percival talked him into it, one look at the silver-haired woman sitting on the bed with her legs spread and he realised it was impossible, even if the ressemblance was staggering, so he left twice her fee on the night-table, hoping she wouldn't tell.
#15 - Touch
Louis was in bed with a terrible cold, and Borus had been called upon to help Chris in her armor; as he buckled the clasps, the metal was cold and sharp under his trembling fingers.
#16 - Weakness
His mother would brush his golden locks, telling him stories of his father's weakness for pretty women, "you'll understand when you're older", she would always add; but he never did, for him, there could only be one woman.
#17 - Tears
When he closed the door to Chris's room, leaving behind the smell of dried blood and herbal remedies and he saw Percival standing there, tears in his eyes, what else could he do but lay a hand on his shoulder and whisper: "I understand."
#18 - Speed
"Is it the maid at the inn?", Percival prodded, "The girl at the rune store? It can't be... Lady Chr-" the answer came too fast for him to react, and he found himself sprawled on the floor, blood trickling from his nose, "You could have just said no..."
#19 - Wind
The True Rune cracked with energy, gale ripping bricks from the walls; she watched, dumbstruck, he reached out, to pull her away from the destruction.
#21 - Life
Sometimes, alone in his cellar, he would trick himself into dreaming that he would die for her in some grand, romantic way, but dying was too easy, no, instead, he would live for her.
#22 - Jealousy
Somehow, friendship and jealousy were one in his heart, and every night he played cards with his rival.
#23 - Hands
The sound of metal hitting stone echoed in the training hall, but his stinging knuckles could not make him forget the bloodshed he had caused made him unworthy of her.
#24 - Taste
"What is this god-awful slop?" Borus thundered in the mess hall, making Percival turn towards him, a twinkle in his eye "Lady Chris made it"; his features darkened as he answered: "I meant... this delicious dish."
#25 - Devotion
He stopped mid-way up the steep stairs -his back was aching- before resuming his trek to her room, carrying a small tray with two tea-cups; soon he would sit next to her in silence, drinking the steaming liquid, his hair now silvery like hers.
#27 - Blood
"You're going back to your room", ordered Percival as he came within earshot of his friend, "While I do know Lady Chris called a meeting and you'd find a way to attend from beyond the grave if you had to, I don't think she would like you bleeding all over her carpet."
#28 - Sickness
Borus tried to shift, shivering, but a firm grasp kept him immobile, he sighed as a wet compress was placed on his shoulder, and cool fingers brushed against his brow; Silent, Percival watched his captain from the doorway.
#29 - Melody
Music wafted in from a nearby village as they were sitting around a fire, resting after a long day of riding, and Borus lept to his feet "Milady, would you like to dance?"; he blushed red to the roots of his hair when he realised she did not turn him down.
#30 - Star
She would ride at the head of the column of knights, regal, a little cold, and her armor shone, a beacon of light that was so beautiful, and yet so far away from him.
#31 - Home
Percival, a persistent gnat to the end, had inquired about his conquests the second he stepped through the door, Leo thumped his back, suffocating him, prompting Louis to fret over him, and Roland to shoot them a scornful look, but when she turned towards him and smiled, he knew he was home.
#32 - Confusion
She had let her hair down to travel with that Nash, she had even forsaken her armor, Borus wondered what that meant, and if it meant what he thought it meant, how he could kill the meddling man without attracting too much attention to himself.
#33 - Fear
Chris looked from Borus's livid features to the floor, then sighed, stomping her metal-shod sole on the stones forcefully, and giving a little twist, "To think one of the Six Great Knights of Zexen is afraid of a spider!"
#34 - Lightning/Thunder
Outside the inn, the storm, the wind, the thunder, inside, the company of friends, some sweet wine, a chair by the fire, and a borrowed coat tossed over her shoulders by a man with laughing brown eyes.
#35 - Bonds
When he was younger he had thought, mistakenly, that leaving behind his ancestral home, his constantly grieving mother, would set him free; alas, he was tied down now more than ever, entangled further by every look she threw his way.
#36 - Market
He was staring at happy couples walking arm in arm in the market, picking up trifles to gift each other, wishing for such a summer afternoon with Chris, when a peal of laughter -How did Percival know he was here?- shook him from his reverie, "Come on, Borus, I'll pick something out and you can buy it for me."
#37 - Technology
Percival sighed as he stepped in the heated bath of Budehuck Castle, he had hoped for a relaxing soak before his return to the narrow buckets of Zexen but here was Borus, there had to be a way to make him leave: "I saw that man Nash talking to Lady Chris in the hall just now..."
#38 - Gift
Most women at the court smiled when he walked past, he was, after all, noble, and rich, and a knight, but she was his Captain, and these things meant nothing to her, so he wordlessly offered her the only thing he could, himself.
#39 - Smile
She reigned in her horse and turned to him, her armor dentend, her hair in disarray, and the smile on her face wavered; he wished he could think of something to say, but he was no Percival, and had no gift with words.
#40 - Innocence
She was visiting the fields of Budehuck castle with her knights, a grave expression on her face, as decorum would allow, until her foot hit a particularily slippery stretch of mud; down she went, Borus following soon after, laughing, he reached out for the hem of Percival's tunic, and yanked.
#41 - Completion
Borus stretched, gazing out of small meutriere which passed for a window in the castle, "I sparred against Percival and won, in front of Lady Chris, no less, I got two helpings of dinner by smiling at the cook and got out of sentry duty by pretending an injury... what a day well spent!"
#42 - Clouds
Finding shapes in the clouds was Percival's favorite way to pass the time when on sentry duty, but he found that this time around it was decidedly infuriating: "Borus, does ANY cloud NOT look like Lady Chris to you?"
#43 - Sky
He should have removed her armor, but it seemed wrong somehow, so instead he reminded himself to take one step after another until he reached his destination, "Borus? What happened... LADY CHRIS!", he passed on his burden to Percival and dropped to his knees, exhausted, his face turned towards the night sky.
#44 - Heaven
His eyes snapped open as he felt a sharp elbow in his side, dreams of his captain bursting like a bubble, "Lord Borus, if you keep on falling asleep during the service, how will your soul ever be saved?"
#45 - Hell
He had fought through countless wars, seen death's hand rip open countless bodies, but he never knew hell until he stood on the battlements day after day, hoping to see her return, hoping that man would not be with her.
#46 - Sun
Borus shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his armor creaking in the process, he hated sentry duty, hated it even more when she was next to him and he had to keep his eyes fixed on the horizon, squinting at the sun, when all he wanted was to turn and look at her.
#47 - Moon
"Behold our Lady! She is a Goddess! A hunting Diana!", exclaimed a courtier as Chris sparred with her knights; Borus walked past, and with calculated nonchalance, sent the fop reeling with one 'accidental' brush of his armored shoulder.
#48 - Waves
She dismounted, handed him the reins, and proceeded to enter the field, skimming the waves of golden wheat with her fingertips, "Lady Chris?", she walked forward as he stared on from the road, "Yes?", the wind rippled the waist-length stalks and he stammered "Nothing."
#49 - Hair
The shadows of the trees of Kuput forest lenghtened, slowly encroaching in their small circle of light, and Chris whimpered in her sleep; Borus reached out, gauche, laid a steel-shod hand on her hair, and she quieted, mumbling: "Father".
#50 - Supernova
He felt an explosion, flesh torn and steel bent and stars and light dancing in his vision; reflexively, he pulled sharply on the reins to steady himself, then turned his horse around and urged it after the retreating figure of his captain.
#26 - Forever
"You should go", she croaked, her breathing shallow under her shattered breastplate, "I can't", "You should go", blood frothed on her lips, "I won't", "Please go, they are coming", he lurched to his feet, his bones aching, and unsheathed his sword, "This is where I belong."
#20 - Freedom
The Harmonians hovered around them like buzzards after a fresh kill, marking the end of this war, of their country, of everything, "I love you, my Lady", a cough, then a hoarse whisper: "I know."
Pairing: Borus/Chris
Theme Set: Alpha
Rating: G to PG-13
Note: While the sentences could be part of a continuing story, I kept the theme order and did not sequence based on chronology. Two themes, "Forever" and "Freedom" were moved to the end, though, for closure.
Warning: Unrepentant abuse of semi-colons.
#01 - Comfort
Nothing felt as wonderful as the weight of his armor lifted off his shoulders after a long day of fighting; oh, if only his love for her was as easy to shed.
#02 - Kiss
Her mouth would purse as she delivered her speech in front of the council; he wished he could be the words spilling from her rosy lips.
#03 - Soft
The room was silent when he woke, half-sprawled on the table; he remembered the laughter and the singing and the drinking, and he felt fingers running through his hair -he kept his eyes closed, his breathing even, he even snored softly, for good measure.
#04 - Pain
"Brace yourself" she muttered, and he placed a hand on her upper arm as she yanked the arrow from his shoulder; his eyes flew to hers, they gazed back at him, cold and matter of fact, that hurt worst of all.
#05 - Potatoes
They would ride in the countryside, all she would talk about was her visit to the village of Iksay with Percival, and he would mutter under his breath "How did that potato farmer manage that?"
#06 - Rain
Yes, there was the stench of rust wafting from his armor, but there was also the raindrops clinging to her lashes...
#07 - Chocolate
"Women like chocolate!" Percival had assured him; somehow, taking cues from his rival didn't seem like the smartest thing to do, so he ate them instead.
#08 - Happiness
Louis was sitting in the hay, laughing, after the tall white horse had sent him flying as he tried to brush him; Chris was taking in the scene, her features transformed by a smile such as he had never seen before...
#09 - Telephone
It seemed like that woman had created yet another strange contraption she left lying around Budehuck, curious, he lifted the top of the box, heard Lady Chris's voice coming from it, and jumped back with a yelp: "Lady Chris is emprisoned in a magical box!"
#10 - Ears
Chris thought her outlook on life quite practical, and her appearance too, but she picked up a pair of delicate pearl earrings: after all, they were a gift, and it would be insulting to Borus not to wear them at least once, right?
#11 - Name
He had made the mistake of calling her "Christine" once, the guantlet thrown at his feet had left no doubt as to her thoughts on the matter.
#12 - Sensual
"It can be so lonely to be the Silver Maiden of Zexen", Borus, ignoring propriety, raised his hands to Chris's shoulders, then ran them slowly along her arms, calloused hands over rough fabric, until he reached her fingers, too soft to be that of a warrior, "You are not alone, the knights and I, we live only for you".
#13 - Death
She hadn't cried that day when their captain was lost on the battlefield, she had squared her shoulders and taken his place, their rock in these confusing times; Borus had never been so proud of her.
#14 - Sex
He couldn't remember how Percival talked him into it, one look at the silver-haired woman sitting on the bed with her legs spread and he realised it was impossible, even if the ressemblance was staggering, so he left twice her fee on the night-table, hoping she wouldn't tell.
#15 - Touch
Louis was in bed with a terrible cold, and Borus had been called upon to help Chris in her armor; as he buckled the clasps, the metal was cold and sharp under his trembling fingers.
#16 - Weakness
His mother would brush his golden locks, telling him stories of his father's weakness for pretty women, "you'll understand when you're older", she would always add; but he never did, for him, there could only be one woman.
#17 - Tears
When he closed the door to Chris's room, leaving behind the smell of dried blood and herbal remedies and he saw Percival standing there, tears in his eyes, what else could he do but lay a hand on his shoulder and whisper: "I understand."
#18 - Speed
"Is it the maid at the inn?", Percival prodded, "The girl at the rune store? It can't be... Lady Chr-" the answer came too fast for him to react, and he found himself sprawled on the floor, blood trickling from his nose, "You could have just said no..."
#19 - Wind
The True Rune cracked with energy, gale ripping bricks from the walls; she watched, dumbstruck, he reached out, to pull her away from the destruction.
#21 - Life
Sometimes, alone in his cellar, he would trick himself into dreaming that he would die for her in some grand, romantic way, but dying was too easy, no, instead, he would live for her.
#22 - Jealousy
Somehow, friendship and jealousy were one in his heart, and every night he played cards with his rival.
#23 - Hands
The sound of metal hitting stone echoed in the training hall, but his stinging knuckles could not make him forget the bloodshed he had caused made him unworthy of her.
#24 - Taste
"What is this god-awful slop?" Borus thundered in the mess hall, making Percival turn towards him, a twinkle in his eye "Lady Chris made it"; his features darkened as he answered: "I meant... this delicious dish."
#25 - Devotion
He stopped mid-way up the steep stairs -his back was aching- before resuming his trek to her room, carrying a small tray with two tea-cups; soon he would sit next to her in silence, drinking the steaming liquid, his hair now silvery like hers.
#27 - Blood
"You're going back to your room", ordered Percival as he came within earshot of his friend, "While I do know Lady Chris called a meeting and you'd find a way to attend from beyond the grave if you had to, I don't think she would like you bleeding all over her carpet."
#28 - Sickness
Borus tried to shift, shivering, but a firm grasp kept him immobile, he sighed as a wet compress was placed on his shoulder, and cool fingers brushed against his brow; Silent, Percival watched his captain from the doorway.
#29 - Melody
Music wafted in from a nearby village as they were sitting around a fire, resting after a long day of riding, and Borus lept to his feet "Milady, would you like to dance?"; he blushed red to the roots of his hair when he realised she did not turn him down.
#30 - Star
She would ride at the head of the column of knights, regal, a little cold, and her armor shone, a beacon of light that was so beautiful, and yet so far away from him.
#31 - Home
Percival, a persistent gnat to the end, had inquired about his conquests the second he stepped through the door, Leo thumped his back, suffocating him, prompting Louis to fret over him, and Roland to shoot them a scornful look, but when she turned towards him and smiled, he knew he was home.
#32 - Confusion
She had let her hair down to travel with that Nash, she had even forsaken her armor, Borus wondered what that meant, and if it meant what he thought it meant, how he could kill the meddling man without attracting too much attention to himself.
#33 - Fear
Chris looked from Borus's livid features to the floor, then sighed, stomping her metal-shod sole on the stones forcefully, and giving a little twist, "To think one of the Six Great Knights of Zexen is afraid of a spider!"
#34 - Lightning/Thunder
Outside the inn, the storm, the wind, the thunder, inside, the company of friends, some sweet wine, a chair by the fire, and a borrowed coat tossed over her shoulders by a man with laughing brown eyes.
#35 - Bonds
When he was younger he had thought, mistakenly, that leaving behind his ancestral home, his constantly grieving mother, would set him free; alas, he was tied down now more than ever, entangled further by every look she threw his way.
#36 - Market
He was staring at happy couples walking arm in arm in the market, picking up trifles to gift each other, wishing for such a summer afternoon with Chris, when a peal of laughter -How did Percival know he was here?- shook him from his reverie, "Come on, Borus, I'll pick something out and you can buy it for me."
#37 - Technology
Percival sighed as he stepped in the heated bath of Budehuck Castle, he had hoped for a relaxing soak before his return to the narrow buckets of Zexen but here was Borus, there had to be a way to make him leave: "I saw that man Nash talking to Lady Chris in the hall just now..."
#38 - Gift
Most women at the court smiled when he walked past, he was, after all, noble, and rich, and a knight, but she was his Captain, and these things meant nothing to her, so he wordlessly offered her the only thing he could, himself.
#39 - Smile
She reigned in her horse and turned to him, her armor dentend, her hair in disarray, and the smile on her face wavered; he wished he could think of something to say, but he was no Percival, and had no gift with words.
#40 - Innocence
She was visiting the fields of Budehuck castle with her knights, a grave expression on her face, as decorum would allow, until her foot hit a particularily slippery stretch of mud; down she went, Borus following soon after, laughing, he reached out for the hem of Percival's tunic, and yanked.
#41 - Completion
Borus stretched, gazing out of small meutriere which passed for a window in the castle, "I sparred against Percival and won, in front of Lady Chris, no less, I got two helpings of dinner by smiling at the cook and got out of sentry duty by pretending an injury... what a day well spent!"
#42 - Clouds
Finding shapes in the clouds was Percival's favorite way to pass the time when on sentry duty, but he found that this time around it was decidedly infuriating: "Borus, does ANY cloud NOT look like Lady Chris to you?"
#43 - Sky
He should have removed her armor, but it seemed wrong somehow, so instead he reminded himself to take one step after another until he reached his destination, "Borus? What happened... LADY CHRIS!", he passed on his burden to Percival and dropped to his knees, exhausted, his face turned towards the night sky.
#44 - Heaven
His eyes snapped open as he felt a sharp elbow in his side, dreams of his captain bursting like a bubble, "Lord Borus, if you keep on falling asleep during the service, how will your soul ever be saved?"
#45 - Hell
He had fought through countless wars, seen death's hand rip open countless bodies, but he never knew hell until he stood on the battlements day after day, hoping to see her return, hoping that man would not be with her.
#46 - Sun
Borus shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his armor creaking in the process, he hated sentry duty, hated it even more when she was next to him and he had to keep his eyes fixed on the horizon, squinting at the sun, when all he wanted was to turn and look at her.
#47 - Moon
"Behold our Lady! She is a Goddess! A hunting Diana!", exclaimed a courtier as Chris sparred with her knights; Borus walked past, and with calculated nonchalance, sent the fop reeling with one 'accidental' brush of his armored shoulder.
#48 - Waves
She dismounted, handed him the reins, and proceeded to enter the field, skimming the waves of golden wheat with her fingertips, "Lady Chris?", she walked forward as he stared on from the road, "Yes?", the wind rippled the waist-length stalks and he stammered "Nothing."
#49 - Hair
The shadows of the trees of Kuput forest lenghtened, slowly encroaching in their small circle of light, and Chris whimpered in her sleep; Borus reached out, gauche, laid a steel-shod hand on her hair, and she quieted, mumbling: "Father".
#50 - Supernova
He felt an explosion, flesh torn and steel bent and stars and light dancing in his vision; reflexively, he pulled sharply on the reins to steady himself, then turned his horse around and urged it after the retreating figure of his captain.
#26 - Forever
"You should go", she croaked, her breathing shallow under her shattered breastplate, "I can't", "You should go", blood frothed on her lips, "I won't", "Please go, they are coming", he lurched to his feet, his bones aching, and unsheathed his sword, "This is where I belong."
#20 - Freedom
The Harmonians hovered around them like buzzards after a fresh kill, marking the end of this war, of their country, of everything, "I love you, my Lady", a cough, then a hoarse whisper: "I know."