Typing up old things, ahoy!
So, since I'm packing and I promised at the beginning of the summer that yes, I would find a way to post this, since it was originally a gift-fic and since college kind of kills the original handing the notebook over to read bit, and she wanted to reread it - well, I'm posting it now. About ten minutes before I start packing notebooks. XD
Title: Formation (the ions, they kill)
Fandom: Keisha'ra (which may be spelled incorrectly. It's been a while...)
Pairing/Characters: Urban/Marus, OC
Rating: G
Marus was the first to notice the child, crouched behind an old, abandoned leather-working stall that hadn’t been replaced. Stealthily, he leaned over and whispered into Urban’s ear, wary of scaring the boy off by drawing obvious attention to him. He looked as skittish as a mouse caught in the Hawk’s Keep.
“I think that boy was abandoned. Over to the left.”
Urban glanced and stopped walking, taking Marus’ wrist to halt him as well.
“We can’t just leave him,” Urban hissed, and Marus smiled. Urban had the sinking feeling that he was about to be played like a familiar instrument, Marus using experience and knowledge to draw the tune he wanted from Urban’s strings.
“You’re completely right. We should take him home with us, get him fed and bathed and clothed.”
Urban had a sudden flash of what was going through Marus’ mind, and he glared at the raven.
“We’re not keeping him. We’ll get him taken care of and then bring him to the nest. They have plenty of orphans there already.”
“Of course,” Marus agreed. Too easily. Narrowing his eyes, Urban followed as Marus approached the stall cautiously.
“Hey now, what’s your name?”
The little boy’s eyes widened and he pulled back, shrinking into the shadows. Marus stopped, frowning a little, and held out his empty palms. The boy flinched at the movement.
“We aren’t going to hurt you,” Marus soothed. Urban wondered if he knew that he was half-singing the words, a lilting, calming tune that was most likely an avian lullaby or made-up, since it was a tune he didn’t recognize. “Are you hungry? We’ll get you some food.”
Cautiously, the boy peered up at them, green eyes flitting back and forth. With a tentative, trembling movement, he placed his fingers in Marus’ open palm. The raven smiled down at him.
“Good. So what do you want?”
Still silent, the boy pointed at a bakery not far from where they were standing. Marus started to lead him to it, but the boy dug his heels into the ground, shaking his head wildly. Most likely he’d already had an incursion with the baker, who was a hard man by necessity, and Marus hesitated.
“Okay… well, I’ll bring you something, then,” Marus said, but the boy’s eyes widened even further, and he clung to Marus’ hand desperately.
“Or Urban can go, and I’ll wait with you.” He met Urban’s eyes over the boy’s head and shrugged helplessly, as if to say “Sorry, but what else can we do?” Urban saw exactly where the situation was going. The boy would come home with them, grow attached, and Marus would never have the heart to make him leave. Better that he resign himself to surprise fatherhood at that very moment.
Half-smiling, he walked to the bakery and purchased a simple sweet-roll, figuring the child would likely rather something familiar and not too fancy. As he turned to leave, he stopped and then handed over the money for another one. Who knew how long the kid had been on the streets, after all?
It ended up being a useful hunch, as the child ate the two with zest and smiled up at them with sticky hands and face. It seemed food was truly the best way to tame a stray. Marus laughed and reclaimed one of the sticky hands.
“Can you tell us your name now?”
“Khei,” the boy whispered shyly, voice high and sweet. A singer’s voice; Marus’ eyes lit up in delight. While he had grasped the basics of dance, he much preferred the music of his own culture, which was something that Urban - who couldn’t carry a tune - couldn’t share with him.
“How would you like to live with us?” Urban asked, since Marus was unlikely to press the point. That avian politeness, and all. It was a quick way to gain his approval, as well, and Marus beamed. The boy himself looked wary, but hope danced underneath that, and slowly, he nodded once.
Urban took his other hand - wincing at the stickiness - and together, they headed home. It wasn’t quite a family, yet - there were too many barriers between Khei and them, barriers that they would have to overcome - but the seed was there, waiting to sprout into bonds strong and wonderful.
Title: Formation (the ions, they kill)
Fandom: Keisha'ra (which may be spelled incorrectly. It's been a while...)
Pairing/Characters: Urban/Marus, OC
Rating: G
Marus was the first to notice the child, crouched behind an old, abandoned leather-working stall that hadn’t been replaced. Stealthily, he leaned over and whispered into Urban’s ear, wary of scaring the boy off by drawing obvious attention to him. He looked as skittish as a mouse caught in the Hawk’s Keep.
“I think that boy was abandoned. Over to the left.”
Urban glanced and stopped walking, taking Marus’ wrist to halt him as well.
“We can’t just leave him,” Urban hissed, and Marus smiled. Urban had the sinking feeling that he was about to be played like a familiar instrument, Marus using experience and knowledge to draw the tune he wanted from Urban’s strings.
“You’re completely right. We should take him home with us, get him fed and bathed and clothed.”
Urban had a sudden flash of what was going through Marus’ mind, and he glared at the raven.
“We’re not keeping him. We’ll get him taken care of and then bring him to the nest. They have plenty of orphans there already.”
“Of course,” Marus agreed. Too easily. Narrowing his eyes, Urban followed as Marus approached the stall cautiously.
“Hey now, what’s your name?”
The little boy’s eyes widened and he pulled back, shrinking into the shadows. Marus stopped, frowning a little, and held out his empty palms. The boy flinched at the movement.
“We aren’t going to hurt you,” Marus soothed. Urban wondered if he knew that he was half-singing the words, a lilting, calming tune that was most likely an avian lullaby or made-up, since it was a tune he didn’t recognize. “Are you hungry? We’ll get you some food.”
Cautiously, the boy peered up at them, green eyes flitting back and forth. With a tentative, trembling movement, he placed his fingers in Marus’ open palm. The raven smiled down at him.
“Good. So what do you want?”
Still silent, the boy pointed at a bakery not far from where they were standing. Marus started to lead him to it, but the boy dug his heels into the ground, shaking his head wildly. Most likely he’d already had an incursion with the baker, who was a hard man by necessity, and Marus hesitated.
“Okay… well, I’ll bring you something, then,” Marus said, but the boy’s eyes widened even further, and he clung to Marus’ hand desperately.
“Or Urban can go, and I’ll wait with you.” He met Urban’s eyes over the boy’s head and shrugged helplessly, as if to say “Sorry, but what else can we do?” Urban saw exactly where the situation was going. The boy would come home with them, grow attached, and Marus would never have the heart to make him leave. Better that he resign himself to surprise fatherhood at that very moment.
Half-smiling, he walked to the bakery and purchased a simple sweet-roll, figuring the child would likely rather something familiar and not too fancy. As he turned to leave, he stopped and then handed over the money for another one. Who knew how long the kid had been on the streets, after all?
It ended up being a useful hunch, as the child ate the two with zest and smiled up at them with sticky hands and face. It seemed food was truly the best way to tame a stray. Marus laughed and reclaimed one of the sticky hands.
“Can you tell us your name now?”
“Khei,” the boy whispered shyly, voice high and sweet. A singer’s voice; Marus’ eyes lit up in delight. While he had grasped the basics of dance, he much preferred the music of his own culture, which was something that Urban - who couldn’t carry a tune - couldn’t share with him.
“How would you like to live with us?” Urban asked, since Marus was unlikely to press the point. That avian politeness, and all. It was a quick way to gain his approval, as well, and Marus beamed. The boy himself looked wary, but hope danced underneath that, and slowly, he nodded once.
Urban took his other hand - wincing at the stickiness - and together, they headed home. It wasn’t quite a family, yet - there were too many barriers between Khei and them, barriers that they would have to overcome - but the seed was there, waiting to sprout into bonds strong and wonderful.