Badfic curse
[Video]
I can't say that I have ever felt the need to write stories like this before but some how today it feels like something I should try. I hope you enjoy them even if they are only badly written things I did in my spare time.
[OOC: Ok, ok, I know these are really long while every one else wrote short stories... Eagle is an overachiever, alright!? ~_^ ]
[Text ]
Title: This is Mistletoe
Rating: PG
Synopsis: eagleofautozam and antipillar discovering a Christmas tradition together.
The faceted crystals glimmered in the chill evening breeze as they danced lightly towards the earth. The delicate snow nestled itself in the branches of the nearby trees and in amongst the steadily burning lights, melting only when they came too close to the warm glow of the bulbs. White strands of Christmas lights reflecting on white snow transformed the city park into a magical fairy land where the cool silence of the moment was broken only by the crunch of ice beneath the adventurer’s feet.
It was beautiful but lonely out here in the frozen park when most others had abandoned the frigid winter air in favor of warm apartments. He too thought it might be more pleasant to end the journey in order to return to the warm embrace of fuzzy blankets and the soothing hot chocolate drink so very favored on frosty days like this. But, instead he pressed on. Even in weather like this the object of his search would still be out here amongst the trees.
Eagle heard the joyful chirping of the birds long before he saw the reason for their excitement, a sure sign that he was closing in. A blue jay performed a shrill cry as it swooped in to land on a snow frosted limb. The icy colored bird blended in with its winter backdrop almost perfectly while the bright red cardinals that played in the evergreens stood out vividly in a festive array of color. It was the finches though that had found the best resting place of all, carefully protected on a sturdy arm where a steady flow of seeds could be found.
Lantis stood in a modest clearing cloaked in a pitch black cape that had been peppered by the falling snow. The forest birds huddled in close, vying for the best perches that would earn them the most treats and ultimately being denied anything more than their fair share. Even these wild birds were as tame as pets in Lantis’s skilled care. They sang happily as they perched on the man’s wide shoulders, occasionally even becoming a hat for brief periods when the premium space on Lantis’s arm was entirely filled.
As always it was a heartwarming sight and Eagle was loathe to do anything that might shatter the picturesque scene before him. For a moment he even held his breath as if the cloud of exhaled air the act produced in the frozen air would be enough to alert the group of his being so near. Of course it had been the earlier cry of the jay that had already announced the Commander’s arrival and eventually the taller man looked over his shoulder, past the birds still sitting there, to see why nothing had yet been said to him. Eagle flashed a smile but even the warm ‘I’m happy to see you’ grin couldn’t go without explanation, so since he had been obviously spotted, Eagle abandoned any idea that he might be able to continue to watch as a casual observer.
“I was hoping I might find you out here,” He nodded towards the trees still beautifully adorned in the glowing lacy white snow. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I think this curse is one of the more endearing ones. I love the way the City decorates everything like this.”
That said Eagle looked back towards Lantis and the birds he was tending, “I don’t suppose they care for it very much though?”
Never one to waste too many words Lantis replied simply enough, “They don’t really mind it.”
Surely even with feathers to warm them the animals would have preferred warmer temperatures like all of those who were staying cozy inside today, but they sang merrily as they flitted back and forth from the branches to the hand giving away the treats. The change in weather didn’t really bother them as much as it did others.
Eagle however, not being quite so lucky as to have been born with feathers, found himself shivering slightly. Even wrapped in a warm cloak as he was the crisp air and occasional gentle breeze were enough to sweep what ever warmth he could produce away. Birds as small as these might be have become used to the cold but he certainly was not.
“Even if that is the case I think they still appreciate the birdseed.”
Lantis merely nodded at that before kneeling down to the ground and dumping the rest of the uneaten seed that was still in his palm onto the fresh snow pack. The birds soon followed, greedily dropping down to land in the snow in order to chase the delicious seeds they loved so much. Once his friends were safely settled he could walk over to join Eagle on the snow covered sidewalk.
“You are cold,” It was all he really had to say to express his concern and desire to look out for and protect Eagle. His bright blue eyes mirrored his trepidation, widening ever so slightly as he noticed the shiver. He might have removed his back cape to drape that extra protection over Eagle’s shoulders if the other hadn’t smiled and gently declined the unspoken offer.
“It’s nothing,” Eagle said dismissively as he turned to walk a little ways up the path with Lantis falling into step beside him, “It is just a little colder out here than I was expecting.”
The beauty of the snow and lights more than made up for any discomfort the temperature might cause. There wasn’t a single tree that wasn’t lit with the tiny white bulbs, each park bench had an elegant red bow tied to the backrest and a smaller matching ribbon on each armrest, and each lamppost held swirls of evergreen garland right up to the very height of the pole where the bulb was safely housed in its protective glass cover.
What could be better really? Walking through a beautiful setting like this with Lantis by your side? No amount of cold would force him to miss this and in fact it even gave him a good excuse to snuggle closer into Lantis’s arm. Not that an excuse was needed, Lantis was made a little curious by the action but he was more than willing to place an arm around his boyfriend as they walked along together.
Just as the Commander was beginning to think nothing could possibly make this any better his partner suddenly stopped short, bringing their stroll to a abrupt end. He was focused on something ahead of them and even if he was quite tall his head inclined slightly as if looking even higher. Following this line of sight as best he could Eagle himself soon found the object of fascination. It dangled from one of the light posts on a brilliant red braided cord. An innocent looking green ball made up of leaves that played an inviting jiggling tone from the small golden bell that swayed soothingly from the other end. The conspicuous white berries instantly revealed this most dangerous of all holiday decorations to those familiar with its power.
To those unfamiliar this clever trap was enough to lure the curious in. It had been placed so that the only way past the decoration was to walk under it. The way the object shimmered, the soothing bell noise, all of this was intended to draw people closer. Bait for the trap.
Lantis almost appeared memorized by it as he watched the object gently sway in the breeze. After staring for some time he eventually decided no more information could be gained by this. He turned to look at Eagle with his head slightly tilted to one side. Clearly he found this object very perplexing and he was looking for an explanation for it.
Oh, Lantis, how very tempting it was. Surely there was no one alive with enough fortitude to abstain from a little harmless prank like this? The cold had driven everyone else indoors, but the Commander cast a look around just to be certain no innocent bystanders might be pulled into the mischief.
“Don’t you know what that is, Lantis?” The question was innocent enough though the intent behind it was a touch wicked.
The other shook his head. Objects of that nature were not found on Cephiro nor had he happened to learn what the decoration meant here in his time in the City. Eagle wondered briefly how he had missed out on that but decided it must be due to Lantis’s nature of being a fairly solitary kind of person. With no one to explain the harmless looking ball Eagle himself might not understand what it was.
“That is mistletoe,” it was a struggle to keep the mischievous twinkle out of his eye and he may well have failed at it entirely, “Why don’t you go take a better look at it? Since it is your first time to see something like this, maybe you could even decide if you think we need a few of those to decorate the apartment with?”
Not being a fool Lantis was a little suspicious of the reply. It was mistletoe, he believed Eagle had told him the truth about that but there was something else. Something he wasn’t entirely understanding. Of course Eagle was never going to say, that happy smile of his meant that was all the explanation he would get for now. Still, the decoration did seem harmless enough and Eagle wouldn’t send him in if it was really dangerous. And he was curious about it…
Resigned to whatever fate Eagle had in store for him, Lantis stepped away from his partner’s side and closer to the ornament. The glossy leaves and white berries did go well with the red colored rope. A pretty decoration by any standard. He particularly enjoyed the bell. The light tinkling noise it made almost reminded him of the birds he loved so much. He wondered what had Eagle been smiling about as he stood under the mistletoe. There was nothing strange or special about this.
A very curious thing. He had expected something to happen. Something to fall off and land on his head, maybe snow, or some other kind of surprise. This… nothing… was more of a shock than…
The snow swirled as the wind picked up in one of its rare gusts and a sudden warmth touched Lantis’s winter chilled lips, gradually warming them in the tender embrace. Eagle suddenly so very near. Lantis’s hands moved to capture his companion’s shoulders, not to push him away, but to pull the shorter man closer to him. Question filled blue eyes softened as he gave into the unforeseen, yet not at all unwelcome, kiss.
Only when the moment broke did Eagle slide away until his heels touched the ground again, his sweetheart being a little too tall to be kissed without the use of tiptoes. He smiled as the confusion filtered back into Lantis’s gaze, but now that the trap had been set off there was no further reason to keep him in the dark about the true meaning of this particular ornament.
“It is an Earth tradition I learned about last year. Anyone caught standing under the mistletoe has to be kissed.” Lantis didn’t need to know the particulars, just how Eagle had been introduced to the tradition, the one he wanted to be standing under the mistletoe with was here anyway.
The former Cail of Cephiro blinked, “Why?”
“I… well,” The simple question did not have a simple answer, so ignorance had to be admitted with a slightly embarrassed chuckle. “I never really asked. I suppose it is just a nice way to show someone you care about them.”
It certainly had been nice, not the terrible prank Lantis had been expecting at all. Any time he could be with Eagle was nice. This place, the City, had given Eagle more time, more freedom than he would have found on Cephiro. There was no pillar system here, no reason for them to fight. There was nothing he wanted more at this moment than for these happy times to continue.
The best thing was Eagle felt the same way. They loved each either and they had each decided this on their own. While free of the influence of the Pillar System they could both relax and just live for what they wanted instead of trying to martyr themselves for a cause.
This belief, of wanting these joy filled moments never to end, was why Lantis’s demeanor took on a new intensity as he said simply, “Yes.”
Yes? Yes, to what? And he had said it with such certainty. The response had been so random it left it to Eagle to try and decipher the cryptic answer himself. What exactly had Lantis been responding to? Eagle couldn‘t remember a question…
“Hm? Yes, what Lantis?”
Lantis paused for only a moment as he looked down at the person he wanted to protect, the one he had fallen in love with. He even allowed another brief gust a wind to blow the airy snow past them before answering.
“You asked if we needed a few of these to decorate the apartment with…”
Lantis leaned in close again. If mistletoe was a way to show just how much some one truly cared about some one else…
“Yes, we do.”
Then they would need a lot of it.
Title: Fishing for Affection
Rating: PG
Synopsis: stargathering reminiscing about drizzlinginside and finding new feelings for blastiafreak.
It was better that she was gone. She wouldn’t be hurt by him or by his curse if she was no longer around him. Still he couldn’t help but remember the fun times they had experienced together. Her blue eyes twinkled when ever she laughed and she had always worn her brown hair in the most oddly adorable fashion, with two strands loose enough to drape over her face but ultimately pulled back into her braided ponytail.
Still… Katara would be better without him.
The narrow nylon line dangled lazily in the water with the hook lying beneath the waves going entirely ignored by both fish and fisherman alike. Tyr really had more on his mind than fishing. This was just a way to get away and to think in complete silence for a while.
With a heavy sigh he gave up any pretense that watching the line for signs of a bite was what he was actually doing and dropped back to lean against the tree whose shade he was sitting under. A gentle breeze whispered through the branches causing a single leaf to drop free of its limb and drift lightly down to land on Tyr’s black scarf wrapped hair. He didn’t bother to move and may not have even noticed the leaf’s landing. With closed eyes and his hands neatly folded on his yellow trimmed red tunic he wasn’t paying attention to anything other than his own thoughts.
It really would be better if he could push everyone who cared for him away, wouldn’t it? They would be much safer if they were no where near him. If that meant he ended up alone, it would be sad, but it would be nothing he couldn’t handle. Just as long as everyone else was safe that is what mattered the most.
Tyr might have been lost in these dark thoughts, reminiscing about Katara and contemplating his fate, if it hadn’t been at that moment when a branch in the nearby thicket snapped and Rita unceremoniously tumbled out on to the grass. With a wicked flush creeping into her cheeks she hurriedly stood up and brushed the grass off her knees, instantly on the defensive.
“What? I wasn’t… spying on you or anything! I was just walking by and happened to trip on… something…”
The blush did say otherwise. Her cheeks were now nearly as red as the outfit she wore. True she hadn’t actually been seeking Tyr out she had just been walking through the forest when she spotted him and he looked so sad sitting there… she had been spying to see if he was alright. This is something that would never be admitted however. It was far too embarrassing. If Tyr were less of a gentleman, or maybe just a touch more mischievous, he might have pointed that out to her but he decided just to smile and accept her explanation, at least for now.
“Are you ok?” That had been quite a fall so suddenly triggered that she must have landed fairly heavily. Tyr’s first inclination was to see if she was hurt or not. Even if he knew the answer would be…
“Of course I am ok! I wouldn’t get hurt over a little fall like that!” Her response had come off a bit more defensive than she had really intended. Rita really wasn’t trying to hurt Tyr she was just trying to cover up her faux pas. So the next thing she said was a little softer in tone, “So what are you doing anyway?”
Tyr looked back at the neglected fishing pole. His first instinct had been to say ‘fishing’, that is what he would have said to almost everyone else, but maybe with Rita it would be fine to admit the truth.
“I was thinking.”
Finally with a different subject to talk about Rita could relax a little. She even walked over to stand closer to where Tyr was sitting before asking, “What were you thinking about?”
Now it was time to be vague again. Even if she would be able to understand everything surely she would protest his decision, “About things I can’t change and how much better off people will be in the end.”
Without me around, he didn’t say that part but maybe Rita sensed it some how? Her reaction was instantaneous. She balled up her fists and responded angrily exactly as if she knew what he was thinking.
“What are you talking about!? That sounds like you are giving up!”
Was he? That had been such a jarringly frank observation that Tyr startled and began thinking over his previous feelings in the new light Rita had shown on them. He didn’t want to give up… to quit on something as important as this, but at the same time what else could he do? He didn’t see any other way.
He was about to say something along those lines, but fortunately Rita’s tirade wasn’t over yet.
“You can’t just say something like that!”
Her words were heated and loud but full of loving concern. No friend of hers would be allowed to just give up! And Tyr… Tyr was far too important to her to allow this kind of talk to continue. This was another thought that would never be shared. One that she had trouble admitting even to herself. Tyr had become so very essential in her life. She couldn’t imagine his not being here anymore. His talking so dejectedly… it just fueled her anger and desire to protect him.
“If there is something wrong we can fix it!” With a huff she stomped her foot, “You just have to stop talking like that and tell me what the problem is!”
That was as close as she could get. There would be no stirring confession today. Rita expressed her deepest most heartfelt feelings through yelling.
It was something Tyr had come to expect from her and even appreciate. She really did have a shy side that was very endearing. It was this side that kept her from saying what she really wanted to, but he could tell she was yelling at him because she cared. Rita was actually a very sweet girl… cute even when she was blushing.
The thought occurred before Tyr could prevent it. Cute? He had actually thought the word cute!? Why was he having thoughts like that at an occasion like this? All this time he had been thinking how much better it would be without anyone and now… now suddenly with a single awkward notion he was beginning to think how much nicer it would be to not be alone.
Rita was staring at him now, waiting for him to say something to what she had just said. Oh man! What should he say!? How could he carry on a conversation with the word ‘cute’ floating around in his head?
“I… uh…” Smooth Tyr, real smooth. He chastised himself a bit before trying to come up with something worthwhile to say. Maybe he could even use actual words this time.
“I won’t give up,” it was what she wanted to hear, wasn’t it?
And why was he suddenly trying to please Rita? They were just friends. Only friends. Even if she was cute. AGH! There was that word once more!
“Good,” Rita frowned seemingly unaware of the turmoil going on in Tyr’s mind. “I don’t want to hear you say anything like that again.”
Her brown hair and flashing green eyes. She was different from Katara in so many ways. They were both warm and caring people, both very fun to be around… so why was it thinking about Rita was more comforting? Some how, even being yelled at as he was, it felt reassuring.
“If you have some problem just tell me about it. There is no problem that can’t be solved!”
When she said it like that he almost believed it was possible. There had to be some way to end this curse of his and maybe… that would open up other possibilities.
He smiled up at Rita confident that showing he was no longer consumed by those depressing thoughts might further calm her temper, “Thank you, Rita.”
Finding his feelings for Rita had become more than just friendship in their time together in the City was a shocking realization, but not one he could, or even would, consider taking back. It was too soon to act on the feelings, they were too new, too embarrassing. Nether one of them would be able to admit they had fallen in love with the other, but at least they were finally beginning to realize it. Tyr had gone fishing hoping to catch a fish but maybe what he had actually caught was a good deal more important.
I can't say that I have ever felt the need to write stories like this before but some how today it feels like something I should try. I hope you enjoy them even if they are only badly written things I did in my spare time.
[OOC: Ok, ok, I know these are really long while every one else wrote short stories... Eagle is an overachiever, alright!? ~_^ ]
[Text ]
Title: This is Mistletoe
Rating: PG
Synopsis: eagleofautozam and antipillar discovering a Christmas tradition together.
The faceted crystals glimmered in the chill evening breeze as they danced lightly towards the earth. The delicate snow nestled itself in the branches of the nearby trees and in amongst the steadily burning lights, melting only when they came too close to the warm glow of the bulbs. White strands of Christmas lights reflecting on white snow transformed the city park into a magical fairy land where the cool silence of the moment was broken only by the crunch of ice beneath the adventurer’s feet.
It was beautiful but lonely out here in the frozen park when most others had abandoned the frigid winter air in favor of warm apartments. He too thought it might be more pleasant to end the journey in order to return to the warm embrace of fuzzy blankets and the soothing hot chocolate drink so very favored on frosty days like this. But, instead he pressed on. Even in weather like this the object of his search would still be out here amongst the trees.
Eagle heard the joyful chirping of the birds long before he saw the reason for their excitement, a sure sign that he was closing in. A blue jay performed a shrill cry as it swooped in to land on a snow frosted limb. The icy colored bird blended in with its winter backdrop almost perfectly while the bright red cardinals that played in the evergreens stood out vividly in a festive array of color. It was the finches though that had found the best resting place of all, carefully protected on a sturdy arm where a steady flow of seeds could be found.
Lantis stood in a modest clearing cloaked in a pitch black cape that had been peppered by the falling snow. The forest birds huddled in close, vying for the best perches that would earn them the most treats and ultimately being denied anything more than their fair share. Even these wild birds were as tame as pets in Lantis’s skilled care. They sang happily as they perched on the man’s wide shoulders, occasionally even becoming a hat for brief periods when the premium space on Lantis’s arm was entirely filled.
As always it was a heartwarming sight and Eagle was loathe to do anything that might shatter the picturesque scene before him. For a moment he even held his breath as if the cloud of exhaled air the act produced in the frozen air would be enough to alert the group of his being so near. Of course it had been the earlier cry of the jay that had already announced the Commander’s arrival and eventually the taller man looked over his shoulder, past the birds still sitting there, to see why nothing had yet been said to him. Eagle flashed a smile but even the warm ‘I’m happy to see you’ grin couldn’t go without explanation, so since he had been obviously spotted, Eagle abandoned any idea that he might be able to continue to watch as a casual observer.
“I was hoping I might find you out here,” He nodded towards the trees still beautifully adorned in the glowing lacy white snow. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I think this curse is one of the more endearing ones. I love the way the City decorates everything like this.”
That said Eagle looked back towards Lantis and the birds he was tending, “I don’t suppose they care for it very much though?”
Never one to waste too many words Lantis replied simply enough, “They don’t really mind it.”
Surely even with feathers to warm them the animals would have preferred warmer temperatures like all of those who were staying cozy inside today, but they sang merrily as they flitted back and forth from the branches to the hand giving away the treats. The change in weather didn’t really bother them as much as it did others.
Eagle however, not being quite so lucky as to have been born with feathers, found himself shivering slightly. Even wrapped in a warm cloak as he was the crisp air and occasional gentle breeze were enough to sweep what ever warmth he could produce away. Birds as small as these might be have become used to the cold but he certainly was not.
“Even if that is the case I think they still appreciate the birdseed.”
Lantis merely nodded at that before kneeling down to the ground and dumping the rest of the uneaten seed that was still in his palm onto the fresh snow pack. The birds soon followed, greedily dropping down to land in the snow in order to chase the delicious seeds they loved so much. Once his friends were safely settled he could walk over to join Eagle on the snow covered sidewalk.
“You are cold,” It was all he really had to say to express his concern and desire to look out for and protect Eagle. His bright blue eyes mirrored his trepidation, widening ever so slightly as he noticed the shiver. He might have removed his back cape to drape that extra protection over Eagle’s shoulders if the other hadn’t smiled and gently declined the unspoken offer.
“It’s nothing,” Eagle said dismissively as he turned to walk a little ways up the path with Lantis falling into step beside him, “It is just a little colder out here than I was expecting.”
The beauty of the snow and lights more than made up for any discomfort the temperature might cause. There wasn’t a single tree that wasn’t lit with the tiny white bulbs, each park bench had an elegant red bow tied to the backrest and a smaller matching ribbon on each armrest, and each lamppost held swirls of evergreen garland right up to the very height of the pole where the bulb was safely housed in its protective glass cover.
What could be better really? Walking through a beautiful setting like this with Lantis by your side? No amount of cold would force him to miss this and in fact it even gave him a good excuse to snuggle closer into Lantis’s arm. Not that an excuse was needed, Lantis was made a little curious by the action but he was more than willing to place an arm around his boyfriend as they walked along together.
Just as the Commander was beginning to think nothing could possibly make this any better his partner suddenly stopped short, bringing their stroll to a abrupt end. He was focused on something ahead of them and even if he was quite tall his head inclined slightly as if looking even higher. Following this line of sight as best he could Eagle himself soon found the object of fascination. It dangled from one of the light posts on a brilliant red braided cord. An innocent looking green ball made up of leaves that played an inviting jiggling tone from the small golden bell that swayed soothingly from the other end. The conspicuous white berries instantly revealed this most dangerous of all holiday decorations to those familiar with its power.
To those unfamiliar this clever trap was enough to lure the curious in. It had been placed so that the only way past the decoration was to walk under it. The way the object shimmered, the soothing bell noise, all of this was intended to draw people closer. Bait for the trap.
Lantis almost appeared memorized by it as he watched the object gently sway in the breeze. After staring for some time he eventually decided no more information could be gained by this. He turned to look at Eagle with his head slightly tilted to one side. Clearly he found this object very perplexing and he was looking for an explanation for it.
Oh, Lantis, how very tempting it was. Surely there was no one alive with enough fortitude to abstain from a little harmless prank like this? The cold had driven everyone else indoors, but the Commander cast a look around just to be certain no innocent bystanders might be pulled into the mischief.
“Don’t you know what that is, Lantis?” The question was innocent enough though the intent behind it was a touch wicked.
The other shook his head. Objects of that nature were not found on Cephiro nor had he happened to learn what the decoration meant here in his time in the City. Eagle wondered briefly how he had missed out on that but decided it must be due to Lantis’s nature of being a fairly solitary kind of person. With no one to explain the harmless looking ball Eagle himself might not understand what it was.
“That is mistletoe,” it was a struggle to keep the mischievous twinkle out of his eye and he may well have failed at it entirely, “Why don’t you go take a better look at it? Since it is your first time to see something like this, maybe you could even decide if you think we need a few of those to decorate the apartment with?”
Not being a fool Lantis was a little suspicious of the reply. It was mistletoe, he believed Eagle had told him the truth about that but there was something else. Something he wasn’t entirely understanding. Of course Eagle was never going to say, that happy smile of his meant that was all the explanation he would get for now. Still, the decoration did seem harmless enough and Eagle wouldn’t send him in if it was really dangerous. And he was curious about it…
Resigned to whatever fate Eagle had in store for him, Lantis stepped away from his partner’s side and closer to the ornament. The glossy leaves and white berries did go well with the red colored rope. A pretty decoration by any standard. He particularly enjoyed the bell. The light tinkling noise it made almost reminded him of the birds he loved so much. He wondered what had Eagle been smiling about as he stood under the mistletoe. There was nothing strange or special about this.
A very curious thing. He had expected something to happen. Something to fall off and land on his head, maybe snow, or some other kind of surprise. This… nothing… was more of a shock than…
The snow swirled as the wind picked up in one of its rare gusts and a sudden warmth touched Lantis’s winter chilled lips, gradually warming them in the tender embrace. Eagle suddenly so very near. Lantis’s hands moved to capture his companion’s shoulders, not to push him away, but to pull the shorter man closer to him. Question filled blue eyes softened as he gave into the unforeseen, yet not at all unwelcome, kiss.
Only when the moment broke did Eagle slide away until his heels touched the ground again, his sweetheart being a little too tall to be kissed without the use of tiptoes. He smiled as the confusion filtered back into Lantis’s gaze, but now that the trap had been set off there was no further reason to keep him in the dark about the true meaning of this particular ornament.
“It is an Earth tradition I learned about last year. Anyone caught standing under the mistletoe has to be kissed.” Lantis didn’t need to know the particulars, just how Eagle had been introduced to the tradition, the one he wanted to be standing under the mistletoe with was here anyway.
The former Cail of Cephiro blinked, “Why?”
“I… well,” The simple question did not have a simple answer, so ignorance had to be admitted with a slightly embarrassed chuckle. “I never really asked. I suppose it is just a nice way to show someone you care about them.”
It certainly had been nice, not the terrible prank Lantis had been expecting at all. Any time he could be with Eagle was nice. This place, the City, had given Eagle more time, more freedom than he would have found on Cephiro. There was no pillar system here, no reason for them to fight. There was nothing he wanted more at this moment than for these happy times to continue.
The best thing was Eagle felt the same way. They loved each either and they had each decided this on their own. While free of the influence of the Pillar System they could both relax and just live for what they wanted instead of trying to martyr themselves for a cause.
This belief, of wanting these joy filled moments never to end, was why Lantis’s demeanor took on a new intensity as he said simply, “Yes.”
Yes? Yes, to what? And he had said it with such certainty. The response had been so random it left it to Eagle to try and decipher the cryptic answer himself. What exactly had Lantis been responding to? Eagle couldn‘t remember a question…
“Hm? Yes, what Lantis?”
Lantis paused for only a moment as he looked down at the person he wanted to protect, the one he had fallen in love with. He even allowed another brief gust a wind to blow the airy snow past them before answering.
“You asked if we needed a few of these to decorate the apartment with…”
Lantis leaned in close again. If mistletoe was a way to show just how much some one truly cared about some one else…
“Yes, we do.”
Then they would need a lot of it.
Title: Fishing for Affection
Rating: PG
Synopsis: stargathering reminiscing about drizzlinginside and finding new feelings for blastiafreak.
It was better that she was gone. She wouldn’t be hurt by him or by his curse if she was no longer around him. Still he couldn’t help but remember the fun times they had experienced together. Her blue eyes twinkled when ever she laughed and she had always worn her brown hair in the most oddly adorable fashion, with two strands loose enough to drape over her face but ultimately pulled back into her braided ponytail.
Still… Katara would be better without him.
The narrow nylon line dangled lazily in the water with the hook lying beneath the waves going entirely ignored by both fish and fisherman alike. Tyr really had more on his mind than fishing. This was just a way to get away and to think in complete silence for a while.
With a heavy sigh he gave up any pretense that watching the line for signs of a bite was what he was actually doing and dropped back to lean against the tree whose shade he was sitting under. A gentle breeze whispered through the branches causing a single leaf to drop free of its limb and drift lightly down to land on Tyr’s black scarf wrapped hair. He didn’t bother to move and may not have even noticed the leaf’s landing. With closed eyes and his hands neatly folded on his yellow trimmed red tunic he wasn’t paying attention to anything other than his own thoughts.
It really would be better if he could push everyone who cared for him away, wouldn’t it? They would be much safer if they were no where near him. If that meant he ended up alone, it would be sad, but it would be nothing he couldn’t handle. Just as long as everyone else was safe that is what mattered the most.
Tyr might have been lost in these dark thoughts, reminiscing about Katara and contemplating his fate, if it hadn’t been at that moment when a branch in the nearby thicket snapped and Rita unceremoniously tumbled out on to the grass. With a wicked flush creeping into her cheeks she hurriedly stood up and brushed the grass off her knees, instantly on the defensive.
“What? I wasn’t… spying on you or anything! I was just walking by and happened to trip on… something…”
The blush did say otherwise. Her cheeks were now nearly as red as the outfit she wore. True she hadn’t actually been seeking Tyr out she had just been walking through the forest when she spotted him and he looked so sad sitting there… she had been spying to see if he was alright. This is something that would never be admitted however. It was far too embarrassing. If Tyr were less of a gentleman, or maybe just a touch more mischievous, he might have pointed that out to her but he decided just to smile and accept her explanation, at least for now.
“Are you ok?” That had been quite a fall so suddenly triggered that she must have landed fairly heavily. Tyr’s first inclination was to see if she was hurt or not. Even if he knew the answer would be…
“Of course I am ok! I wouldn’t get hurt over a little fall like that!” Her response had come off a bit more defensive than she had really intended. Rita really wasn’t trying to hurt Tyr she was just trying to cover up her faux pas. So the next thing she said was a little softer in tone, “So what are you doing anyway?”
Tyr looked back at the neglected fishing pole. His first instinct had been to say ‘fishing’, that is what he would have said to almost everyone else, but maybe with Rita it would be fine to admit the truth.
“I was thinking.”
Finally with a different subject to talk about Rita could relax a little. She even walked over to stand closer to where Tyr was sitting before asking, “What were you thinking about?”
Now it was time to be vague again. Even if she would be able to understand everything surely she would protest his decision, “About things I can’t change and how much better off people will be in the end.”
Without me around, he didn’t say that part but maybe Rita sensed it some how? Her reaction was instantaneous. She balled up her fists and responded angrily exactly as if she knew what he was thinking.
“What are you talking about!? That sounds like you are giving up!”
Was he? That had been such a jarringly frank observation that Tyr startled and began thinking over his previous feelings in the new light Rita had shown on them. He didn’t want to give up… to quit on something as important as this, but at the same time what else could he do? He didn’t see any other way.
He was about to say something along those lines, but fortunately Rita’s tirade wasn’t over yet.
“You can’t just say something like that!”
Her words were heated and loud but full of loving concern. No friend of hers would be allowed to just give up! And Tyr… Tyr was far too important to her to allow this kind of talk to continue. This was another thought that would never be shared. One that she had trouble admitting even to herself. Tyr had become so very essential in her life. She couldn’t imagine his not being here anymore. His talking so dejectedly… it just fueled her anger and desire to protect him.
“If there is something wrong we can fix it!” With a huff she stomped her foot, “You just have to stop talking like that and tell me what the problem is!”
That was as close as she could get. There would be no stirring confession today. Rita expressed her deepest most heartfelt feelings through yelling.
It was something Tyr had come to expect from her and even appreciate. She really did have a shy side that was very endearing. It was this side that kept her from saying what she really wanted to, but he could tell she was yelling at him because she cared. Rita was actually a very sweet girl… cute even when she was blushing.
The thought occurred before Tyr could prevent it. Cute? He had actually thought the word cute!? Why was he having thoughts like that at an occasion like this? All this time he had been thinking how much better it would be without anyone and now… now suddenly with a single awkward notion he was beginning to think how much nicer it would be to not be alone.
Rita was staring at him now, waiting for him to say something to what she had just said. Oh man! What should he say!? How could he carry on a conversation with the word ‘cute’ floating around in his head?
“I… uh…” Smooth Tyr, real smooth. He chastised himself a bit before trying to come up with something worthwhile to say. Maybe he could even use actual words this time.
“I won’t give up,” it was what she wanted to hear, wasn’t it?
And why was he suddenly trying to please Rita? They were just friends. Only friends. Even if she was cute. AGH! There was that word once more!
“Good,” Rita frowned seemingly unaware of the turmoil going on in Tyr’s mind. “I don’t want to hear you say anything like that again.”
Her brown hair and flashing green eyes. She was different from Katara in so many ways. They were both warm and caring people, both very fun to be around… so why was it thinking about Rita was more comforting? Some how, even being yelled at as he was, it felt reassuring.
“If you have some problem just tell me about it. There is no problem that can’t be solved!”
When she said it like that he almost believed it was possible. There had to be some way to end this curse of his and maybe… that would open up other possibilities.
He smiled up at Rita confident that showing he was no longer consumed by those depressing thoughts might further calm her temper, “Thank you, Rita.”
Finding his feelings for Rita had become more than just friendship in their time together in the City was a shocking realization, but not one he could, or even would, consider taking back. It was too soon to act on the feelings, they were too new, too embarrassing. Nether one of them would be able to admit they had fallen in love with the other, but at least they were finally beginning to realize it. Tyr had gone fishing hoping to catch a fish but maybe what he had actually caught was a good deal more important.