Conversation Around the Fire
Title: Conversation around the fire
Rating: G
Fandom: U-Kiss
Theme set/prompt: Fantasy/08 - Warriors
Summary: Eli has questions about what they're doing there.
Author's Notes (optional): A sort of sequel? I think?
Disclaimer: Not Mine, Not true
Inspiration from 10_what_ifs
Previous: One
"What?" Eli demanded, and then glanced around guiltily, hoping he hadn't woken anyone else up. But they all slept. Or, at least, no one stirred.
"Yeah, I know. It sounds ridiculous," AJ said, chin braced on his arms folded in front of him. He lay next to the fire, staring into the darkness of the cave (Eli had been there three weeks and still didn't know how big it was, but he wasn’t big on exploring, either). "But that's what Kibum calls us."
"Why?"
"So we can set things right. You weren't supposed to be out in that desert, you know."
Eli snorted softly, hands clasped behind his head, staring up at the ceiling he couldn't see. He lay a bit farther from the fire, more comfortable with cool than some of them. And a little leery with all of them still. "Where does 'supposed to' come into this life? Is there some sort of destiny we're supposed to fulfill or something?"
"Kibum thinks so," AJ said. "I don't know where he gets that, though, and he won't tell us."
"Is that normal? That he doesn't tell you?"
AJ snorted. "He doesn't tell us anything," he said. "At least, not unless he has to, or he thinks it won't distract us."
Eli stared at the ceiling in silence, or where he thought the ceiling was; it was too dark to see, even in the daytime. He had no idea how high up it went. "What if I don't want to do this?"
"He'll send you back."
Eli sat up, blankets pooling at his waist. His heartbeat sped up. "Back?"
"Where he found you."
"Oh, so if I don't want to be this… warrior thing, whatever, he's going to send me back into the desert where I'm not supposed to be, and let me die?" He had to fight to keep the fear out of his voice, because AJ didn't need to know how much the idea scared him.
"Hell of a choice, huh?"
Eli lay down, pulling the blankets back over him, and stared some more up at the ceiling. It didn't make much sense; why pull him out when he might just send him back. "Why are you going along with this?" he finally asked. It seemed a safer question.
AJ took a moment to answer. "I think he's right. That something has gone really wrong, and someone has to set it right."
"Who set it wrong, and why isn't he going after them?"
"I'm working on it," Kibum said from the other side of the fire. Eli clutched at his blankets, a thrill of fear running through him. Kibum hadn't been there a few moments ago, and Eli had no idea how long he'd been there. What had he heard?
"It's really irritating when you do that," he muttered to cover his fear. His voice trembled minutely.
"How, working on it?" AJ asked. Apparently, Eli wasn't the only one with questions.
"Your work would help me find him and set it all straight. Or at least stop him." He looked at Eli, who shrank under his gaze. "I would not send you back," he said gently. "Some have left from here, with money and some skills they can use, and they will never be back. But no, I would not send you back into what you came from. Any of you," he said, eyes flickering to AJ. Then he stood up. "You need to go to sleep. Tomorrow isn't going to be any fun if you don't."
AJ laughed. "Like it will if we do?" he asked, but obediently settled down to go to sleep.
"It will be significantly less fun if you don't," Kibum said.
"Are you sure you have all of us?" Eli asked, sleepy and fighting it. The reassurance had eased all his tension.
"Yes," Kibum said. "I'm sure."
Eli wanted to ask why - and ask why he was suddenly exhausted, and where that odd question came from - but he fell asleep before he could.
Table
Rating: G
Fandom: U-Kiss
Theme set/prompt: Fantasy/08 - Warriors
Summary: Eli has questions about what they're doing there.
Author's Notes (optional): A sort of sequel? I think?
Disclaimer: Not Mine, Not true
Inspiration from 10_what_ifs
Previous: One
"What?" Eli demanded, and then glanced around guiltily, hoping he hadn't woken anyone else up. But they all slept. Or, at least, no one stirred.
"Yeah, I know. It sounds ridiculous," AJ said, chin braced on his arms folded in front of him. He lay next to the fire, staring into the darkness of the cave (Eli had been there three weeks and still didn't know how big it was, but he wasn’t big on exploring, either). "But that's what Kibum calls us."
"Why?"
"So we can set things right. You weren't supposed to be out in that desert, you know."
Eli snorted softly, hands clasped behind his head, staring up at the ceiling he couldn't see. He lay a bit farther from the fire, more comfortable with cool than some of them. And a little leery with all of them still. "Where does 'supposed to' come into this life? Is there some sort of destiny we're supposed to fulfill or something?"
"Kibum thinks so," AJ said. "I don't know where he gets that, though, and he won't tell us."
"Is that normal? That he doesn't tell you?"
AJ snorted. "He doesn't tell us anything," he said. "At least, not unless he has to, or he thinks it won't distract us."
Eli stared at the ceiling in silence, or where he thought the ceiling was; it was too dark to see, even in the daytime. He had no idea how high up it went. "What if I don't want to do this?"
"He'll send you back."
Eli sat up, blankets pooling at his waist. His heartbeat sped up. "Back?"
"Where he found you."
"Oh, so if I don't want to be this… warrior thing, whatever, he's going to send me back into the desert where I'm not supposed to be, and let me die?" He had to fight to keep the fear out of his voice, because AJ didn't need to know how much the idea scared him.
"Hell of a choice, huh?"
Eli lay down, pulling the blankets back over him, and stared some more up at the ceiling. It didn't make much sense; why pull him out when he might just send him back. "Why are you going along with this?" he finally asked. It seemed a safer question.
AJ took a moment to answer. "I think he's right. That something has gone really wrong, and someone has to set it right."
"Who set it wrong, and why isn't he going after them?"
"I'm working on it," Kibum said from the other side of the fire. Eli clutched at his blankets, a thrill of fear running through him. Kibum hadn't been there a few moments ago, and Eli had no idea how long he'd been there. What had he heard?
"It's really irritating when you do that," he muttered to cover his fear. His voice trembled minutely.
"How, working on it?" AJ asked. Apparently, Eli wasn't the only one with questions.
"Your work would help me find him and set it all straight. Or at least stop him." He looked at Eli, who shrank under his gaze. "I would not send you back," he said gently. "Some have left from here, with money and some skills they can use, and they will never be back. But no, I would not send you back into what you came from. Any of you," he said, eyes flickering to AJ. Then he stood up. "You need to go to sleep. Tomorrow isn't going to be any fun if you don't."
AJ laughed. "Like it will if we do?" he asked, but obediently settled down to go to sleep.
"It will be significantly less fun if you don't," Kibum said.
"Are you sure you have all of us?" Eli asked, sleepy and fighting it. The reassurance had eased all his tension.
"Yes," Kibum said. "I'm sure."
Eli wanted to ask why - and ask why he was suddenly exhausted, and where that odd question came from - but he fell asleep before he could.
Table