(no subject)
Challenge : {211} Apology
Title : Gears and Airships
Word Count : 599
Notes : Alternate Universe,again. Also, so steampunk, it hurts.
“Working on your raft?” Kairi perched on the edge of the half-circle of strewn debris stretched across the lawn, the thick black caked on the metallic washers and cogs much too daunting to brave standing any closer. A yellowed book that could only be respectfully labeled a tome at her boots (lifted from the library, she assumed), lay open-faced to intricate blueprints of dirigibles.
“It's an airship.” Sora corrected deliberately, elbow-deep in a sea of copper rivets and gears, hands manipulating well-worn tools into tightening and adjusting the makings of a formidably-sized steam engine.
“Not from where I'm standing.” She gathered up her skirts in one hand, the other curled delicately around the pearl handle of her parasol. Regarding the boy kneeling in the dirt and grease with something like affection.
“You obviously have no sense of adventure.” Sora told her with a turn of his wrench, painting his cheek with a dark line of slick black as he pushed up the leather band of his goggles to swipe sweat from his brow. “It'll come together soon enough. You'll see.”
“You've said that before, Sora.”
Kairi giggled behind her hand as Riku approached them from the left, marching up the lawn in his usual diligent stride. Light smirk on his lips already, military grade cap pulled low over his eyes, black Lieutenant's uniform pressed and starched flat like always. “You're pretty insistent about this airship, huh?”
“'Course.” Sora supplied over his shoulder, sparing the older teen a quick glance, then turning his attention back to his work, occasionally looking to his ancient book as a reference. “She'll take me anywhere in the world I want to go. Anytime I want. Any day.”
“You sound like your father.” Kairi pointed out.
Riku chuckled lowly, retrieving a small bundle from his pocket, wrapped in a soot-grayed handkerchief. “Here,” He extended his hand toward his childhood friend, finding it difficult not to contemplate how they had wound up on such opposite sides of the spectrum in their near adult lives, when their beginnings had all been pretty much the same. “I found it the other day. It's a--”
“A copper valve! Excellent find, Riku.” Sora grinned, handling the grimy metal pipe much like one would with an invaluable treasure.
“Consider it a gift.” Riku smiled along at first, before folding his arms behind his back fluidly. “So I heard you were issued a conscription yesterday.”
Sora stiffened, admiring his new valve with a waning enthusiasm. “Yeah?”
You have an obligation to serve, Sora, you know that. There's a war coming and every able-bodied male--”
“I don't have an obligation for anything.” Sora snarled, tugging his goggles down over his eyes roughly.
“Sora--”
“Go to hell.”
Kairi tutted, hands gripping the handle of her parasol anxiously, somehow caught in between their livid stares, both now full of sudden animosity.
“Can we not talk about war now? It's such a nice day today.” Looking at them both pleadingly until finally Riku broke his resolve first.
“Sorry. Of course.” Only vaguely apologetic, easily falling back into his careless civilian persona. No longer the vicious Lieutenant of Bastion Division 6. “It is nice today. Don't you agree, Sora?”
Sora buried himself in his work again, ignoring him, hunching his shoulders as he maneuvered his hands into a particularly tight spot.
“He'll come around.” Riku said eventually, sideways-speaking to Kairi. Careful smile on his lips. “Don't worry about that."
Yet another AU, 'cause I just can't help myself. :D