Title: When They First Met
Fandom: Rave
Pairing: Shuda/Sieg
Warning: Somewhat AU. I mean, no one knows how the two met and became close.
Disclaimer: Umi-chii don’t own Rave. Mashima-sensei still does.
A/N: Okay… this one got spawned from the depths of my sappy pool. Bwefweh. Driven to write another drabble due to intense listening of Utada Hikaru’s song, First Love.
Word Count: 930
When They First Met
Sieg stared outside of his window, rain pouring hard against its glass. Mildean had been raining for days, the storming not wanting to leave. He sighed and let his head lean on the cool glass.
Rain was never a good thing for Sieg. It made him think hard, made him reminisce, and remembering the past isn’t happy for him; his past was never nice.
But there is one good thing about the rain though, he thought.
There were times when Sieg would think really hard, past daily questions and into serious ones that can drive one fazed. But the rain helped him to keep away from delving deeper into his mind. It was like a distraction, and instead of thinking about himself, it avert his thoughts to the past, of how melancholy and sad it was.
To be honest though, Sieg’s past wasn’t actually that sad. Yes, there are happy moments but you can count them with just ten fingers, and out of those ten memories, there was one he cherished the most; that afternoon he met a bounty hunter strolling around the streets of Mildean.
He was weird. It was the first thought that came across Sieg’s mind that time. He didn’t know why, but somehow, seeing a man carrying a sword and walking in a wizarding town did its wonders.
He was young then, very young but no more a little child. He remembered he stared hard at him, curiosity etched into his face. Then the man noticed his stare and glance at him.
Squeaked he did. It was embarrassing of him, really, but back then, Sieg didn’t mind, because escape was the only thought that crossed his mind. Before he can turn and run though, the man had already grabbed the back of his collar and like what Sieg did; the man stared at him hard, eye to eye.
He remembered he flushed then. He’s never the type used to people closing his private space, especially by a stranger who had just recently piqued his curiosity. But to be treated at once into a bar really was strange, because after dragging him into a rather cheap bar, the man introduced himself and asked him what kept the boy from running away.
Sieg chuckled, the image of that scene suddenly appearing in his mind’s eye. He also wondered why. Why did he stay? Oh yeah, he was hungry. He couldn’t help but take the man’s offer, stranger or not.
It was that time when they first spoke to each other, and it was then when Sieg got his first look into the outside world beyond the boundaries of Mildean.
“Can I go with you?”
He remembered asking the man that question. Sieg was a man full of curiosity and is still is. His eyes were shining with unhidden awe when he looked up at the man, full of hope. But he knew that the man couldn’t, because he got his own business to do.
“Kid, I’m no happy-trolling adventure, ya know? I’m a bounty hunter. Hunter. Got it? ‘Sides, you don’t want to get tied up with the troubles I bring along.”
“But I wanna see the world!”
He argued to every word the man said, and though it was quite hopeless for him to tag along, he still kept on arguing and on he did. They both made a scene somewhere near the inner gate of the town, the stares they got being countless. It was the next words though that made Sieg glad he kept on arguing.
“Alright. Let’s make a deal. I’ll come back here when ye’re older and can handle a good deal of yerself.”
He nodded vigorously then, the pout that was once on his lips turning into a wide contented grin. He remembered the man smiled at him then arranged his bag and begun to leave the town when he suddenly asked his name.
“Hey, kid. Ain’t ya gonna drop your name or do I have to find it out when I come back here?”
He was surprised, very surprised. Through the entire day, never once had Sieg introduced himself to the man. In fact, recalling the entire thing, they both never introduced themselves to each other yet they somehow had forged such a close bond.
“My name is Sieg, sir.”
“Sieg… huh? Funny, it doesn’t sound girly.”
It was the first time that Sieg heard such words. No one really told him he was girly back then; maybe because it’s not everyday that Sieg mind the people around him.
The man laughed when he pouted, his cheeks reddening rather cutely. Then the man ruffled his hair and told him that after his own adventure, he promised he will come and pick Sieg up, and together, they will go into an adventure of their own.
“But how long should I wait?”
He asked him that question.
“How long do you think you can last?”
It was a far-off reply that came from a man leaving. It sounded like a challenge to Sieg, and ever since that day, Sieg trained to become strong, so that when the day comes, he’s ready. It was also that day when Sieg started to hone his patience into that of what he has now.
And strangely enough, Sieg didn’t even need to know the man’s name. He only need to remember the man’s flaming red hair and dark crimson eyes to recognize him, and everyday, that memory is implanted in his mind, always reminding him that his story can’t end, because there’s still a chapter left untouched.
END