Remnants of the Earth
AEDOLIS => Haviah => Topic started by: Draconian on October 03, 2017, 11:51:09 pm
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[Cheesi!]
There was approximately five minutes when there was no one in the locker room.
People were going out to the ring and others were headed back. That meant five minutes of no one in there. Which meant that it was a free for all and sometimes these guys had a lot of cool stuff. Aesir and his little gang had been planning it for a few weeks now - once they'd discovered the little sort of underground fighting rings. It was probably regulation - real credits were getting traded - but the illusion of it being illegal was a thing.
Aesir tightened his bandanna and fixed his backpack, licking his lip and glancing around. Entry actually cost him money but he was hoping to make up for it. People fighting in the ring didn't wear watches or have their devices on them. They kept that in their lockers. The lockers Aesir was going to pilfer. If he could manage it.
For the most part he looked unassuming. Young. He presented himself as overly enthusiastic about the match, chatting idly with a fan about their favourite fighter. How much they were betting on who. As the matches went on and Aesir fixed his sweater he slowly migrated back towards the lockers. So far things were going according to plan. The boy was dressed not too oddly, a dark blue hoody,his bandanna. He'd styled his hair to be a floof of green on his head. Sunglasses would have been too obvious so he kept his purple peepers out in the open.
A quiet calculation of who was going into the locker and who was going out. The sound of the bell.
Deep breath.
Cynthia was one of his buddies. She was flirting with security. Brandonn was flirting with the other security. Or distraction. Or actually planning to hook up after, knowing those two. Aesir slunk into the room before he took out one of his homemade gadgets. A 'master key' of sorts. Worked most of the time. Often enough for it to be worth it. Keys had been done away with a long time ago and the right putty for the right lock and it popped right open.
It took a couple tries, going down the line, before he got the first locker to open. Twenty seconds. Heart pounding, adrenaline rushing.Deep breaths. Fingers went through pockets and he found a watch and a hairpin? A quick examination of the hairpin and that got dumped into the backpack. Two more lockers passed that didn't match the serial area of the codes he had and then the third popped open. Deck of cards. Some jewelry. Cool. Perfect. Second one popped open.
Three minutes. Two to go.
Fuck this guy in particular. Aesir impulsively stole his pants and a few odds and ends from the pockets of the jacket, though he lingered a moment too long. The other lockers had just smelled like lockers and gross sweat. But the rush of familiar and feeling like home caught him off guard from this one and he lingered. His hand brushed over the jacket he found in there, eyes closed for a moment and he brought the sleeve to his face to breathe in it and feel like he was savoring a hug from a long time ago. Aesir didn't notice his bandanna fall into the locker, didn't notice it half hanging from under the door.
The timer he set to alert him that he had a minute to finish up and get out went off and Aesir jumped, hood falling from his head before he closed that locker quietly and went onto the next He managed to hit two more, getting what he'd think to be a pretty penny in more jewelry before he fixed his hood, made sure his face was covered and left the area. On the outside it looked as normal as ever.
The pants had been a bad idea. But fuck that guy. Aesir worried for a moment and considered briefly getting someone to sew the pants into some sort of stuffed animal because why did that scent feel so familiar. Aesir passed his friends, one who was now just flat out making out with a guard and the other who just looked to be having a grand old time. The plan was to linger just a little bit longer, pretend to watch the show and then bolt.
Deep breaths. Aesir closed his eyes, heart pounding before he just grinned and looked like he was enjoying the fight. Damn that guy was tall. His purple eyes lingered on a giant of a man with a mane of hair. Instantly he just knew that was the owner of the pants in his bag. Good. Fuck that guy. Licking his lips he decided that, of all things though, he really didn't want that one to find him and beat him up for his pants back.
It wasn't until he moved to pull his bandanna from around his neck to up over his hairline that he realized he'd dropped it somewhere. Shit. Fuck. That was his favourite article of not-clothing. He felt naked without it. Maybe... Against his better judgement, he went and hovered by the entrance, glancing into the room occasionally.
It was then how obviously a bad idea stealing the pants were, because half a leg was hanging out of the side and he was too concerned about his bandanna to notice.
-
"FUCK!"
The man's grunt of a curse was almost entirely drowned out by the sound of the crowd surrounding the ring screaming and hollering with delight as Kirkley's elbow caught him in the chest and sent him flying right onto his ass, the force of the blow knocking the wind from his lungs.
Kirkley stood over him, panting as a light sheen of sweat coated his marked-up body, a fierce grin on his face as he watched his opponent wheeze and slowly flop over onto his stomach, trying desperately to get up on his feet again. Determined lil shit, wasn't he?
Kirkley had heard about this place late one night in a bar here in Haviah, not too far from here actually, about a week or two ago. You could sign up, pass a few tests, have the rules explained, and the rest was simple: beat the shit out of your opponent, get paid if you win, don't if you lose. It wasn't too far off from wrestling if not a little dirtier and less showy; the crowd loved it and paid out the ass to get in and you got to beat the snot out of some guys you didn't even know, and couldn't get in trouble for it. Kirkley figured it was a pretty good deal, good way to let off steam. He wasn't fond of the shorts they had to wear for the match, but that was only one minor detail.
Wasn't like he didn't have anything to show off. He heard a few girls screeching in the crowd and snorted to himself. He could see the draw to Aedolis much more clearly now; it would be way too easy to get used to this.
He let his opponent get back up, meeting him head on and taking a weakened punch to the shoulder, trading it for one of his own to the guy's face. It knocked him down again, and this time he didn't get back up. The referee jogged over and Kirkley amicably stepped back. The whistle was blown and the crowd went nuts--not that he could see any of them, with the bright lights shining down into the ring kind of blinding him if he looked out too far.
He helped pick his opponent up, slinging one of his arms over his shoulders to half carry, half drag him to the locker rooms. That was the end of the show for tonight, and the other fighters who'd already had their matches who'd stuck around to watch filed in after.
"Boy you knocked him good for a newbie." "Yeah man, that was a good match. If we ever get in the ring though I'll wipe that smile right off your face!"
Kirkley let out a dry chuckle, setting the dazed opponent down on a bench and going to his locker along with the rest of them; he paused a few steps away though, eyebrows knitting in a frown as he realized something was off. A bit of cloth was hanging from the bottom of his locker door, and he walked over to take a look at it, rubbing the fabric between his fingers, the crease lines in his frown deepening as he unlocked it.
"Hey, what the fuck?"
He glanced up, seeing confusion on the other fighters' faces as well. "Where the fuck are my necklaces?" "Dude, my fucking keys are missing!"
Kirkley looked back into his own locker, pulling out the bandana and seeing that he was apparently missing his... Pants. And some things from the pockets of his jacket, it looked like. Curiously, he sniffed the bandana; the scent was unfamiliar, but for some reason his heart was in his throat.
He looked over to one of the alternate entrances, easily accessible if you could get around the guards from the stands.
He quickly headed over, turning the corner and seeing a young man standing there with concern clearly evident on his face--but the first thing Kirkley noticed were his purple eyes. Then his gaze moved slightly up, and he saw the green hair.
"... Don't tell me--"
One of the other fighters came up right behind him before he could finish, seeing the kid Kirkley was looking at and pointing at him. "YOU! YOU LITTLE FUCKIN THIEF GET BACK HERE!" And he charged at the kid, nothing holding him back; the sound drew the attention of the others and they all came over to investigate, took only a fraction of a second to see what was going on and gave chase.
Kirkley darted back to his locker, grabbing his jacket and other personal items, throwing them on in a hurry and then ran back out after them, following the stampede of furious men out of the stadium and into the streets. Man, if he was a spectator this would have been hilarious--but he didn't find anything funny about it at all.
Not if that kid was who he thought he was.
-
"YOU! YOU LITTLE FUCKIN THIEF GET BACK HERE!"
Shit. Aww, fuck aww, shit. Aesir's head jerked to the side and his eyes widened. Okay, nope. Guess he was never gonna see that thing again. It was his favourite too. Damn. Aesir took a deep breath and bolted. The way out was planned, however, it wasn't planned to go through so quickly. Still, he was slippery and a little more acrobatic than he let on. Sort of. At least he could pretend? Pulling the hood up over his poof of green hair while he bolted it through the ground.
Trying to get lost in the cluster.
Aesir ran for all he was worth, backpack held close. He did this for some shitty jewelry so damn right he was going to keep it at all costs. Also those pants. Damn they looked big.
There had been a glance back. A moment to catch a strange set of eyes with his purple ones before he'd bolted. While he ran until his lungs burned and he knew he'd cut his shins up, Aesir couldn't unsee those eyes. Hated how they felt like they should see so much. Did the rest see his face? Surely they did.
Which was why he was panting heavily right now against a garbage bag someone just dropped off, trying his best to catch his breath. Flushed and sweaty. Except he didn't lose everyone. They'd split up.
"There you are you thieving little shit," came a deep voice that had Aesir jerk his head up. Eyes wide, lips parted, Aesir quickly stood up and made to run before a hand caught his shoulder and he felt a fist bash right into his face. His cheek opened up easily against his teeth and he felt his blood saturate his mouth. Gasping open, the blood dribbled down his chin and the next hit sent the spray of blood off to the side, across the alley.
It should't have been too bad. If he was anyone else blood wouldn't have been a big deal. Except there was a lemon. A lonely, lonely lemon sitting there, unassuming. Squeezed out for an alcoholic drink of some kind probably. Or it had been. Now, bathed in blood, the single seed was a sapling, growing larger by the second as it brushed against more and more drops of blood.
Aesir gasped loudly and looked in terror to the man he'd stolen from, looming over him. Staring. It was over. His best worst kept secret was now a small lemon tree in an alley that grew in a mere matter of secrets. Blood coated his chin and he held the backpack close to his chest. Instead of waiting to explain himself he wiped his chin with his sleeve and used the man's shock against him. Pushing passed him and running down somewhere new.
His hood had fallen off and his lips were tinged red and he didn't stop running until his legs nearly gave out a few more blocks away. It was tempting to drop the backpack, would be so easy to just drop it and go but... No. This shit was his now. So, Aesir pressed his back to the wall in the alley, panting for breath, blood welling in his mouth again - though he was careful this time of where he spit.
That man was going to tell about him. Not just that he stole. No, that was peanuts now. Now they were going to know what he could do. They were going to bleed him and make him help make the plants on earth grow and that scared the shit out of him.
At least he had some dudes pants. Aesir gave a wheezy chuckle and closed his eyes. Bet he'd be having fun.
-
Kirkley lost sight of the boy and cursed under his breath, the panic and adrenaline in his chest making his heart race as he frantically took off after the guys, half following them, half following the scent he recognized from the bandanna.
At least his long legs helped him make up for lost time; he was overtaking the men quickly enough, pushing through them until he ran past a little alleyway and skidded to a stop, eyes widening at the sight of... Of a lemon tree, in the pavement. One of the fighters was looking around in confusion, cussing up a storm.
"Shit, shit what did that little fucker do--" He turned and saw Kirkley, "DID YOU SEE THAT? HE GREW A--"
Kirkley scented the blood in the air and a sweeping wave of red hot anger slid up his body and made every muscle tense. He stepped forward to meet the man and clocked him so hard in the jaw he went down instantly, coughing and sputtering in surprise as he spat out some teeth.
Reaching down, he grabbed the man between his neck, shoulder and clavicle, squeezing hard and holding him down in place, the fury in his eyes as easily readable as the deadliness in his low tone of voice.
"Say a word to anyone and I'll pull your spleen out through your throat."
He dropped the man and relied a little more heavily on that catdog nose of his, running through the streets and following the smell of that kid while simultaneously listening to the sounds of the men shouting to each other as they also searched. If he wasn't quick, if he didn't find him in time, there was no telling what could happen--
He skidded to a stop for a second time as he realized his nose led him to another alley and he froze, eyes searching before he saw him, crumpled up there against the wall and he wasted no time darting over to him, dropping to his knees, covered in sweat and blood on his knuckles from breaking the other guy's face earlier.
"Oi, oi--you, are you okay? Are you--" He reached out and grabbed the boy's shoulders in his moment of panic and there was a sense of warmth there that made him pause, made him look at this kid's face and see the blood all over his chin.
"Fuck, fuck okay come on, I've got to get you out of here right now before they find you--"
"Hey! New guy, you found him!"
Kirkley's attention snapped to the man standing at the mouth of the alleyway, and he was waving some of the others over as he spoke. "Great, hold him up for me so I can kick his smarmy little face in, the thieving little--"
He got up and met him halfway, ducking down and tackling him. The two of them hit the ground with a solid thud as Kirkley started punching the guy's lights out, his head smacking into the pavement as blood started welling up from his face--from his nostrils, his mouth. Kirkley's knuckles got cut up on his teeth but he didn't give a single shit; two more came down the alleyway entrance, swearing and Kirkley got up quickly enough to meet them both head on, the brawl getting nasty as punches went back and forth and he got slammed into a dumpster, his head making the thick metal ring along with his ears. He stumbled for a moment before yelling and grabbing one man's fist, holding it back from his own face as he used the guy's momentum to pull him forward, hooking his arm around the man's neck and pulling him up to slam him into the ground, kicking the other man in the knee with a sickening crack that made the guy scream and drop to the ground.
He couldn't waste any more time; he took a fumbling step over the man yelling in misery crumpled on the ground to the kid, blood dripping from his mouth and nostril as he yanked the bag away, pulling his pants out, tossing the bag to where the three men were curled up on the ground, and turned back to this thief, scooping him up and carrying him bridal style as he ducked through the alleys, listening to the howls and yells of the other fighters as they found their downed comrades and quickening his pace.
"A fucking bag ain't worth your life you idiot, I'd think you'd have learned by now." He growled, glancing down at the scared kid in his arms and knowing without a doubt... He'd found him.
But this was no time for rejoicing; they needed to find someplace to hide, and fast. So he turned into the first shop that was open, a little bar, as it were, and went straight into the bathroom, letting his full weight rest against the closed door as his head leaned back and hit it with a gentle thump, boy still in his arms as he panted.
"Can you stand? Tell me your name, first and last."
-
It was confusing.
One second he was alone, gotten away with it - or at least he thought - and the next... The biggest motherfucker he'd ever seen was just right there. Bearing down. Ready to rough him up and show him a thing or two about stealing from fucking wrestlers. Why hadn't his friends talked him out of it? Aesir took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut before the man talked. The comfort the voice brought was alarming. So out of place with the situation. Wide eyes found the weird set from before, hands on his shoulders.
Impulsively Aesir just wanted to kiss him.
It was a strange impulse. He'd never wanted to kiss a guy before and it was strange to want to do that with probably the manliest man he'd ever seen man before. Aesir's mouth opened while the stranger spoke... Get him away? That wasn't a smack in the face. That was... Concern? To get him... Safe? "Wh--" He gasped out, a little dazed from being out of breath and his brains being recently rattled.
Was this guy... What? No. What? No. Was this real life? Was this happening? Aesir moved to stand up, hand pressed to the wall, looking behind himself because he was confused and afraid. Did this giant of a man wanna turn him into paste himself? Maybe. He was bleeding now and Aesir's chest lurched and he hugged the backpack before -- nooope. Goodbye. There was a quiet protest before he was scooped up like a doll and carried away - it wasn't a surprise when that strange jacket scent was on this guy. He felt ... Familiar. In a weird uncomfortable way.
Aesir just let the guy do whatever. Even if he squirmed away where would he go? Maybe this guy was just super kinky? He had his pants back though so why was he being carried? Aesir just closed his eyes and kept his hands close to his chest, his jaw was starting to ache and it was climbing into his head. Aesir hadn't even realized they'd stopped until the low voice rang out in the washroom and he perked his head up, bangs falling into his face.
"Of course I can walk," He snapped out before looking away, "And why the fuck should I tell you? You think I'm going to give you my name? That's stupid. Sure, fine. My name is... Bartleby Burrows. Yeah. Call me Bart. Now put me down before I start screaming about some weird guy touching me!" His eyes were bright and he squirmed to be put down - which was when he realized how far off the ground he was, "How tall are you? Holy fuck, you some kinda giant?"
-
Kirkley just stared down at him for a second because...
This... This was not at all what he'd been expecting.
For three thousand years, he'd been upturning every rock and looking in every nook and cranny for this man, for his.. And he just turned up out of nowhere, the two of them meeting almost freakishly close to the way they did the second time some 5,000 years ago and yet it was so different.
This wasn't Bifrost. And yet it was, at the same time.
His mind doubted it but his gut knew, from the way his heart lurched when he saw the blood on his face in better lighting, the guilt he felt knowing he hadn't been fast enough, he hadn't protected him the way he should, and yet on the other hand...
The man he held in his arms now wasn't his. He wasn't a man at all.
He was a fucking kid. A snotty one, at that.
He gently set him down, his brain reeling, trying to process everything all at once and giving him a massive migraine on top of the literal headbanging he'd received earlier. He reached up and covered his face with his hands, thousands of years worth of memories flooding back at the same time, bringing with them all the emotion he'd tried to keep under lock and key for so many generations, and now here it was, all just... Pouring out.
He slowly slid down the door, resting his elbows on his knees, face still in his hands as he realized what he'd been dreading now for literal centuries.
Bifrost wasn't... This wasn't Bifrost. He was never going to come back. And even though he technically did, this kid didn't remember a single thing.
Not one.
He wasn't surprised at the burning hot tears he felt roll down his palms, the feeling of utter soul-crushing defeat. All that time spent. All those years hoping. All of those emotions, that pain, the fucking loneliness--and for what, for this?
Someone just please shoot him. Put him out of his misery. Let it all end. Because right now not a single goddamn thing felt like it was worth it.
He took in a deep breath and looked up at the kid, so many emotions swimming in his eyes it was impossible to tell what he was truly feeling, even he didn't know. He brought his hands together, lacing his fingers and shaking his head as he looked at the grimy floor.
"Yeah right, okay. I just saved your fucking life and you won't even tell me your name Bifr--whatever. It's fine, cause I think I know who you are anyways, or rather who your dad is because I'm pretty sure he was the one who asked me to come to this godsforsaken fucking planet in the first place and you're the reason why!"
He got up, stepping over to the kid and getting up close and personal, looming down at him as those emotions started to mix together to make frustration, annoyance, and anger. Anger that this was what he'd been waiting 3,000 years for, that this is what life handed to him, this is what Bifrost gave to him.
"Burg, yeah? So cut the fucking shit and tell me where you and your parents are living so we can get there before the goddamn police check those surveillance cameras and get there first because that's the first place they'll expect you to go. Or would you rather get caught and used like a living super plant fertilizer for the rest of your life?"
-
What the fuck?
Aesir was at that age where seeing a grown adult - an adult adult - cry was just super awkward. The man did a good job covering it up but Aesir knew and he just stood there awkwardly, shifting his weight on his feet, knees shaking because of adrenaline and his mouth starting to throb. While the strange tall guy tried not to cry - cried quietly? - he just went to a mirror and examined her face. Wincing slightly at the dried blood smeared on his chin.
Vain enough to still fix his hair, he made sure his bandana-less head looked good because what if someone out there saw him when he came out? The deep breath caught his attention and Aesir looked over, eyebrows up, face still covered in crusty blood. Was this guy angry at him? Aesir snarled in turn, listening to this guy just... Being angry. What was his problem?
"Look, Guy, I didn't know they were your pants, okay?" Aesir grumbled, folding his arms across his chest, though quickly enough the giant of a man was bearing down on him and he just poked his chin out farther and met the gaze. Glaring. The fuck did this guy think he was? Though, knowing his name and the mention of being plant fertilizer made him shiver.
"How do you know that?" Aesir said, finally taking a step back, looking to the door. His breath caught in his throat because if this guy knew, who else knew? Aesir moved his hand to wipe at the blood on his chin before he looked at the weird guy like he had two heads. "Who are you?" He snarled before shaking his head, "Aesir Burg," He finally replied, "My name. And you didn't save my life, I had everything under control."
Aesir glared for a moment before he turned back to the sink, filling his hands with water before he patted it on his face and wiping the blood on his sleeve. He opened his mouth in the mirror to examine the wounds and check to make sure he had his teeth. Another glance to the giant beast man and he sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets before he just glared. First this jerk steals his backpack of stolen goods. Now he knew... Everything.
"Fine," He tossed his head, glaring up at the ceiling, "Fine, just... They don't know what I was doing," He scuffed his shoe against the ground before he started to move past the giant beast man, hand moving to the lock on the door. "So, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell them..." He paused again, the rest of it sinking in, "I'm sorry I stole your pants, okay? You don't have to fuckin' look like I killed your pet about it." He frowned again, hand resting on the door quite ready to go.
-
This kid--Aesir--was pretty unphased now that he was safe from harm. It seemed the only thing he cared about was fixing his hair and making sure he still looked pretty. After almost getting beaten, potentially to death, by at least ten or so men.
He was so out of touch with reality it was painful to witness, though it might have been painful to Kirkley for other reasons on top of that.
He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Unbelievable. "Oh yes you totally had that one under control." He grumbled, watching the kid preen as he tried to force that anger boiling in his gut down for another day. He had a mission; whether he liked it or not, this was his charge now. He'd promised Bifrost he'd find him again and protect him, and the memory of that promise made him clench his fists.
He ignored the question about who he was in favor of keeping the conversation about Aesir for the moment; he sure as hell wasn't gonna tell this kid anything for quite a while. He wasn't going to tell him who or what he was, or who Kirkley was, until he knew he'd get a better response other than being called a lunatic.
"Fine, but we can't stay there long. And I could give a shit less about the pants, genius." Was all he said as he quiclly pulled said pants on, unlocked and opened the door, glaring at a man who gave him a funny look to step into the bathroom after they left.
He held Aesir back for a moment, sticking his head out the door of the bar first as he listened for signs of the other fighters. Hearing and seeing nothing, he let Aesir out and started to head to the nearest tram station, making sure the kid kept up and that he didn't just wander off.
The entire walk there had him fighting with himself, unsure how to feel about the whole scenario. Should he blame Aesir, or Bifrost? Or neither? He couldn't understand why Bifrost would willingly chose to be reincarnated as a little snotty teenager like this, but either way it was all he had to work with. Maybe he'd jumped the gun, maybe this kid wasn't half bad. He hadn't given him much of a chance.
He stood by the kid where he sat on the train to Margad, grip tight on one of the handrails as his hardened gaze flicked over every person in the car with them, watching like he expected any of them to get up and try to attack at a moment's notice.
They got to Margad in under an hour, and Kirkley let Aesir step off the train, again, after himself, checking to make sure there wasn't already an organized force waiting for the two of them outside; thankfully there wasn't.
"Lead the way, kid." He said as he slid his hands into his pockets, looking down at him, a bit of concern hinted on his features.
Kid's legs had been shaking earlier; he might've tried to act tough (which was slightly admirable--only slightly, though) but he'd still gotten roughed up and was probably more shaken than he wanted to let on. So Kirkley stuck close to him, their sides brushing every now and then as he let himself stand by as a way of physical comfort, or at least that was the idea. Aesir was probably going to call him weird, but as long as the little shit was safe that was all Kirkley cared about.
-
What would his friends say? Did they care?
Aesir couldn't remember them once the fighters realized their stuff had been pilfered. The past however long it had been was a blur. There was just the giant guy that made his mouth go dry and the sore mouth. When the guy pulled on his pants and they started to leave, Aesir made a point of rubbing his jaw exaggeratedly. Entertained at the slight blush of the person watching after them.
The way home was clear. Back to Margad where plants weren't a total surprise. They'd blink twice at a lemon tree in the middle kf the road but they'd also probably try to think of where it fell from. Aesir tried not to think about it. The ride home had him mourning his backpack of goodies and brushing his leg against the giant guys.
It was strange. He didn't know the dude. Didn't like the dude. He was giant and had a weird eye. Scars. Tattoo's. Guy was fuckin' scary. Still, brushing against him was comforting, so he would try to sneakily press their calves together on the ride. Walked as close to him as he could.
When he wasn't doing that he was just staring at his ass. It was a nice ass.
Aesir was on autopilot for the way home and he lead him there without a hitch. The guy who saw him grow a tree must not have said anything yet. Another day in paradise. That was lucky.
"Home sweet home," he said softly, fluffing his hair again, tucking the strands over his pointed ears - he didn't like the reminder he was different from his parents. The door opened with ease, it wasn't a fancy place but it was okay. His parents were seated for dinner and Aesir looked to Giant Guy.
"Daaaad," Aesir said, not bothering to take off his shoes, "weird guy here to see ya. Something about me, I think." He paused for a second, "I know arranges marriages aren't a thing really, but I'd be okay with this guy." His parents looked alarm before his father poked out his head and relaxed. Aesir gave a pointed look to Giant Guys waist and groin before giving pause, "Kinda big though."
"Kirkley," the man said, moving forward to shake his hand, "Welcome. You don't know how grateful we are that you're doing this for Aesir. The older he gets the stronger it's all becoming and I'm sure you can imagine what they'll do to him if they find out." They also know they would he seen as treasonous for sending their son away and probably killed.
He was a bright special boy though. The man glanced over his shoulder to catch Aesir picking a peice of brocolli off of his plate. "Please. Join us for dinner and spend the night," he took a step aside, opening his home for Kirkley, to which Aesir watched them while he stole a second one.
"We can go over the details after we send him to bed," a soft pleading look. The man only wanted to protect his child. "He doesn't know what's going on - not really." There was a pause, "I want to know how you found him -- but don't tell me. Hungry?"
-
He was mildly surprised when no comments were made about him being weird or that he needed to give the kid his space, but ultimately he said nothing, walking by him with silence and an air about him that made people look away if they made eye contact with either of them, though they probably looked over their shoulders to stare after the two when they left.
It didn't matter really, he was used to it.
He ducked his head to get in the front door without smackinf his forehead on the top of the frame, arching an eyebrow at Aesir's little remark that his parents largely ignored, so Kirkley decided to do the same.
Suddenly the fearsome demeanor disappeared as Aesir's father stepped into the room; a calming charm took its place as he gave the man a kind smile and reached out to shake his hand, a formal greeting between two old friends. Kirkley hadn't aged a day since they'd seen each other last, but the same could not be said for the kid's dad.
"Markus, it's been years." He said, nodding to him and giving a little wave to his wife whom he'd never met before he looked back to the man and shook his head.
"No need to thank me, it's the least I could do." He said quietly, glancing over to Aesir who sat cluelessly in the dining room. He looked back at Markus, arching an eyebrow and shrugging.
"Found him in a spot of trouble but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. He's got good timing, I'll give him that." And that was all he said of the matter; it wasn't his intention to make Aesir hate him from day one, even though he couldn't say how he exactly felt about the kid himself.
He followed the man in, shutting the door behind him and wondering if it was really a good idea to stay the night when the cops might be out looking for them right now. If they showed up he knew he could handle it, but he didn't want Aesir to see his family die. Not again.
He pulled out a chair for himself and sat, thanking them for the dinner and being completely polite, reasonable and friendly throughout the entirety of it. He changed gears so quickly it was amazing the furious man in the alley was the same one sitting next to Aesir's parents right now. He'd had thousands of years to practice his acting, why wouldn't he? The only thing that might have given it away was how he glanced over at the boy every now and then, curious to see his reactions, until he was inevitably sent to bed and it was time to talk business.
As soon as the kid was out of earshot, Kirkley looked over at Markus, a bit of solemn silence settling over the table.
"Well. An interesting kid you had there indeed, man. Don't worry about payment--though I wouldn't mind a bit better of an explanation on what's going on. When did this start, this plant thing?"
-
His dad knew this guy?
Aesir watched Kirkley obviously, his purple eyes resting on the strange giant man that looked comfortable enough. Of course his mind wandered, he just stared at the mans forearms. Looked at the tattoos. He wanted to pet them and he ate his dinner incredibly distracted buy this attention grabbing person. So giant. Tall. Aesir listened to the idle chatter and he gave his parents a look at the mention of bedtime. Bedtime consisted of 'going to your bedroom'. So that was good.
That was what he did.
Markus however, looked at his wife while she made tea in the kitchen and then finally towards his guest. The question made sense and he glanced off to the side, trying to remember. "Well," He puffed out his cheeks and took a deep breath, pushing his blonde hair aside, "He was always special." Markus thanked his wife for the tea while she sat beside him and looked a little woeful at the idea of sending her child away.
"We didn't know he was really special until he cut his hand while cutting up an apple," He shook his head, "Tiny sapling just... Right there on the cutting board," Markus closed his eyes and shrugged slightly, "We tried to find anything we could about what ... Was wrong with him. There's nothing." He sighed and looked distressed, "He's not psychic. It isn't... Magic. He was screened when he was younger for the Pilot program. Military. Nothing. He passed to just be... Regular Joe citizen." Markus glanced over his shoulder to the closed door of Aesir's bedroom.
"He's special. I don't know why." A wince, "I don't know how to help him except to get him out of Aedolis. If he gets caught here he's going to be ..." Markus couldn't finish it, the idea of his child being used to just... have his blood let made him pale at the idea. He closed his eyes and took his wife's hand and he spent a moment to just take it in. "I don't think he knows what's going on. I'm sure he has an idea - he's a smart kid - but... We'll get rest tonight and... Pack him up tomorrow and you can go then."
Markus looked to Kirkley, "I can't thank you enough for the help. All I want is for him to be able to live somewhere in peace and... You were the only person I could think of that could protect him and get him out of here." A glance down, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the details. It was too risky." Markus sighed and stood up before he motioned to a bedroom down the hallway, "You can sleep down there, I think you'll fit in the bed."
Aesir had had his ear pressed to the door, liftening. Feeling panic well up his throat. His parents were getting him out of Aedolis? With Giant Guy? He chewed on his lip before he glanced away to his bed and peeled off his clothing, leaving himself in nothing but his underwear. It was easy to crawl into bed and snuggle down in. Though sleep didn't come easy and when it did the dreams were really weird.
-
Kirkley watched Markus and his wife with eyes intent on picking up every little detail; he saw it, how hard it was for them to do this. Bi--Aesir. Aesir was still young, and still very much their little boy. Kirkley had had a few kids of his own over the many years he'd been rootin' around in this galaxy, he remembered the feeling and recognized it on their faces.
They wanted to protect him with everything they had, so much so they were willing to lay down their lives.
He dropped his gaze, leaning forward a bit to rest his forearms on the table, fingers lacing together, and he nodded with understanding. "'Preciate it. I don't have a whole lot of answers for you, but I've met people like Aesir before. There's lots of folks in this world that just can't be labeled. I don't think there's anything wrong with him." He looked up at the man, gave him a soft, reassuring smile. "You did me right when we worked together, I'll protect him with my life. You have my word. And it's better you didn't tell me the details earlier--never know who might be listening."
With that their discussion was brought to a close, all parties to an understanding. Kirkley would take Aesir off of Aedolis and he'd protect and watch over him. They would probably never see their son again.
So it goes.
He followed Markus's directions to head to his room for the night, wondering if he should shower now or in the morning before he decided morning would be best; he paused outside of Aesir's door, wondering if the little shit had actually gone to sleep or if he'd heard all of that. Part of him wished he could step inside and even just... Sit with him. Enjoy his presence. Because even though he wasn't Bifrost, there was still that core part of him that maybe was. His soul could change bodies but it could never change its true colors, or at least that was how it felt; how else could he have recognized him, other than the purple eyes and green hair?
He closed his eyes for a moment, relaxing until a vivid memory of Bifrost smiling next to him made his eyes snap open and he stood there, half feeling like he was betraying Bifrost while simultaneously upholding his promise at the same time.
It was a weird mix of guilt and resignation. It made him feel a little queasy.
He ducked into his own room for the night, and didn't get a whole lot of sleep; he woke up at the asscrack of dawn to take a shower, trying to clear his head after a night full of tormenting dreams of little moments spent with Bifrost.
The cold water splashing down on his face was welcome; the very nature of it was jarring and it made him wake up more and get his head back into the right here and now. He made the shower quick, getting out and toweling off, unaware that the door had cracked itself open. He looked at himself in the mirror, finding no bruises from yesterday--he looked normal. Looked the way he almost always did. And yet the man staring back at him didn't really feel like him anymore; it was hard to when he didn't know what he was doing.
-
Aesir slept fitfully. It was a weird mix- deep sleep and being aware he was in his bed, sheets tangled around his body. The dreams were weird. They felt more like he was watching through someone elses eyes and he wasn't sure he really liked it. Why was the weird Giant Guy in his dreams though?
The dream ended though and he knew his own moan woke him up because holy fuck. Aesir got up quickly, face puffy from sleep, jaw swollen from the punches from the day before and oh gods. He peeled the sheet from his torso and blushed hotly at the fact whatever dreams he'd been having gave him... A little morning problem. Fuck. Gross. The sound of a shower caught his attention when he wiped his night emissions from his chest and sitting up.
He balled the sheet up and tried to remember. Glancing down at his arms and remembering long hair tickling his wrists while he... Damn. "Kinky fuckin' dream," He muttered, scratching his side and glancing at the birthmark on his ribs. Dream him with the long hair had that. It was bigger though. Didn't see his face though. Aesir frowned, pressing his palm to his face before he grabbed a change of clothes and moved to the bathroom. Covering his lower bits with the clean clothing and towel he moved to the bathroom.
Oh.
He pushed the door slightly and looked in, eyes going wide.
Well, good morning.
Aesir's mouth hung open while he stood in the door way, staring unabashedly at the mans ass. Looking at him in the mirror for a moment before flicking back up and down the back and why did it look familiar? Aesir didn't know why it felt familiar to look at this Kirkley guy in the mirror and he gently pressed his fingers to the birthmark at his ribs. He pressed the clothing more firmly over his waist and ...
"Are you done yet?" He chirped, voice chipper and looking a little too interesting in what exactly this Kirkley fellow had on display. "I mean, I'm enjoying the view, but if we're going on a chip I also want to be fresh and flowery for the ride."
-
He'd kind of spaced out for a moment there, pulling tangles out of his hair by running fingers through the thick strands, staring at himself, eyes glazing over all the scars and tattoos, able to remember only about half of them.
The sound of a voice jolted him out of his thoughts and he cast a glance over his shoulder to see Aesir standing there, very obviously staring at him and very obviously hiding a... Problem.
Hell. No. No no no no. NO.
What had he done to deserve this?
(Actually he could think of a lot of awful things he'd done to warrant this kind of torture so you know what this was probably perfectly justified, but he wasn't about to admit that.)
He pulled the towel down from his shoulder to quickly tie it around his waist, face unchanging as he turned to Aesir with a sort of smugness and nonchalance.
"Sorry about that, princess. Might wanna work on your disguising game there, you ain't hiding much." He brushed past him, skin tingling where it brushed against the kid's as he moved to go back to his room, pausing a moment in the hallway to look over his shoulder at him again.
"Besides, you want your dad to gut me like a fish? I ain't stupid, kid." He wasn't gonna touch that with a ten foot pole, no matter how bad either of them might want it.
Aesir was a freaking kid. Probably not even 18 yet. Just another part of his punishment.
He took his time combing oit the rest of his hair, pulling his clothes on from yesterday, leaving the jacket off for now as he sat down on the bed, rubbing his face tiredly. Just had to wait now for the little shit to get packed so they could go--and then his next adventure would begin. He just hoped it wasn't always going to be this miserable.
-
Princess?
Fuck that noise.
Aesir pursed his lips and play snarled at Kirkley on his way past. Eyebrows drawn inwards in a frown. He wanted to close his eyes but all he saw was Kirkley naked and so he kept them peeled while he started the shower and dropped his clothes onto the counter. It was tempting to chase after the guy and just... Pounce on him.
Though the mention of his father had any sort of desire sort of just fade away and he looked into the mirror and poked and prodded at his jaw. Purple eyes wide. It ached a little. Aesir was alarmed at how healed it looked already, instead of purple and red it was yellow and looking better. A frown. Aesir sighed and felt his hands shake before he licked the inside of his mouth, looking for the wounds. Those weren't there either.
Maybe he was getting worse?
A glance down at his hands before he squeezed his hands into fists and sighed. The shower was quick and he came out feeling less gross and a little more invigorated. Aesir pulled his clothes on - though he examined the crescent shape on his ribcage again, frowning at it. One of those things he was sure had been there forever but he'd never really noticed it before. Whatever.
Dressed and ready for the day, he fixed his hair, tying a bandana on - though this one was a burgundy color. A jacket over a green shirt, jeans, boots. He shoved a few things into his backpack, making sure his more private articles of clothing were at the bottom. Nothing major or big. It wasn't going to be forever, right? Maybe?
Aesir sighed and looked down at his backpack before giving it a nudge with his boot.
"Daaaad!" Aesir called, opening his door and putting his overstuffed backpack against the wall.
"Yeah?"
"I'm ready, I think."
"Got everything?"
"Yeah. I think."
Markus and his wife, Julia came out of the kitchen. Obvious his mother was trying to put on a brave face, she gave a watery smile to her son and wrapped her arms around him. A hug only a parent could give a child. She kissed his forehead and passed him off to Markus.
"I'll see you soon, right?" Aesir whispered, looking at his parents who just smiled. They'd never been parted for long, so he could understand the hesitation. He smiled, accepting their silence for a simple inability to talk more than they would lie if they said lie. Aesir sighed and rolled his shoulders and looked to the front door. Where were they even going?
How would they get back?
"Kirkley?" Markus said, moving to the larger man, "All I ask is you get him somewhere he can be safe. The last thing I want is for him to be bled dry for some trees," He squeezed Kirkley's arm and glanced away, looking to Aesir who was leaning against a wall and looking bored with having to wait. Aesir looked up and smiled at his dad before moving forward.
"Ready to go?" Aesir perked up, looking a little eager. He supposed there were worse people he could be stuck with for a while. Giant Guy? Yes please. It was unusual for him to be quite this forward but with no father around there would be no threat of being gut like a fish. A sly smirk was on his face and he rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms up, back arching before he yawned and fluffed his green hair.
-
He sighed, bringing a knee up to rest his chin on as he listened to the sound of the shower water running. He closed his eyes; his memories seemed to come back to him moreso now than they had before, varying from enraged floods of too many emotions to gentle ebbs and flows, like right now.
The images slowly came to him, of leaning against a wall in their home, watching the golden sunlight silhouette Bifrost's figure on the other side of the shower curtain. The smell of soap and shampoo, the steam from the hot water, and Bifrost's scent surrounding him in the place they shared together at one point. His heart had ached back then, chest full of pride, and yet it stung because there was so much love it was like he could barely contain it.
His heart ached now and he opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling as another of those damn tears rolled down his cheek.
He would give anything to have that back right about now.
The water was turned off and he watched Aesir pass his room to go get packed; he said nothing, just listened, his sharp ears picking up the sounds of the kid moving around in his room, getting his things.
When he heard the hollered exchange between father and sun he jumped up, slipping into his jacket and stepping out into the main area, watching the painful hugs and realizing just how clueless Aesir really was right now. He had no idea he wouldn't be seeing them again, just like the second time, when he'd left his brothers... Why did Kirkley always have to take him away from his family? His loved ones, his friends? He felt awful and yet at the same time it was the best, and only, thing he could do.
Markus's hand came up to grip his bicep and Kirkley returned the favor, the two of them looking into each others' eyes with a moment of understanding like they had probably some 15, 20 years ago. He gave the worried father a gentle smile.
"You have my word, I swear it."
He also looked over at Aesir and the boy perked up, almost as if he was excited, completely clueless as to the road that lie ahead. Kirkley took in a deep breath, patted Markus on the shoulder and murmured a quiet "Stay safe, you two." Under his breath before stepping over to join his new companion at the door.
"Alright, alright. We're going, Pipsqueak." And take one last, good, hard look at what you're leaving behind. You have no idea how much you're going to miss it.
As they stepped out into the early morning, Kirkley set the pace at a fairly brisk walk, looking over at Aesir and then glancing around them, speaking quietly. "Before we leave, we need to stop by Haviah one last time. Friend of mine has my ship there, and she'll get us set up before we head off this miserable rock."
He partially remembered the way to the train but let Aesir take the lead, moreso so he could keep an eye out and protect him from behind at the same time, his ever watchful gaze making any curious strangers look away before they looked too hard. When they were once again on the train, Kirkley let him take a seat while he remained standing, blocking most others' view.
"So," He said, tilting his head to the side as he looked down at the kid with a slightly devious smirk. "You ever met a dragon before?"
-
Was that a look that wasn't angry?
Aesir sighed inwardly while he watched Kirkley, eyebrows up. He could watch this guy all day. He was big and powerful and looked like he could pop someones head between his hands. Damn. He was honestly alarmed by how much he wanted to just crawl up that guy and chew on his ear or something. Aesir didn't even try to hide his interest once they got onto the rail, though his attention was captured at the mention of dragons.
Though instead of looking interested he paled a little and turned so he was facing the giant man. "A dragon?" His voice was hushed and he looked around like just whispering the word was a death sentence. "Are ..." He glanced around and looked a little worried, "Are you a Pilot?"Aesir didn't want anything to do with Pilots. Oh god, could this guy read his thoughts? Uuuuh.
Nope.
All he could think of was this guy naked now.
Aesir sure hoped he couldn't read thoughts. That'd be awkward maybe?
"You're friends with a dragon?" He whispered, eyes wide, hair slowly drying and falling from his bandana onto his face. "Oh my god. Am I lunch?"
-
Okay. He had to admit it, that reaction was... Really cute.
The way he visibly paled, eyes getting wide like he was gonna shit a brick or something. It was hilarious, and seeing something other than some smarmy tough guy look on his face was pretty refreshing--like how it was probably a nice change for Aesir to see some expression other than anger on Kirkley's.
"Pffft." He just grinned and laughed a little; it was something that looked so much warmer and more natural on him than a scowl. The movement of the train made the standing passengers sway a little, and Kirkley glanced away as he spoke. "Me? No. I've heard trying to do anything psychic with me is like trying to talk to a brick wall." He raised his eyebrows as he looked back to the kid, that amused smirk still on his face.
"You're not dinner, kid. But you will be a guest to a very good friend of mine, so you mind your manners, got it? Because whatever you're expecting, you're not gonna get it. Just try not to let your jaw fall on the floor, yeah?"
-
Oh.
Oh damn.
Aesir watched him smile. Watched the laugh and his heart fluttered and the world was perfect and sure he was big and scary and his eye made him like nervous. He was a kid. He knew he was a kid. And this guy just felt old. He looked kinda old? But he felt old. Aesir tried to slyly reach out so the back of his hand rested against the guys leg while he spoke. A little blush was on his cheeks and he chewed on his lip while he listened.
This guy saved him? This guy. This angry guy who almost broke down into tears?
Aesir wasn't really sure what to do with the information he'd gathered.
"Yeah sure. Best behaviour," he licked his lips and glanced away, trying not to imagine the big guy and himself getting hot and heavy on the cart - though He liked the idea of it. Kirkley didn't exactly exude the whole 'let's screw in public' vibe. Aesir wasn't really big on public stuff anyway. He was more into the hot and heavy behind a closed door where someone probably knew what he was doing.
"Is she hot?" He asked, assuming it was a woman - or at least someone exceptionally beautiful and that word usually was for the feminine. "Beautiful? Can my jaw hit my chest?" He glanced at Kirkley's thighs and smirked before he opened his mouth, about to make a rude comment before he thought better of it and closed it. "So, the whole get what I'm expecting. You're telling me I'm not getting ravished on this trip? Pity. You look like you have stamina for days."
-
Huh, yeah. Smart kid. Smart enough, he supposed. He shrugged, the corners of his lips still turned up in a slight smile as he looked away again, watching the world pass by outside the train car's windows.
"Beautiful, yes." He looked like he was about to say something more, but he pursed his lips and kept quiet, deciding not to ruin the good mood going between the two of them right now.
Instead, he looked back to Aesir, leaning down with a mischievous smirk on his face when the kid asked that question. "Careful what you wish for little boy. Guess you're just not gonna find out, huh? Pity."
The train slowed to a stop and he stood up straight again, nodding to Aesir and leading the way off, every movement planned to keep the kid protected and safe. Now came the real task.
"She's up in the higher levels of Haviah so let's hope that little friend of ours didn't go squealing last night, otherwise I'll have to uphold my promise." He said, the good mood still mostly there but there was a low growl in his voice that no doubt made his chest rumble.
He glanced at Aesir, sliding his arm through the kid's and keeping him close enough that their sides were constantly brushing as they walked. He lead the way through the streets and passageways, taking familiar paths he'd learned quite a while ago to get up to Ain's little penthouse. She never stayed on this planet for too long at a time, maintaining it as a sort of vacation home, if it could even be called that. She was swimming in a pool full of piranhas waiting to eat her the moment she dropped her camouflage, and Kirkley could only partially understand why she did it.
After all, the best way to keep an eye on your enemies was to be their best friend, right? That was how she'd explained it to him one time.
Each security check was a little nerve-wracking; he kept waiting for the inevitable moment the officers would notice him or Aesir and the trouble would start, but thankfully nothing did; he was recognizable enough even that some of them nodded or waved to him as they passed. Up here, he wasn't known as Kirkley so much as he was the Mistress's Pet. And that was the way he and Ain preferred to keep it.
Ain's home was incredibly well secured, a penthouse with bulletproof glass windows that were tinted in between pillars fashioned after white marble old world architecture in between, almost as if it were a kind of new-age Greek temple. He got in no problem, explaining only briefly that the kid was with him and the two were let in without question. He led Aesir through a lobby with ceilings that seemed a mile high, the soles of their shoes tapping softly against the polished and glossy stone floors. He pushed open a second set of tinted glass doors, and suddenly they found themselves in a lavish white marble main floor. Two smooth staircases glided up on the left and right sides to a balcony on the second floor that lead into other rooms and hallways; between the two stairwells was a fountain that poured brilliant, clear water into an aqua-lit pool set into the floor, fish swimming calmly in its cool waters. The pillars were white and ivory with gold inlaid accents and gold chromatic railings. It was bright, well-lit, and it always reminded Kirkley of an early summer afternoon.
He came to a stop in the center of the room, the ceilings some twenty feet high. He stood straight, shoulders back and a certain air about his posture that suggested either he was a very good actor or he'd been in the military before. (Hint: it was the latter.)
He said nothing, just waited patiently, and soon he heard the faint sound of footsteps--stiletto heels on the shining stone floors. When she appeared, entering from a hallway on the right side of the second floor balcony, he let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, a grin finding its way on his face.
To say Ain was a pretty woman wouldn't do her justice. Her tan skin almost seemed to glow in the bright light, her soft blonde hair falling in bouncy waves that fell about her perfect hourglass frame to stop just at her hips, golden eyes bright and as sharp as an eagle. Her figure was fitted in a custom tailored sleeveless dress that hugged every curve. The skirt was slit up the sides to her hips, the neckline came down in a sharp V that played favorably with her cleavage. Kirkley always thought she looked like some kind of a goddess, and in today's day and age, she might as well be considered one.
One of the last real dragons.
He respectfully bowed and she paused, waiting until his eyes met hers again before she suddenly jumped onto the railing, sliding down with elegance and practice as she stuck a perfect landing on the ground floor and ran to him in those heels, jumping and throwing her arms around his neck as he caught her and gave her a few spins.
"Kirkley! My love where the hell have you been? You just disappeared yesterday, didn't tell me a single thing!" She scolded him with a smile as he set her down; the security guards stationed every five feet around the perimeter relaxed a little, eyes now on Aesir.
"Sorry, something told me I had to get out, so I did." He said, nodding to the kid standing beside him, and Ain's golden eyes flickered to him, looking him up and down and only taking a fraction of a second to recognize him with that sharp mind. Her eyes widened and she looked from Aesir to Kirkley and back again, raising a hand to cover her shocked expression.
"You found him! You finally found him! Does he--" She looked to Kirkley, an excited grin on her face clearly recognizable before the big man raised a hand, stopping her, and her face fell. "Oh. Oh... Oh no Kirkley I'm so sorry."
Kirkley said nothing, forcing a smile and giving Aesir a pat on the back. "Ain, this is Aesir. Aesir, this is Ain, my best friend." He paused, leaning closer to whisper into the kid's ear, "And if you know what she is, don't say it out loud, we'd appreciate it." He stood up straight again and gave the kid a wink.
-
Tsk.
"We'll see about that," He said under his breath, glancing away and puffing out his cheeks, looking a little offended. Little boy. Aesir glared at Kirkley for a long moment, taking in the sight of him before he turned his head and pretended to ignore him. Pretending to not notice everything he did. Ignored the butterflies in his tummy. Aesir rubbed his chest and hated how tight it felt, how the thumping in his chest was making his throat close up and he ducked his head down while he was being escorted around.
When they finally got to where they were going, Aesir was at a loss. His eyes wide. He'd never really realized how mediocre his life had been before he saw someone with literal pillars in their home. And guards. The rest of the walk was a blur but finally now, his eyes were open and... Damn. He tucked himself closer to Kirkley because he was now the least intimidating thing here. Pillars. Guards.
"Oh, fuck," He said his voice hushed when he finally looked up, moving his hand to push his green hair from his face. Kirkley wasn't lying and Aesir's jaw almost hit the floor. Instead his eyes were going dry, almost to the point of watering because he was sure if he blinked the woman would disappear. "She's beautiful," He whispered mostly to just say something that wasn't pinching himself.
The dream was that she came down the stairs fantastically and he gave a surprised giggle and backed up a little between looking between the two. Aesir was content to be quiet, watching the two of them and letting them have their moment. Mostly he just turned take in the image of the pair. Were they a thing? Was that why Aesir was never going to learn about the guys stamina?
Looking at them together though sent a pang of something through him and he zoned out for a moment. The edges of his vision greyed out and he felt his face go lax while he stared. There was a second when another imagine sort of clouded it of these two together and he shook his head at the deja vu. Aesir knew enough that deja vu was just the brain going funky and making new memories feel like old ones.
The look on the woman's face though when he focused on her, how she looked at him. Found him? Finally found him? Aesir looked at Kirkley confused, panic going up his spine at the mention of finding. Find him for what?
"Hi," Aesir breathed out, too enchanted to actually make real words come out. "I'm Aesir," He looked her up and down, cheeks flushed, mouth open. "It's a pleasure. You have a lovely home and you are lovely. Wow." He looked at Kirkley and then back at her, "Wow. Uh... Yeah... Hi. Kirkley?" It was the first time he'd actually said the mans name and he hated how nice it felt to say.
Like slipping into a comfortable shirt.
"Kirkley mentioned you. Wow. You're beautiful."
-
Aesir's reaction was better than Kirkley had expected; considering the fact that he was a thief, he'd been prepared to smack the kid upside the head if he tried whistling at Ain, but he didn't, which put him only slightly more at ease.
Only slightly though, because he also wasn't too fond of how Aesir was looking at her either. He couldn't tell if it was jealousy or protectiveness, but he shoved it down and ignored it. Wasn't like Aesir was his anyways. He still wasn't Bifrost.
Ain on the other hand raised her eyebrows at the kid as he complimented her, taken aback for words for a moment because while Bifrost had had a somewhat similar reaction, this was a bit different. He definitely didn't feel even remotely like the same person as before, and he was... So small.
She looked at Kirkley, recognized the distaste in his eyes and the way he stood and smiled a little--she found it kind of amusing. "Did he? Well, thank you, Aesir. It's a pleasure meeting you as well."
She turned to start leading them up the left staircase and Kirkley followed right behind, keeping an eye on Aesir and those guards as well, clearly trusting no one. "Well Kirkley, you made good time getting here. I've heard reports of rumors of a boy who can grow plants from his blood." She glanced back at him and Kirkley's eyes narrowed, cursing under his breath. "Cops haven't been called in on it to investigate yet but I wouldn't stick around to find out how long it'll take."
Up on the second floor she took them down a hallway lined with classic paintings, some well over several centuries old. One in particular, in a golden gilded frame, was of what appeared to be Kirkley, with a slightly different braided hairstyle, missing a lot of tattoos and scars, and a beautiful young man who sat next to him, who didn't look too different from Aesir himself. Kirkley ignored the painting as they walked past it; a keepsake from a time long ago Ain had offered to keep for him when he returned to the nomadic lifestyle he was apparently so damn good at.
"I've kept your ship in good condition as always; Loveless has missed you I think." At the end of the long hallway, all doors to other rooms closed off, there was one last door; she opened it by placing her hand in the center where a screen scanned her handprint and unlocked it; upon pushing it open, they found they were standing in a small hangar.
Well, small enough that it could hold two vessels that were no smaller than your average pirate ship. Because that was what they were.
The Loveless and The Hydra were two sister air/space ships, slightly different yet oddly fitting. Their designs made the two of them look like ancient sea monsters, the golden metal outer shells flowing in sweeping curves and edges that made one look more like a deep sea fish without its fins, the other a sea serpent twisted into itself. Several centuries ago the two of them had sailed the skies together, two pirate ships sailed by the two captains standing there on the balcony admiring them right now. They'd mostly been used with the intent of adventuring and fun, though that wasn't to say every adventure was family friendly, and Ain let out a slight wistful sigh. She couldn't exactly sail anytime soon; the money she'd made off her travels was now what funded her little empire and kept her secrets well hidden.
She looked over at Kirkley, smiling as she gestured to the ship. "I'll get clearances approved and you should be out of here in an hour. Better get ready." She glanced down at Aesir, gave him a soft smile that hid some of her worry, and turned and left them, door shutting behind her as the two were left alone in the ship hangar.
Kirkley tapped his fingers on the railing thoughtfully before he went over to the gap in the railing, which revealed a ladder that went down some ten feet that led to two walkways, one leading right into the open mouth of the fish, the other leading to the gills of the serpent. He slid down the ladder, not climbed, and waited for Aesir at the bottom before leading the way to the fish.
"C'mon Pipsqueak, this is your last call. Sure you got everything?" He came to a stop, the walkway ending abruptly some eight feet before the ship's slightly eerie, open maw.
The metal teeth on the upper jaw hung ten feet over their heads, the ship was massive--meant for an entire crew. Suddenly, there was a clicking sound as red lights lit up and scanned Kirkley where he stood, and then a door (the middle of three) set in at the back of the ship's mouth opened, a smaller walkway extending. He led the way inside, and as their feet touched the walkway the sound of great engines kicked on, the rumbling filling the entirety of the hangar, like a growling beast swallowing them whole.
They found themselves in an entry area, big enough to hold maybe five people, the metal ceiling surprisingly low, like a small alcove in a tunnel. Two blast doors were sealed shut and blocked their entry; Kirkley raised his hand and put it on a glass panel that scanned it; the lights went from an eerily dim red to a bright mix of white and red as the doors turned, unlocked, and opened. Up a flight of stairs and they were suddenly on the main floor of the ship, which was massive. The walls on either side of them were lined with doors and there were a few open hallways that would have led down more stairs to the lower half of the ship which was where crew quarters would be, though they were uninhabited at the moment. Another short flight of stairs went to a raised second level: captain's chair, all main control panels, etc. The two bulbous eyes on either side of the fish on the outside turned out to be functioning domes one could look out of to see the world around. The ship operated on binocular vision; as everything powered up a large screen set in between the two eyes combined what both saw together, a full 180 degree view of the surroundings outside, ship vitals monitored on the edges.
Kirkley looked at Aesir, shrugging and gesturing to the ship. "Explore if you want, living quarters are downstairs," He said, pointing out a set of stairs that descended on the lefthand side, "Just don't touch anything or press any buttons until I have a chance to show you what everything is, alright?"
He headed up to the second floor, an icon showing on the screen with Ain's face on it, presumably a selfie taken given by how she was posed in front of the camera, winking at it and playfully blowing a kiss. The icon disappeared and her voice rang out loud and clear over speakers set in near the ceiling.
"Everything suit your standards, Captain?"
Kirkley snorted.
"Good. Then let's get this shit going, shall we? I've already requested clearance from Aedolis air security that you wish to pilot your own ship leaving the planet. They're verifying information now..."
**Until I get updated concept art, think of it as a big version these. (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d7/95/a9/d795a930bfd56e20a1ae6811fd32c496.jpg) [Artwork credit goes to Mike Mignola]
-
Aesir missed the look from Kirkley.
Mostly because he didn't know how to read the man. Yet. He was confused. Being around these two felt like he should know something. Some part of him wanted to curl his arms around Ain and comment on how much he'd missed her. He'd never met her before though so it just confused him. Aesir chewed on the inside of his cheek and watched them, giving her a hesitant smile and nodding. It was a pleasure to meet him as well.
Warmth made him relax and he closed his eyes before turning away and looking around again, falling behind a little before he shuffled to catch up. His eyes were everywhere in the building. Looking everywhere. At everything. The painting wasn't missed and Aesir stared at it as they passed it. Looking to Kirkley before looking back at the painting. At the really pretty guy that looked kind of familiar.
The hair. The eyes. Aesir even stood in front of it for a moment to stare, looking back before he shuffled away to keep up. Who were these people?
Who was that guy in the painting?
Aesir chewed on his lip and closed his eyes, pressing a hand over his chest to feel his heart thumping. The painting stuck in his head now. Was that his real dad or something? Was this guy something else? His parents were insistent that he was their child but... He looked a lot like that guy. Mostly Aesir zoned out while they walked, his hand moving under his bandana to touch the pointed tip of his ear, frowning down at the ground while he caressed it.
"Pipsqueak?"
Aesir frowned and looked at him, drawn out of his head and moving his hand away from his ear like he'd been caught doing something naughty. "Of course I do," He grumbled, looking away, frowning. Head down. The place was... Really cool. Down the ladder he went, taking careful steps and not doing it all cool like Kirkley did. Once he was down the ladder he stretched his arms and he arched his back, fixing his bandana before he took it off all together.
He'd ask about the guy in the picture later.
As it was, he followed Kirkley like a duckling, staying close and looking around with wide eyes and his heart in his throat. This shit was scary. He reached out to brush against the walls and he veered off where the living quarters were after giving a lingering look to Kirkley. Aesir dropped his backpack in an out of the way corner and started to explain. He didn't press buttons but he brushed his fingers over them for the zing of breaking rules. The exploration was short lived though before the first soft surface he found he parked his butt on.
This was a real ship.
They were really going somewhere else.
"I'm coming back, right?" He whispered to himself, looking around before letting his hands rest on his legs. "Right?" A frown. They hadn't said anything. The goodbye's hadn't been super intense. They were just sending him away for a little while, right? Aesir frowned, pressing himself into a corner while he played with his bandana. Fingers going through his hair and resting on his ears. Who was that guy?
Why did he wanna climb Kirkley so bad? The guy was a tank. Huge. Made him feel tiny and insignificant and safe. Aesir sighed heavily before he tucked his legs up to his face and pressed his hands over his head. Emotionally overwhelmed and with his eyes closed, it was easy to fall asleep, back pressed tight to the walls, ears perked. He'd barely been here and he already wanted to go home. But all he could think of as far as home went was being curled tight against that giant beast of a man who kept glaring at him.
-
One thing he always hated about Aedolis was the tightness of security; how long it took to get the appropriate clearances. Leaving the planet for any reason had to be a thoroughly planned venture, and he was impatient as hell to get off this rock and out into open space where Aesir would be far safer.
But that was just it; he had absolutely no plan.
It wasn't like he hadn't tried to come up with plans in the 3,000 years he'd been waiting around for Pipsqueak to show up; the problem was that they only worked in theory, not in practice. He'd had no way of knowing who Bifrost would be when he turned up, what creature he would be, where he would be from, the circumstances surrounding their meeting, nothing. How can you plan for nothing? You can't.
So he just had to get his shit together, fast.
"Well, keep in touch Handsome. I'll see you again soon enough--we'll talk more about the issue then, alright? For now, just focus on staying safe."
There was concern in Ain's voice that he'd heard hundreds of times before; she had every right to be worried, but he just pursed his lips and nodded. "Yeah. See you soon."
The call ended and everything was set; the roof of the hangar slowly opened and Kirkley set the ship in motion, carefully raising it into the sky and heading on course to the nearest security station for ships to pass through before going out into open space, the last obstacle before they could breathe. It'd take about an hour to get to the checkpoint from there so he set the ship to auto for a moment so he could figure out where Aesir had run off to, hoping he hadn't done anything too crazy.
He followed his nose and went down the set of stairs that led into the ship's literal underbelly, where the crew quarters were all kept. He noticed as he peered inside some of the open doors that Ain had done a good job of keeping his baby; the interior was free of dust and spotlessly clean, she'd likely had a servant or several come in to maintain it on a regular basis. He smiled to himself, appreciating the gesture.
He found B--... Aesir, in one of the rooms, his bag tucked into a corner and supposedly asleep, curled up on the bed set against the wall. The rooms were small but had a good share of amenities, their own bathrooms, etc. But Kirkley hadn't decided yet where Aesir should stay--down here, so far away from him and so hard to keep an eye on, or should he keep him up in the captain's cabin? ... Where there was only one bed? No, this would work for now. He had security cameras so he could always keep an eye using those to make sure nothing bad ever happened, right?
He quietly stepped over to the kid, unsure of really what to do or say before he knelt down in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder, hopefully not startling him too bad.
"You alright?" He asked gently, pulling his hand away once he had Aesir's attention, trying to give him space. Teenagers were finicky little things, he certainly didn't miss this part of raising them in the slightest.
"We're heading out to the security checkpoint, once we get past that we'll be in open space, but they're going to need to come on the ship to check it before they let us through. As a precaution I'm thinking of keeping you in one of the smuggling compartments; I'd rather not chance them finding you, recognizing you and trying to arrest you, fair point?"
-
Purple eyes popped open and he blinked at Kirkley. The gloom was setting in. Did his parents sell him? Was this guy his master? Panic made his throat tighten and he gave Kirkley a nervous look. Sure he wanted to climb the guy but he didn't want to climb the guy because he was the dude's slave. Was this his shtick? Did he collect people that looked the same?
The guy from the picture was maybe... Another slave? Aesir let out a slow breath before he swallowed. Fear creeping from his belly up his throat while he flinched away from Kirkley. The idea that this was going to be a short trip for some weird reason was slowly changing into a different one. What was going on.
Aesir swallowed, moving his hand over his chest. "I'm fine," He whispered, licking his lips and hating how his heart was going absolutely wild in his chest. Was he just willingly giving himself into slavery? Was this guy going to sell him? A look at his wrists and he considered for a brief moment just ending it now, right here. Then he wouldn't know what was going on. If he was dead there would be no more blood produced and...
"I'm scared," He finally whispered, curling in further on himself, "I don't know what's going on. No one's told me anything. Am I slave?" He hissed, looking accusingly at Kirkley, "Did my parents sell me to you? What the fuck is going on." His voice was getting louder and higher with his panic and he squeezed his eyes shut before leaning as far as he could into the wall.
"Is this really because of my blood?" He said, lower lip trembling slightly and grinding his palms against his eyes. "Are you really here to help me or are you going to sell me?"
-
From the tenseness in the kid's shoulders and the expression on his face, it was blatantly obvious that no, everything was not fine. He was not fine.
Kirkley had been wondering how long it would take for the reality to set in, for him to realize that this wasn't just some fun little trip. His parents couldn't handle telling him and they probably had a good idea in not doing so--if they had, he probably wouldn't have left at all.
He closed his eyes and let Aesir get it out, let the kid have his moment before he finally looked up at him again; what this kid needed right now was a friend. Someone to calm him down, comfort him, keep him feeling safe and secure, and he hated right now that he couldn't really be the one to do that. It wasn't like before. They were strangers, now.
"You're not a slave, nobody has sold you. Your parents would never do that to you, you should know that." He said quietly, reaching out, slowly, to give him a gentle hair ruffle and a somber smile. "You're about to be more free now than you've ever been in your life."
Life on Aedolis could hardly be considered free in Kirkley's eyes; everyone was a slave to those freaky mutants they called dragons, the government controlled everything and what free choices they had were illusions limited by their social status. It wasn't a world he would willingly live in now, even if he had in the past.
"Your dad used to work with me, on this ship, actually. His room was across the hall, down a few." He nodded back towards the door. "He contacted me when he realized that your abilities were getting a little out of hand, and I swore to him that I would protect you with my life, and I will. There wasn't any payment. No credits, nothing."
As he spoke he kept his tone even, and he gently ran his hand through the kid's hair before resting it on his shoulder.
"There's a lot you don't know, but you'll learn it in time. I can't go telling you all my secrets now otherwise you'll get bored of me, isn't that right?" He tried to lighten the mood a little, get Aesir to understand that not everything was doom and gloom. That he still had his whole life ahead of him, however long that may be this time around, and that Kirkley had every intention of being right by his side for all of it.
-
Aesir didn't want to trust him.
Everything in him was begging for it though. Aesir looked at Kirkley and he wanted to curl his arms around the other mans neck, wanted to press his cheek to his and just... Take in the warmth. Breathe in the scent of the guy that was so familiar and so strange and made his chest tighten and his heart thump. It confused him and made him dizzy. Made him angry.
The words were taken to heart and he leaned into the hand on his shoulder, his cheek resting against the back of Kirkley's hand while he spoke. "Okay," He said softly, voice a little hollow before he sighed heavily and looked past Kirkley to the door, chewing on his lip and closing his eyes before he squiggled himself off the bed. If he was okay...
Aesir made a point of moving as close to Kirkley as he could, brushing what he could against him because he liked how it tingled. How it sent gooseflesh across his forearms. "Before you throw me into a smuggling compartment, you should let me know what's...." Aesir's eyes flicked up and down Kirkley's crouched frame before he stretched his arms up and took a deep breath to get ready to be smuggled away, "Off limits?" He nudged Kirkley's leg with his foot and smirked.
He'd save the questions, worry and panic for later. For after they were on their way. For now, he would deflect because he was still terrified.
-
He let out a silent sigh of relief as Aesir seemed to react positively to his comments for now. They'd have a lot to talk about later, but that would be once they were in open space and safely off this miserable rock. As long as they were here, he couldn't let his guard down and the paranoia of it was really bothering him.
When the kid let his cheek rest against Kirkley's hand, the warmth and slight tingling sensation brought back waves of emotions that made him want to pull Aesir into his lap, wrap his arms around him and hold him close, so he could never let him go and stay like that forever. Like he should have done with Bifrost. He didn't appreciate it enough while he'd had it, dammit--
And then Aesir opened his mouth and the moment was effectively lost as he tried to work his way up to Kirkley and gave him the most obvious elevator eyes on planet earth.
Nope. No.
Nooooooooo.
"For now, pretty much everything." He said with a bit of exasperation as he stood up, scooping Aesir up into his arms as he did so and carrying him (and his bag, which he stooped down to pick up as well on his way out) down the corridor of crew's quarters, to a round door similar to the one they had passed through to enter the ship.
He opened the lock again and stepped into a cargo hold, the walls lined with metal and a kind of carpet-like material that made it pretty damn near sound proof as well. It was completely void of any kind of furnishing or interesting structural design other than a vent near the ceiling on one wall. Kirkley set Aesir down inside, handing him his bag.
He stepped inside, paused a moment and then went over to a wall; he tapped a specific sequence and a hole opened up in the center of the floor, a secret drop-down area that was otherwise completely invisible to anyone who might walk in. He gestured to it, expecting Aesir to hunker on down inside so he could close the trap door and keep him hidden.
"They'll probably want to check this room too so make sure you don't make any noise down there. Security checks take roughly an hour for big ships like this--you gonna be alright?" He asked, trying not to sound too callous considering how wonderfully Aesir had destroyed the good moment earlier.
He did honestly care about the kid's safety, he just hoped said kid would cooperate.
-
Shot down.
He was no good at fliting with grown men it seemed. Made sense. There was a large divide between teenage girl and 'who even knows'. Aesir gave a surprised gasp when he was scooped up like a bag of feathers and carried along. It was odd for sure. He wasn't the tallest buffest guy to exist but he surprised at how easily he was scooped up like it was nothing.
There was a forlorn sigh when Kirklet confirmed most everything was indeed off limits. Boo. The hidden message was there, Aesir chose to play ignorant.
Aesir said nothing, just rested his head against the sturdy shoulder and played with his bandana. May as well enjoy the ride while he could, Aesir wasnt sure when everything would feel fine again. The trip was mostly ignored so he could soak up the warmth of being cuddled in some arms.
Made his heart thump and he sighed softly before fixing his stance and hugging his backpack. This was intense and Aesir looked around while panic clawed at his throat. Looked at Kirkley before giving a hesitant nod and squeezed his eyes shut.
He was walking right into his kwn casket. He knew it. Kirkley was going to sell him to the highest bidder. Or keep him for himself. No. He'd have been more into the shitty flirting. Aesir got into the hole and squeezed his eyes shut, wondering if he'd always been so high strung.
"No," he blurted, letting out a gasp before he hunked down and curled himself around his backpack. An hour? By himself? "Yes," another rushed word and he shook his head vigorously. "I'll be fine," he lied, chewing on the inside of his lower lip, looking down and away from the giant of a man. He could do this.
Sure he'll absolutely lose his shit once he was closed in down there but big guy didn't need to know that. That wasn't attractive. Aesir took a breath and let it out slowly. "Okay. I'm ready," he whispered, eyes squeezed shut. He'd never been on a ship before. Cut off from everything.
Just an hour. He could last for an hour. Make the weird big guy proud of him. He could do it. He had to.
-
... He very obviously was not going to be fine.
He let out a slight sigh through his nose, looking away from the kid as he considered his options. This was the only place fortified for smuggling and the only place where the police wouldn't come across him. It muted sound, and the hole in the bottom did a great job of masking heartbeat and other signs of life for occasions such as this. There wasn't really any other choice.
He knelt down next to the hidey hole, giving the kid a reassuring smile and ruffling his hair, because he seemed to like that earlier.
"Look, I know it sucks and it's not fun, but this should be the only time we have to do this. I'll let you out as soon as we're out of Aedolis' airspace, and you can come hang out with me on the deck or something, yeah?"
His heart lurched for a moment; he remembered so many times he'd had to comfort Bifrost the same way and even though they weren't the same person, he still felt that connection to this kid. They were and weren't the same person; his mind was still caught up on that fact but his gut couldn't have cared less. He felt the urge to lean down and kiss him, but he was still just a teenager, which Kirkley's morals were highly against.
He hesitated for a moment, the internal conflict apparent on his face before he leaned down and rested their foreheads together for a moment, hand cupping the back of Aesir's head.
"It'll be over before you know it, then back to adventures and all that good shit, I promise."
He stood up, giving Aesir one last encouraging smile before he closed the compartment with the same combination on the wall, and he left, the blast door sealing shut behind him. They would be coming up on the security checkpoint soon and he had to get over the nerves flitting around in his chest like butterflies so they didn't suspect anything.
He let out a slow, measured breath as they came up on the port some fifteen minutes later, the ship slowing to a stop as he got radio transmission from the police waiting outside. "Opening the front bay door," He responded, tapping in the combination on the glass touch panel console, the walkway extending.
He headed on down the stairs, greeting them in the entryway and welcoming them aboard the ship. A small team of guards got on board with little droids that helped detect things like drugs, illegal items, live animals that shouldn't be there, and criminals that were put into the constantly updated database. They went about their work and Kirkley walked with the chief officer as he went through his inspection.
"So, whereabouts are you headed?" He asked, and Kirkley hummed thoughtfully while he checked every room and door, Kirkley opening ones for him that weren't already.
"I was going to make a trip to The Cancer, I transport parts and supplies for one of the shipping companies there and they've requested my services."
"Ah, yeah I've met a couple of guys that do that. Which company?"
"Galley La."
The officer whistled. "Nice gig I'll bet that is."
Kirkley smiled and laughed, playing up the friendliness. He had absolutely nothing to hide, as far as this officer should be concerned.
The real heart pounding moment was when they reached the lower level and Kirkley opened the cargo blast door, leading into the room Aesir was stashed. The officer took a look in, saw a completely barren room and reached a hand up to his earpiece.
Kirkley held his breath. Just stay quiet, Aesir. Almost over.
"Manual inspection is good, we'll meet the droids back up on the first level."
Kirkley smiled at the officer as he passed, following him out and meeting the team upstairs who reported nothing unusual in their searches of the upper level and captain's cabin either. He shook the leading officer's hand, and once they were off the ship, retracted the walkway and closed the entryway doors. A moment passed, and he was radioed he was clear for take off. Great.
Time to get the hell out of here.
As soon as they were out of range he opened up a comm link to the cargo room, which Aesir would be able to hear.
"It's about to get loud down there, we're heading through the atmosphere into space so cover your ears, kid."
It took a lot of firepower to get a spaceship through the layers of air that protected the planet below with precious oxygen, several times more than it would have if the ship had just launched off the ground. The Loveless shook a little, the engines roaring to an almost deafening point from where Aesir was in the cargo bay, and as soon as they entered space Kirkley cut the engines as much as he could to minimize the teenager's exposure to the loud, scary sounds he'd probably never heard before in his life. To him it might've felt like the ship was about to explode, even though in reality it was far from.
He set the navigation course to The Cancer, checking on the monitors to make sure they hadn't been followed, and so far he saw nothing. He breathed out a sigh of relief and jumped down the stairs two at a time to the lower level, making a beeline for the cargo room and unlocking Aesir from his tiny hidey hole prison. He offered the kid a hand out, and a warm smile.
"There, all done. You alright?"
His ears were probably ringing but it was a small price to pay for ultimate freedom.
-
It was fine if no one saw you cry right?
Once the hatch was closed Aesir's breath picked up and no matter how it was sliced his ability to control his breathing died as surely as he was stuck down here. His backpack was held tight to his chest and he burried his face against his knees. The lingering sweetness of the almost hug made his skin tingle. That was the only decent thing he had going for him.
Mostly the only thing keeping him in the hole was imagining what would happen to him if he didnt get out of here. Would they hang him upside down and bleed him dry? Attach him to a machine to steal his blood? Aesir shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the salt of his tears. The noises from above made his heart fall and he held his breath, not moving a muscle.
He was free now right?
Nope. Deaf first.
The warning was heard and his hands clamped over his ears, whining in pain. He'd been in here for days he knew it. Maybe he was dead? All her could hear was everything and his heart wss pounding so hard he knew he was dying.
The tears welled in his purple eyes again at the pain from the noise and he took deel ragged breaths. It was setting in. The bravado from the day before was sputtering away. Sure Kirkley said he was going to let him out of the hidey-hole but what if he wasn't.
It was the first peak of light that had Aesir gasp up at it and he ignored the hand and flung his arms around the mans neck. "Kirkley!" He panted, over heated from the tight spot, eyes still wet. His ears hurt and his jar hurt from clenching his teeth together. Aesir didn't let go, he just took in deep breaths.
"I'm never going home am I?" His voice was muffled against the giantmans neck and he clung for as long as he was allowed before he pulled back ever so slightly, "it's really loud" he said softly, "but really quiet." The quietness alarmed him to a degree. An unfamiliar lack of something that he'd had moments ago back when they were still on the planet. "My ears hurt."
-
Kirkley started a little when the teen practically attacked him the moment the hatch was open far enough; he almost stumbled, considering he hadn't been prepared for it, but he instinctively wrapped his arms around Aesir's back and waist and held him close, pulling him out of the compartment and standing there, holding him and closing his eyes as he let the familiar warmth seep into him. Memories of running his fingers through longer dark green hair made his fingertips tingle; they were interrupted when he had to reach up farther to entangle his hand in green locks, muscle memory proving strong even 3000 years after he'd last held him.
"Shh," He whispered quietly, kissing the side of the kid's head through his hair and rubbing his back comfortingly, only letting go when Aesir started to pull away.
He saw the tears in the teen's eyes and it hurt. He remembered Bifrost, crying and mourning the deaths of his brothers. His brothers had died, and now his parents would, that was a given. He pursed his lips, helping Aesir wipe away the tears from his face and giving him a gentle hair ruffle.
"No, you're not going home." He said quietly, looking him in the eyes so he could see the honesty in Kirkley's own and know that he wished he didn't have to do this.
He hated taking him from his family, this was the second time now. It didn't hurt any less.
"Come on, let's head up to the deck. We'll get you something for your ears, alright?" He gave him a gentle pat on the back, picked up his backpack and led the way out, sticking close with his hand softly resting on Aesir's shoulder. He set the backpack down in the room Aesir had chosen earlier as they passed it and led him up the first set of stairs and then the second to the deck.
Space was big, real big. For someone like Aesir who had never seen it before, it was probably mind-bogglingly big. Pictures never did it justice; but the windows of The Loveless did a great job of making you feel like you were isolated in the center of it with nothing between you and the stars; it was great to stand in front of the domed glass and just get lost in all the little things there were to look at; Kirkley briefly wondered how the kid would take to it.
There weren't any plants here, so he wasn't sure how that was about to go--it wasn't something he'd ever had to worry about or consider in the old world. But when they'd had their house together, they always had a bunch of plants around. Something like that might make him feel more comfortable here, if he could find such a thing on the Cancer that wasn't deadly, expensive, and poisonous.
There were a couple of glass console panel stations with chairs in front of them, three total in the center of the deck and one on each side against the wall with smaller monitors over small desks. Right now they were all turned off with only the main center console on, the Captain's. He looked over at Aesir and gestured to the vast room.
"Sit down, stand, explore, do whatever you like, again no button pressing just yet." He said softly, watching Aesir's reactions carefully.
He wasn't really sure if the kid felt like talking or opening up to him just yet, they'd only just met yesterday after all, even if their souls had known each other for an eternity. It was a really strange mix of feelings.
"Our first destination is The Cancer, to get our bearings and figure out some kind of plan. I've got some friends there who might be able to help us stock up on whatever we might need. Know anything about it?" He hadn't experienced it himself but he'd heard that the general public education on Aedolis wasn't exactly the most thorough in regards to the outside world, for obvious reasons, so it might be time for Aesir to learn something new before they headed there.
The ship was due for some upgrades, mainly to defense and security now that he actually had someone he needed to protect.
-
The first order of business was calming the fuck down.
The hug was nice. The kiss was soothing and Aesir melted into the embrace before he realized what he was doing. It was alarming that the more time he spent around the giant beast of a man the more it felt like being home. Like if there was anywhere in the universe he could be it would be right here.
Aesir glanced at the room he chose and puffed his cheeks out, following Kirkley like a duckling again. Even after he was given free reign to wander he stuck close by. It was a tether. Sort of. As long as he had something brushing against his current savior he wouldn't drift off into space.
"There's so much of it," he said wide eyed with a tremble in his voice. There wasn't a lot of leaving the planet for Aedolians. Aesir was an Aedolian, born and bred. Sort of. Kirkley had said he'd known his father. Was that guy reall his father? Or was thr guy with the green hair in the painting his father?
Better yet, Aesir stared at Kirkley while he tucked a chunk of hair behind his ear. Who the fuck was Kirkley? Aesir trusted him against all odds. The idea of not trusting him made him feel almost sick. Briefly he chewed on his lower lip until it was red, glancing to Kirkley.
A small frown, "The Cancer? I mean... I've heard of it. No idea what it is. Whore house? Casino?" He paused, "Drug den?" Another pause and he did his best to stare at Kirkley instead of look out the windows. Going from a small hole to a wide open space in literal space may be too much.
The pain in his ears was slowly climbing through his head anyway and he let his eyes fall closed when those started to hurt too. "Does the pain go away?" Maybe it was the artificial gravity? Aesir licked his lips before he got comfortable on the floor, eyes closed with his arms outstretched over his head. "Is there anyone else on the ship?"
-
... Yeah that was about what he expected.
Kirkley pursed his lips and nodded. "Well, it's all of those things, and more. And no, we're the only ones on the ship at the moment--sometimes I pick up crew members when I'm doing jobs."
He typed something into the console and on the large overhead monitor, easily ten feet wide and tall, a small window opened in the corner so as to not obstruct the view of space in front of the ship--it was an image of the Cancer space station.
"I'll get you some pain meds real quick, but that is the Cancer." He said, pointing to the screen that came up. "It's a space station, and it's nothing to take lightly."
He let Aesir examine the image of the ramshackle space station while he headed into the small med bay on the second floor, finding some pain meds and deciding to start with basic medication and work their way up from there, though he had a feeling the medication might not do too much to alleviate his pain, he just hoped it was temporary.
He came back with a water bottle and three pills, handing them to Aesir to take as he stood next to him, looking up at the image of the space station that was their destination.
"The Cancer is mostly scum and villainy of the galaxy. There's some good people on it, but not most. There's drugs, prostitution, all that fun shit--but Aedolis is the only place in this star system where that's legal. Everything of the sort is for the most part illegal out here, and there's way more business in it--you can make more money selling something rare that you shouldn't than something government mandated."
He paused, looking over at Aesir. "You're gonna need to stick by my side at all times; to the rest of the universe you're still a minor," He said all this assuming the kid wasn't even 18 yet, but he was pretty sure he was right on that-- "And you might get targeted for a lot of things. Looking pretty, being a kid. Children make great slaves, bonus points if you're pretty. The moment you wander off looking like you're new there, someone is gonna pick up on it and they'll make you wish you'd never been born. Don't get any ideas and try to have fun with drugs or hookers either--the moment they suspect you're ignorant, an idiot, or going to screw them over, they will look you dead in the eyes and shoot you in the face and not give a single fuck. Understand?"
He typed in something else on the console, pulling up a picture of Galley La and gesturing to it. "That's the company that made this ship, we're stopping there for upgrades and as soon as they're done, we're leaving. I try not to stay on the Cancer too long, even I can't stay there more than a week without getting something of value stolen off me."
-
This was backwards land clearly.
Backwards space-land. Aesir looked at the screen, frowning at it while Kirkley went to get whatever. His head throbbed and he pressed his palm to his forehead, wincing while trying to take in the image of the cancer station. It was weird. He knew it was there. He had known there was lots of stuff out there. Edanith was the scum of the solar system.
Aesir frowned, looking at the picture and trying to make sense of it.
The bottle of water and the pills were quickly the center of his attention because he turned to those and accepted them gratefully. Quickly downed, he rubbed his hands over his ears and rolled his shoulders while he listened. Sounded like a walk in the part. Aesir remained quiet while Kirkley spoke, glancing at him on the emphasis he put on being an idiot or ignorant.
A frown and he turned away, looking up as the picture changed.
Kirkley thought he was an idiot.
Aesir glanced away, Kirkley's voice turning into a soothing drone while he spoke about upgrades or something and he just stared at the picture and turned his situation over and over again. This was his home? Kirkley was his guardian - for now. They were going to The Cancer station. For repairs.
He was never going to see his family again. He was going to be here forever?
"What am I supposed to do?" He whispered, looking to Kirkley and then flopping down on the floor, chest first. Head pillowed on his arms. "Like... Am I going to work on your ship for the rest of my life? Am I getting left on the Cancer?"
-
Aesir hadn't answered even once when he asked if he understood, so Kirkley just stared at him for a second, and realized at the slightly random questions that he probably hadn't listened to a word he just said.
... Great.
Well, hopefully everything would be fine, as long as he stuck close to Kirkley which he had done a good job of so far. He could only hope, and pray.
The pictures disappeared from the screen and he turned towards Aesir a bit better, the question he'd asked being... Well, not the easiest to answer.
He had never come up with plans for what to do if he ever found Bifrost again because he had no idea what he was expecting. And given this current situation, things between the two of them right now were very, very different from the second time they'd met all those years ago. Aesir didn't trust him, and Kirkley didn't trust Aesir. They (presumably, on Aesir's part) both felt warm and tingly when they touched but that didn't mean diddly squat. He was a kid. Kirkley was an adult. He was a bit of a brat, who'd never left home before and knew nothing of life outside of his sheltered planet driven by pleasure and dim wit.
Would he stay forever? He had no fucking clue.
He let out a soft sigh through his nose, and looked away, the answers he came up with obviously a bit troubling.
"You don't have to do anything. You don't have to stay here with me for the rest of your life if you don't want to, I wouldn't blame you for that, or hold you back. But at the very least I plan on having you stick around until I know you can take care of yourself out here."
He looked to the kid lying on the floor of his ship, his own eyes swimming full of uncertainty.
"After that what you do is your choice. I have no right to stop you from anything; I just have to protect you."
-
He didn't have to do anything.
Aesir sighed and closed his eyes, glancing away before he pressed his hands to his face and took a deep breath. This was confusing. Just yesterday he was content to live out his life as boring as could be. Wine, women and song. Was it the fight thing? Was that the last straw? Was his blood thing an excuse? Aesir sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I can take care of myself fine," He said grumpily, sitting up and crosses his arms over his chest, before giving a subtly - or what he thought was subtle- glare to Kirkley while he pondered. Sucking in a breath he pushed a hand through his hair and glared off to the side, pouting almost. A very adult display of being.
"I only got caught at the wrestling match because I lost my bandana," He huffed, throwing up his hands, "That one was my favourite. It was the perfect colour," Aesir turned to Kirkley, looking up at him before he just pursed his lips and his voice went a little low. "Why do you have to protect me," He said moving to stand up and hold open his arms, "Is it really as a favour? Only? Do you gain something from this?"
-
Kirkley snorted, rolling his eyes as he caught the glare and looked away. Yeah, sure he could on Aedolis. The rest of space was a different story and he'd likely be finding that out far sooner than he wanted to think or cared to realize. It was one of those things in life he'd just have to learn for himself, it seemed. Sometimes kids were like that.
Always gotta learn the hard way.
He let out a sigh as Aesir kept the questions coming, moving to sit down in the pleather captain's chair as he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples wearily.
"You always were fond of that color..." He muttered to himself, feeling bad for not taking it when he'd run out to give chase. Still, he'd saved Aesir and that was the more important part that came first. The kid shouldn't have been complaining at all.
He looked up at him, his own expression tired, and in that moment he probably looked as old as he actually was, even if only for a few seconds. These kinds of questions were never easy. They were seam rippers that popped stitches on open wounds and made it real hard to clean up the mess and get it to heal again afterwards.
"First of all, because I promised it to your father that I would protect you with my life. I gain absolutely nothing from this." Well, he was supposed to, originally. He was supposed to gain Bifrost from it. Companionship. His long-lost love. But that was out of the question now.
He looked away, letting his hand fall to rest in his lap while the other rested on the arm of his chair.
"It's something long and complicated to explain, and I sincerely doubt you would actually like to take the time to sit down and hear it. You'll find it boring, I'm sure." It was only half a lie.
-
Aesir had looked away for a time, examining the interior of the ship while he waited for an answer. There was a glance to Kirkley and he stared at him for a moment. He looked so... Worn down. Tired. Aesir chewed on his lip and for a moment he felt bad. The tension in his chest made his pulse throb and he just watched for a moment. Watched Kirkley age and just look so tired.
Aesir listened to him quietly, lips pursed while he spoke and he was suspicious for a moment. He had nothing to gain. Then why do it? Who was that selfless? No one. He tapped his foot impatiently before glancing down and away. The real explanation - that it was long and complicated was easier to swallow and Aesir nodded a few times before he fluffed his hair and glanced around.
Of course he was interested in the real story.
He was here now though and that would have to be good enough. Kirkley had taken him in. Smuggled him out. Put his life on the line and Aesir couldn't blame the man if he decided that he was better off being sold. Aesir licked his lips and looked down before he sighed and looked Kirkley up and down, taking in the image of the man.
"Thank you," He said finally, looking down cheeks flushed. "For helping me," Aesir swallowed and scratched his arm through his shirt. "I'm really tired though," He admitted, not looking up. Not looking at space. "I was wondering if it was okay if I have a nap," Aesir felt so young then, a glance at the 'sky' and he let his eyes fall closed. "Does looking out there get any less stressful?" He whispered, "I feel like I'm gonna fall out."
-
The silence between the two of them that lasted only for mere moments seemed to weight down on them both for an eternity. Kirkley watched the kid, unmoving, devoid of any determinable expression until his eyebrows raised when he was thanked.
So the kid did know some manners.
He glanced over Aesir's form; he looked so small, standing there on the vast deck of The Loveless. Just a kid.
"Yeah, 'course you can go to sleep. You've had a rough two days." He said quietly, not taking his gaze away as he looked Aesir in the eyes and wondered just what lie there beneath that naive surface.
What would he be like when he grew up? The experiences he was going to have in the next year alone were probably going to play a major part in shaping who he turned out to be, now that his life had been exposed to something far bigger than Aedolis. Like two different inks spilling into each other and colliding.
He smiled, looking then to the space outside the windshields and let out a soft chuckled that made his chest shake with the movement.
"It took me a while to get used to it, too. Don't worry, it won't feel like that forever. Probably." He smirked, winking at the kid before he got up out of the chair, motioning towards the crew quarters below.
"We're gonna be out here for a good two and a half days in order to reach the Cancer, so make yourself as comfortable as you can. When we get there we can look for things you like to make you feel a little less homesick maybe, yeah?" He offered gently, hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans.
"My room is just up the stairs there," He said, nodding his head back towards a flight of steps leading to a second level. "If you need anything you're welcome to come find me."
-
Aesir's mouth almost dropped open at the wink.
It felt like his heart skipped a beat and his mouth went dry. Aesir wanted to reach out a hand and caress the big scary lookin' guys face. Wanted to ask for a hug. Wanted to... Go sit on his lap. Be close. Anything. His hand moved through his hair and he sucked in a breath while he tried to place the tingling feeling at his spine. Love was a myth.
But if it was a myth then why did he feel like if Kirkley asked him to do anything he'd do it. Purple eyes didn't leave him after that wink and Aesir half listened to the rest of what he said. The reassurance that he wouldn't feel like he was going to fall out of the ship forever helped a bit but Aesir risked looking over his shoulder again to the sky. The amazing view. The fact there was nothing out there.
The full body shiver was visible and his attention was snapped back to Kirkley when he mentioned how long they'll take to get to the Cancer station. Aesir shivered again, finding that being in space on a ship was something he wasn't too interested in. At least not right now. When he knew nothing. No way to save himself. Keep himself safe. How did you survive in space?
Aesir looked at Kirkley's relaxed position and pursed his lips, smirking at the mention of where his room was. "Can I just sleep with you?" His eyebrows were up and teasing, glancing at the space and the nothing before flicking his eyes back to Kirkley, "Are you sure I'll get used to being out in all this nothing?" His voice got lower and he started towards the crew quarters.
"It's a lot of nothing. I don't think I'll be able to sleep, It's so..." Aesir frowned, "Quiet. I mean, there's the ship noises but..." His eyebrows drew together, "So quiet. There's something missing out here."
-
He noticed the shiver run over Aesir's small frame and felt a pang of sympathy in his chest; it'd been so long since he'd first been introduced to space he didn't really remember what it had been like for him. Just that it was confusing, probably. Alarming. Scary.
Big.
He snorted when Aesir made the comment of sleeping with him, but he didn't immediately dismiss it when it was followed by the mention that the ship was lacking something, and suddenly it occurred to him.
Life.
Outer space was vast, cold and empty, the majority of it completely devoid of life. Bifrost, and now Aesir, had been... Nature spirits, or deities, or what have you. And that was the one thing space had the least of.
He sucked in a breath, glancing down at his shoes before he looked back up at Aesir and came to a decision.
"If it'd help you sleep, you can come stay with me."
At least then Aesir wouldn't be alone, he'd have another body, another beating heart with him and he would probably feel much less inclined to cry himself to sleep with homesickness and fear. That was the last thing Kirkley wanted him to feel on day one of his new adventure.
"I'm about to head to bed myself, I think, so if you want it's up to you." He said quietly, looking the kid over one last time, hoping he wouldn't take that out of context (he probably would) and then he turned and started to head up the stairs to the captain's quarters.
The room was fairly big, down a series of hallways with storage closets, two meeting rooms and the kitchen; it was circular and sealed off by a blast door that, like the rest of the ship currently only he could unlock. There was a portal in the ceiling, small that let him look up from the massive round bed (it had to be, in order to fit him comfortably) into the starry skies above when it was open; right now it was sealed, similar to a sun roof in a car kind of concept. There was a desk against a wall, and two closets. A quick check revealed everything was there--clothes, and most importantly, items of value from days when he wasn't so lonely.
He wasn't sure if Aesir would come in or not, so as much as he wanted to pull up a video on the monitor built into the wall facing the bed and watch something that would probably make him cry, he didn't. Just went into the attached bathroom, took off his clothes and took a shower, using it as a means to will away anything that was sad, because now was not the time to feel sorry for himself, or to mourn the true loss of his companion. He'd had three thousand years for that, now was not an exception, nor an excuse.
-
It was tempting.
Aesir contemplated it for a moment.
Did he want to curl in on this guy? He watched Kirkley for a moment before he rubbed at his wrists and ducked his head down. One last glance at the too cold sky. Out there. Was that the sky? What was the space sky called? Aesir stared at it listening to Kirkley leave. One last glint of eye contact.
Part of him wanted to. The other part dared not to follow.
He started to follow Kirkley but stopped short, turning back and finally moving to his own room. That was his now. This was his... Space Home? Aesir combed his hair with his fingers and went into the room he chose haphazardly. Nudged his bag with his foot before he grabbed it and put it onto the bed, unzipping it and pulling things out. Pants. Shirts. His hands clasped around a locket with a flower etched onto the front. He opened it slowly before looking into it. A picture of his parents.
Quickly he snapped it shut and shoved it to the bottom of his bag.
Aesir peeled his clothing off, standing naked in the room before he pulled on a set of comfy pants and a loose shirt. Maybe he'd just spend the next two days sleeping. Aesir enjoyed the idea. Maybe things would feel better after he slept. How did day time work out here? Aesir jammed the stuff in his bag again and threw it against the wall angrily before he turned out the light and crawled into the bed.
Maybe he'd shower tomorrow.
Whenever tomorrow was.
Aesir fell asleep quickly. Deeply. A dreamless sleep. Aesir woke up, eyes wide, gasping slightly. Did he sleep at all? It felt like nothing but a look at the clock told him it'd been a solid six and a half hours. A cold sweat covered him from ears to ankles and he peeled the sheet from his body when he sat up. A hand to his forehead. Aesir was quick to move to the washroom, heaving the contents of his stomach up into the toilet before he sat back and panted.
A quiet sob before he shuffled back into a corner, knees drawn up. Everything was wrong now. His life was over. Just starting? He looked at his hands, eyes watery, breath panting. It was this... Whatever he was. His blood? Aesir gagged again, before pressing his hands to his face and calming his stomach. It was mindless when he dragged his nails into soft flesh of his forearms and stared at the red that welled up. Maybe if he just washed it out he'd be able to go home.
"Get out," He whispered at his arms, "I wanna go home," tears filled his eyes and he scratched harder, digging into the meat of his arms, "Get out!" He screamed again, hair sticking to his fevered sweaty forehead. Then was a moment of silence while he stared at his wounds and then there were vines. A scream of terror. His blood rebelling. It didn't want out. Aesir screamed again, hands clenching into fists.
There were no vines. Not real. The blood dripped but the gashes weren't terrible. Scratches. Still, he buried his face into his hands and cried.
-
After a while, his sensitive hearing picked up nothing, and he stepped out of the shower to find his room was surprisingly empty. And here he'd thought Aesir would jump at the chance--or perhaps, he was trying to be a tough guy.
His heart fell a little for some reason, maybe because he was lonely and it'd have been nice to have someone to snuggle with. Even if it was just a kid. But he also couldn't help but worry a little; that maybe said kid was being too hard on himself and trying to toughen up too fast.
He crossed the room, naked, and pulled up one of the surveillance cameras that was focused down that hallway, to the room Aesir had picked. He couldn't see directly inside, but he could also hear things, so if something went wrong he would know and he could be down there in an instant.
Seeing that helped soothe some of his concerns, and he threw on a pair of sweatpants. About to crawl into bed, he paused, glancing at the hallway camera and realizing since Aesir wasn't coming in, he'd have a moment to himself.
He went over to the second closet, unlocking it and pulling out a chest stashed on the floor. He opened the lid and on the inside were a bunch of mementos. He leaned his back against the bed, going through them all--almost all of them were things from his time with Bifrost. Old photos. Some of his clothes. Memory sticks with videos on them.
Kirkley held on tightly to a shirt and one of those burgundy bandannas that Bifrost had loved so much, drawing his knees up to his chest and burying his face in them. They'd long since lost his scent, and he couldn't remember what his scent even smelled like any more.
His muscles tensed and he started to cry.
"Get out!"
Kirkley's eyes snapped open as the sound of a scream came from the monitor in his room and woke him with a start. He sat up abruptly, throwing the covers back in the same motion as he looked around, confused, before he looked at the monitor and even though he couldn't see directly inside Aesir's room, his gut told him something is wrong and he didn't waste another second trying to argue with it.
He sprinted out of his room, down the several flights of stairs into the hallway of the crew's quarters and he hesitated, listening for a moment as he heard Bi--Aesir, crying.
He stepped in the doorway and was immediately met with the sight of the kid curled up in a corner, blood running down his arms, and while his heart tried to hit the panic button, he was thankful his brain was smart enough to catch him first and keep himself calm.
"Aesir," He said, quietly so as not to scare him but loud enough to hopefully catch his attention. "Hey, what's going on?"
He slowly came into the room, testing boundaries to see what the teen would allow before he just went over there and smothered him in a bear hug like his heart was screaming desperately at him to do.
-
The deep voice saying his name had him snap his head up and the tears in his purple eyes made them sparkle. "Kirkley," He panted, voice thick before he felt warm arms around him. He pressed his forehead to the warm neck and took deep breaths, finding the scent of the man comforting. The warmth wonderful. Aesir was warm, far too warm. The rest of the room felt cold and lifeless and he focused on the heartbeat in his ear.
The throb of the heartbeat comforted him and he took deep breaths.
"I don't know," He panted, holding tight to the giant man.
"This is all my blood's fault," He panted, smearing blood on Kirkley's back from the scratches on his arms. "I could be at home. I don't want to be here," His breath was hot against Kirkley's neck and he took a ragged breath, "I can never go home because I make plants grow." He pulled away slightly to look at Kirkley, tears dropping down his cheeks. "They're my blood," He panted, shaking his head before curling in again.
"I'm so cold," He breathed, fever hot, flushed cheeks sweat on his temples. Aesir groaned softly, "I've never felt so awful in my life," another deep breath, "I think I'm sick." He closed his eyes again and relaxed against the giant man, breathing through his mouth, "Wanna cuddle me until I warm up?" He teased, face smooshed against a shoulder.
-
When Aesir looked up he saw the look in those purple eyes and his heart wrenched; without any further thinking he crossed the distance between them and scooped the teen up into his arms, holding him tight yet gentle, securely, so he felt safe. His heartbeat was pounding rapidly with worry and fear, fear caused by seeing and smelling Aesir's blood.
That much smelled the same. He would never forget that scent.
"Shh, shh... You don't know that." He murmured quietly, and he wasn't lying for the sake of making the kid feel better--Bifrost had lived for a few thousand years. If Aesir could as well, who knew what would happen to Aedolis in that time. He might be able to return, might be able to go back to a planet full of plants and life.
It was a small possibility, but it was one nonetheless.
He ran his fingers through the kid's hair, petting him and reaching up to wipe the tracks of tears from his soft cheeks when he pulled away to look up at him. Those eyes... He could never say no to those eyes. They were Bifrost's eyes.
With memories flashing across his mind he scooped up Aesir into his arms, standing and carrying him bridal style back up the stairs to the medical bay.
"I'll gladly cuddle you but first let's get you taken care of as best we can, alright?" He murmured, setting Aesir down on the bed, finding some bandages and a rag before he paused a moment, glancing at Aesir and remembering the lemon in the alley, and the conclusion he'd reached last night.
"I'll be right back." He said, quickly pressing a kiss to the teen's forehead as he left the room to go down the hall to the kitchen, hoping like hell Ain had been as kind as usual and remembered to--she had.
She always took such damn good care of him.
The cupboards and fridge were full of food, real food, good food. One of which was an apple. He found a knife and quickly cut it open, grabbing some of the seeds and coming back to the med bay and making use of that blood--as awful as it sounded--while he could, wetting some paper towel, throwing it in a cup and then rubbing the seed with Aesir's blood, quickly dropping it into the cup.
Within moments a small apple sapling started to sprout and he set it aside, getting some warm water on the cloth he'd found moments prior and carefully started wiping the blood away from the kid's arms, cleaning and bandaging as he went, sitting down with him on the edge of the bed while he worked.
"That," he said, nodding to the tiny baby tree, "Is going to be your new friend." He glanced up at the teen's face. "Your parents told me that you got real sick when you weren't around them." The last part was a lie--he knew from Bifrost, but he couldn't exactly say that without having to explain thousands of years in a few sentences in a way that was believable.
He worked quickly--he wasn't exactly the deftest at fixing up wounds, because he almost never had to worry about them, but he knew enough to get the job done and that was what counted. He just hoped the kid recovered fast.
Once finished he pulled Aesir back into his arms again, taking the little apple plant with him as he carried the teen back into his own bedroom. He set him down in the spot Kirkley had been previously occupying, pulling the covers over him.
"I'm gonna get a cold cloth to put on your head," He said as he set the apple plant on the nightstand right by him, "And some water. Do you think you can stomach any food?"
-
Aesir wanted to cry again. They still seeped from the corners of his eyes once they got to medical but while he laid there, scratches on his arms throbbing dully and the spot Kirkley kissed tingling nicely. He felt as comfortable as he felt alone and isolated. It was a strange mix of feelings.
Once he'd been wrapped up in the big guys arm he didn't have problems anymore. He still felt sick but it was just... better. Like the man who ran the ship was going to fix all his problems.
Which he was doing.
Aesir watched Kirkley go about, watch the seed sprout. He looked at it with pity. It wouldn't flourish here. Would it ever get bigger? Did Kirkley eat the apple? Aesir blinked at him while he was fixed up, eyes falling closed half from being tired and half from being overwhelmed. Stressed out.
"I do?" He whispered when the sapling was pointed out. Sure they had moved to Margad but... it was for his mom's job. "I..." he said softly, trying to think how long between being at home and being where he was now. Half a day? Maybe a whole day? Aesir sighed and let himself be picked up again.
Of course he was more than willing to snuggle down into the bed, blinkig up at Kirkley with wide eyes. "Kirktree might need some dirt," he said softly before swallowing thickly and shaking his head. The idea of food made him want to throw up again. "I'll just gratefully accept water and sleep," he said his voice fading out, hands cluching at his thighs through the blanket.
"Are you going to leave for long?" Aesir sounded young then, eyes hooded, cheeks flushed. "Can i hug your arm when you come back? You're really warm."
-
There was something soothing about the softness and innocence in Aesir's voice that made Kirkley smile; it was a warm, genuine smile that reached his eyes as he reached forward and brushed a few hairs from the kid's face, stroking his cheek with the back of his hand.
"We'll get it some dirt once we get to the Cancer, hopefully. It'll be fine for now." He murmured, before standing up straighter. "I'll be right back, and you can have even better snuggles than that."
He ducked out real quick, getting a clean cloth from the med bay and soaking it in slightly-colder-than-room-temperature water, and he got a cup of water and came back. The cup was set on the nightstand, the cloth laid out on Aesir's forehead, and then he went around to the other side of the bed, climbing under the covers and wrapping his arms around the teen's small frame, spooning him and sharing all of that body heat directly.
As cute as he was, Kirkley just hoped that this didn't last long and that he got better soon. He wasn't sure his heart could handle it if something bad ever happened to this kid, even if he could be a feisty little shit.
He pet Aesir as the two of them laid there, softly stroking his cheek and running fingers through his hair, trying to help him relax and calm down so he'd go back to sleep. It was oddly comfortable, lying there with him--it brought back memories. The familiarity was as strong as it had been back then, as was his need to protect the kid with his life. Even though Aesir was different, he wasn't, on a level Kirkley couldn't understand.
Once he was sure he had drifted off to sleep he allowed himself to smile and whisper, "I missed you."
-
This was better than being at home.
Sort of.
Aesir felt calm and loved and safe. He shivered from the cold all the same. His eyes fell closed because he was so bone tired and so weak. By the time he felt the cool cloth on his forehead he was already almost passed out again. The heat of his breath making his lips warm and his hand poking out from the blankets. He snuggled deeper into the bed, eyes closed and dozed.
A pleased hum at the warm body behind him.
A pause to ponder on just how someone got so warm. What did this guy eat? Was he just a giant warm guy? Aesir turned slightly so he could bend his knees up, almost fetal position. Snuggle back so he could feel Kirkley's chest against his back. Feel the heart beating against his spine. Aesir fell asleep quickly, wrapped in warm arms. The soft whispers of the baby apple tree lulling him to sleep. Being around life revitalized him and he could feel his fever ebbing away. The connection soothing his very existence.
He was dreaming when he heard it.
A soft rumble about missing someone. "I missed you," It whispered. He looked down at his hands, they were his but different. He pressed his palm to a tree and he grinned widely when the tree gave a shudder and sprouted new leaves. Chuckled at the practical flowering green foot prints he left behind when he walked barefoot through the grass.
He saw the person then, the one that missed him. A bright shining person on a backdrop of darkness and bad memories. He knew they were there but the bright person kept them at bay.
"I missed you, too," Aesir whispered aubile, the person felt so familiar. Smelled like home. It was wonderful and weird and he turned in Kirkley's arms, still wrapped up in his dreams and snuggled into the giant mans chest. Arm thrown over him He felt a little short still, but he tucked a leg between Kirkley's in the brief moment he woke up from moving and pressed his forehead to Kirkley's heartbeat. "I missed you a lot," He whispered again, looking up in his dream at the big empty sky, "I never thought I'd find here again." Because outside the green oasis and the bright person was nothing.
It was empty and he glanced at the other little islands that floated there. Barren and lonely. The only one that had the oasis was this one. With the shining person. "You're bright now though," He mumbled again, "so I found you." Dream Aesir was saying words. Words he didn't understand. Aesir's existence was a constant thing. As long as there was life on the planet, his soul would find a new host, a new home and it would life out it's life.
This time though was different. This time he'd met that bright being he always wanted to gravitate to. Sometimes, the soul missed the mark and never found the bright person. Plants always grew towards sunlight though, so if there was a chance, the slightest possibility that it might find that shining person... Aesir snapped his eyes open and gasped loudly, pressing a hand to his head before looking around and realizing where he was.
Oh, Hell yes.
Pretending he hadn't woken up, he snuggled back down in the bed, against his warm giant teddybear of a man and let his hand rest at his hip. Not gropey, but definitely interested.
-
Watching Aesir curl up against him was far more relaxing than he was willing to admit. It reawakened some of the hope in his heart, made him feel warm inside again, like he was snuggled up to a cozily burning fireplace.
Eventually, with his arms wrapped around the kid and his head on the pillow, Aesir's scent soothing him, he fell into a deep sleep.
Like Aesir, he fell into a series of dreams that were less direct than his companion's. He caught glimpses of a beautiful figure on an oasis, touching a tree and grinning, and then those intermingled with memories.
He remembered what it felt like to bury his face in the crook of Bifrost's neck, to breathe in deep and be surrounded by his perfect scent. The warmth and smoothness of his thief's skin underneath his fingertips as he held him close and ravished him with all the love and attention in the world anyone could possibly ever give. Kisses along neck and collarbone, sweet sighs and his lover's heartbeat.
"... I found you."
Kirkley twitched in his sleep, feeling Aesir move to curl into him and he responded by holding him tight, burying his face in the green hair that tickled his nose and made him smile, the warmth comforting him. He remembered waking up to rays of sunshine, opening his eyes and looking to see Bifrost lying there next to him, so beautiful and so easy to appreciate and love. The long green hair that fanned out across the pillows and the mattress, the gentle rise and fall of his sides with every breath and the natural curves from his shoulders down to his waist and back up to his hips, Kirkley had traced his fingers along and touched every dip and memorized them so thoroughly he could recall them even now.
His beautiful thief.
Still mostly asleep, he didn't realize that he was in bed with Aesir, not Bifrost, and that Aesir had woken up. He felt the hand on his hip and his brain, still wrapped up in warm, fuzzy dreams made him respond by finding Aesir's hip and letting his hand glide over him to caress his thigh; it was a loving and affectionate movement, though obviously reserved for lovers and not... Whatever the hell he and Aesir were.
But as far as he knew, he was still with Bifrost, and he wished with all of his heart that he never had to wake up.
-
Oh Hello.
Aesir hummed lowly and blinked widely, snuggling further into the bed and enjoying the warmth and how nice it felt. He felt the hand and he shivered at it, felt the sensation of it crawl up his side and clutch his heart. His breath hitched and he tilted his head up to look at Kirkley's face, so close to his own. It would be too much to kiss him or something - he knew that - but he really wanted to. Felt like the natural order of things.
They sleep together, they touch and then they kiss.
There was a few seconds where he recoiled. Aesir didn't like men. He didn't like being with people bigger than burlier than himself. It wasn't from a lack of experimenting either. He'd tried it plenty of times but... Literally nothing would work. Which was what made this all the more amazing because he could totally shark this big guy if he wanted to. Aesir licked his lips and sucked his lower one between his teeth, closing his eyes briefly.
Tempted to wriggle so that Kirkley had his hand somewhere else but... No that was creepy.
Aesir rubbed his eyes and let his hand rest by his head. Watching. Listening. Slowly and as gently as he could he reached forward to touch Kirkley's lips, drawing his thumb over the bottom one, tracing his fingers along his jaw. Touching his neck. It made his heart pound to do it and he finally stopped with his palm flat against the man's chest, feeling every heartbeat thump through his fingers.
Kirkley wasn't beautiful, not in the way roses were beautiful, but... Aesir sighed and leaned forward impulsively, leaning in before he pressed his lips to Kirkley's collar bone. He wanted to taste. He felt fucking parched and he knew that the only thing that would fix the thirst was this strange giant guy. Why though? So many questions. How could he want something so desperately when he'd never had it before?
Aesir noticed then that he felt better. His fever wasn't entirely gone but he wasn't cold anymore. Didn't feel week. A glance behind him to the potted plant and he blinked widely to see how much it had grown over night. It was still a sapling sure but now it was a hearty one, more branches and leaves. Barely a foot and a half tall but it was flourishing. Aesir turned around to look at it before pressed his back into Kirkley's chest, doing his best to sneakily press his backside to Kirkley's hips. Then he stared at the little tree, more content than he'd ever been before.
Like he was exactly where he was always supposed to be. Smooshed against a warm body and gazing at a tree.
-
Not all perfect things could last forever it seemed.
In his dreams Bifrost was grinning at him and stroking his cheek, touching his lips, voice muffled as they exchanged sweet nothings, pressed kisses to noses and jaws, bathed in warm morning light filtering in through the window of the home they shared.
A kiss was pressed to his collarbone, he smiled in his sleep and nuzzled Aesir's head.
It was unfortunately the movement of the teen rolling over with his backside to Kirkley's front that finally stirred the giant; the dreams faded as he was gently pulled back into reality. But Bifrost's scent was still kind of there, yet also kind of not? As was his soft hair, and still dazed, he pushed himself up just enough to bury his face in the crook of Aesir's neck, the arm that had been lazily draped across him now pulling their bodies flush against each other, the palm of his hand flattened against the teen's abdomen as he breathed in his scent, but something was off.
Slowly he opened his eyes, realizing that Bifrost had... Shrunk? Wait.
He blinked, raising his head as it occurred to him that Bifrost wasn't here, this wasn't him. That's right. He was on Loveless, and the person in his bed was... Aesir. Who he quickly released from his grasp as he realized he was getting WAYYYY TOO HANDSY THERE. WHOA NELLY.
Still, the soul-crushing defeat that hit him like a semi truck was hard to ignore as he realized everything had been a cruel dream, cruel and bittersweet. It made his heart ache and for a moment he wanted nothing more than to hold Aesir close and cover him in kisses, use him as a means of comfort. But that was out of the question.
He sat up a little better with a low growl, realizing hell, he'd been asleep for a pretty long damn time. And he had a not so little problem that had woken up along with him, great. Awesome. Thanks, memory dreams. You're fantastic, really.
He looked over at the kid, reaching over and running his fingers through the green hair, calloused fingertips gliding along the line of his jaw as he leaned his weight on his other hand on the mattress, his side now brushing against Aesir's back.
"G'morning," He grumbled wearily, voice still husky with sleep. "How're you feeling?"
-
Aesir's own morning problem had went away fine on its own. He'd calmed down some staring at the tree. Watching it flourish in its ligtle cup. He hadnt meant to wake Kirkley though and winced slightly when he did. Poor guy. Aesir pushed his hair from his face and glanced at the tree again, wondering how important a fact it had been about him and plants.
Had he known that? He knew he had a bit of a green thumb. Knew that when he was taking care of potted plants thet flourished. It was just.. a thing. Knew when he spilled blood on a seed it became a sapling. Knew they were thirsty for his blood.
Aesir sat up slowly, staring at the lemon tree before he jerked from his self imposed hypnotism and blinked widely at the big warm guy. Aesir chewed on his bottom lip, listened to him talk. Wanted to nuzzle into the warm palm that touched his jaw.
"Oh, I'm great," he started, Aesir noticed, his eyes went hooded and he licked his lips and there was a second where being in a warm bed with this guy, eyes still tired from sleep felt like the most amazing place in the galaxy to be.
There was no set up when Aesir whipped off his shirt, his build slim but there were visible muscles, his shoulders looked like they'd broad out. His skin was pale and smooth. Then his hands shot out for Kirkley's little morning trouble. "I can help with that," he stated, voice rough from sleep and cheeks red from some strange lust and craving.
"Least I can do for all you've done for me," and he took a hand to tug his own pants down, moving both hands back to Kirkley with the wasitband resting dangerously low on his own hips.
-
The longer he sat up the more he woke up, which was good. He smiled as Aesir said that he felt great, and that instantly laid many of his worries about his sickness to rest. Good, his quick thinking had paid off and now everything was okay.
He stretched his arms above his head, back arching as he let out a shuddering sigh while he stretched. "That's good--" He started to say, and then the next thing he knew he felt Aesir's skin brush against him, making his own tingle in return.
He looked over to see the teen yanking his shirt off, and he raised an eyebrow quizzically at him, unsure just what he was up to. He was definitely small... So much smaller than Bifrost. His shoulders were narrow, his limbs and torso thin and twiggy despite the clear muscle definition underneath his skin. Not an ounce of baby fat left, but he still had a ways to go before he filled out and really bulked up the way he was supposed to.
Not that he was given long to reflect on this, because as he was lowering his arms back down to his sides, Aesir suddenly reached out and grabbed his junk, making Kirkley jolt and freeze.
Uh.
What?
And then the touch was gone and Aesir was saying something about it being the least he could do and he was starting to push his pants down and oh god OH NO--
On the one hand, there was a part of Kirkley deep down that wanted to respond to it. Wanted to watch Aesir, see if he had an actual plan for a way to go about this, before he eventually flipped them over and pinned the teen down into the bedsheets and put him in his place. But that was a much smaller part than the majority which was hugely, HUGELY against it, for multiple reasons.
One, he was still a minor by everywhere else's standards except Aedolis' (and we all know how low those are,) and two he was still a stranger, still an ignorant and naive kid who didn't know any better, and who wasn't... Who Kirkley thought he would be.
He quickly scrambled backward out of the bed, not paying attention to where he was going as his hand went behind him to pull himself back, found nothing and he lost his balance, falling out of the bed and hitting the floor with a rather ungraceful THUMP. He quickly got to his feet though, body language speaking infinite amounts of how defensive he was as he held out a hand like he was ready for Aesir to come charging at him at any given moment.
"Aesir," He warned, and he instinctively fell back on dad voice, "No. I, uh... Appreciate the offer but that's really not necessary. We'll... We'll get you some girls or something when we get to the Cancer alright--"
He didn't know what the kid's problem was. Was it puberty, was he still technically going through that?? He guessed so. Was that why he was like this? It had to be, because if he didn't remember anything of his past Kirkley doubted that had anything to do with it.
"Look you can have a bit to yourself here while I go take a shower and get breakfast okay?"
Hell he didn't miss having teenagers around. Gods all they were awful.
-
Aesir felt a little humiliated.
Sort of?
A hot blush rose on his cheeks when Kirkley flung himself out of the bed to get away from him. What? He'd read that situation very wrong apparently. The guy had touched his leg and spooned him all night! Aesir just kinda figured... He was into a little bit more. He frowned at Kirkley, blinking at him and pursing his lips before he swallowed and just watched the guy freak out.
If he had perky ears they'd be pinned down. Aesir looked down at the bed, cheeks flushed. Actually feeling kind of naked now. He gathered his shirt and held it to his chest to protect himself from... Being naked... And...
"I'm really sorry," Aesir said quietly, looking away and sort of wishing the bed would swallow him whole. Quickly, he rushed from the room, only getting a few steps before he rushed back to grab the apple tree. Sappling. He sighed and closed his eyes, rushing down the steps to the room he'd chosen for himself. The sappling went onto a little ledge and Aesir went onto the bed.
It was cold and lonely.
Shit. He'd fucked up. Of course that weird giant of a guy wouldn't want him of all people. He was nothing. No one. Some kid of some guy he knew. Aesir threw back the sheets on the bed and crawled in, shivering at how cold it was before he curled up on his side to face the wall. Kirkley knew about his... Affliction though. His ability. He sighed and looked over at the sappling, the little green leaves that flicked at him before he turned away, hugging himself. Kirkley was off limits. That would be okay.
It sucked that he felt drawn to him though. Some strange primal urge tugging at his abdomen. Making his heart thump when he looked at the mans neck and lips. Aesir didn't want to imagine himself stuck under the giant guy but no matter how much he tried to push the image away it stubbornly persisted. Which led to some strange dreams.
Aesir fell asleep again rather quickly. Curled into a ball at the top of his bed and he'd have been content to just stay there for there rest of the trip on this stupid giant space boat.
-
Kirkley took in a breath and was about to tell Aesir to stop, but the kid grabbed his little sappling and pushed past him and escaped, and he swore under his breath, turning in time to catch his form as he disappeared around the corner at the end of the hallway.
"Fuck. Fuck!" He was about to slam his fist against the doorway and stopped himself just short, forgetting his strength a moment before he just clenched his hand tighter and rested it against the wall, pressing his forehead against it as he stood there and fought with himself.
He was just a kid. And knowing that made his mind sick, his gut twist in the worst kind of way. He was a kid, a child, and yet deep inside he wanted nothing more than to touch him. To taste him lile he had Bifrost and that was so fucked up and wrong and he knew it. And Aesir trying to climb down his pants wasn't helping in the least. Yeah sure he was legal by Aedolian standards, but those standards were so low they weren't acceptable by any other planetary moral system.
Sure, every person was practically a child in comparison to Kirkley but... Fuck!
He assumed it was the beast in him that couldn't tell the difference--it felt Aesir's soul and that was what it was really after. It didn't care about the shell he was currently in, age meant nothing to it when both beings were immortal and ancient.
He took in another sharp breath, standing up straight and pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment before he ran his hands over his face. He didn't know what to make of any of this. Aesir was Aesir, but he was also Bifrost, and many others probably that Kirkley hadn't found. And that thought made his heart break. Should he not spend every waking moment cherishing him now while he still could?
He went to the kitchen, got himself something to eat and then went down to Aesir's room with a nutrition bar for him for now--he didn't know what he liked and didn't like to eat, not yet. And yet when he got to the doorway of the kid's room he hesitated for a moment, listening to find out he was asleep. Jeese, he slept a lot.
He stepped in quietly, setting the food down on the little shelf that served as a nightstand next to the bed, and sat down on the edge of the mattress, looking over him quietly before he reached over and rested a hand on Aesir's shoulder. He needed to eat, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
And yet just touching him made a sudden warmth flood his eyes and he took in another breath, closing his eyes as he forced back tears. Gods this was so pathetic. He adored this child, and to a point found him to be irritating, infuriating... And not entirely for reasons Aesir was even directly in control of. He couldn't help who he was. He couldn't help that he wasn't Bifrost.
And that was part of what hurt so damn bad.
He looked over at his sleeping form before giving him a gentle shake, his voice soft, meant to be comforting. "Hey. You need to eat, you know. You can't just sleep all day."
He smiled at him, and knew that wasn't enough; he hesitated for a moment, fighting with himself between what he wanted to do and what he was allowed to do.
He leaned over and rested his forehead to Aesir's, cupping his face in his hands, smoothing the pads of his thumbs over his cheekbones.
"Story'd be different if you were a little older." He finally admitted, looking into Aesir's purple hues, his own giving away all too much.
Kirkley really looked like a dog when he wasn't hiding it; the hurt and pain from so many years of loyalty and service and knowing he'd never get a proper retirement, no matter how bad he may have ever thought he wanted one.
"You never did make it easy on me." He said with a sigh as he pulled away and sat up again. "The nutrition bar's for you, when you finish that you can tell me what food you avtually like and I'll see what I can make in the kitchen, alright?"
-
The dream was odd.
Again, odd. It felt like he was remembering. Aesir looked peaceful in his sleep, but his eyes were moving rapidly and his fingers were twitching. Mostly it was a giant terrifying cat-dog beast in a few ways. One point where he was riding it like a horse, except his hands were dirty and his hair was really long. Weird pants. Weren't jeans. Catdog looked cool though and it kept looking back with at him like it was checking up on him. It was comforting as it was strange.
His purple eyes popped open when there was an unfamiliar weight on his bed, turning only when his shoulder was shaken. His brain felt foggy and he blinked widely at Kirkley, making a small grumbling noise before he sighed and rolled onto his back, eyes hooded. Sleepy. The words didn't make much sense and he blinked owlishly and looked confused. Little older?
Well, he'll be a little older eventually. Who wouldn't? Right? Right.
Aesir closed his eyes and sighed softly when he felt the brush of fingers against his cheeks. A flush stained his cheeks and he stretched, back arching and arms going out.
"What?" He said, rubbing his eyes and slowly sitting up, taking the nutrition bar as he rolled his shoulders, "What do you mean-" Aesir unwrapped the bar and took a bite, making a face while he chewed and swallowed, "what do you mean I never did make it easy on you?" Aesir took another bite, finding himself surprisingly hungry before he rolled his shoulders and hunched forward, "I've known you for a few days," He glanced at the sapling, eyes still hooded and sleepy.
"Do you know me from before or something?" He said, nodding to the sapling, "I've never seen or heard of you in my life." There was a long pause and Aesir sighed and licked his lips, "Have we met before? I don't remember you, but everything inside me is saying I know you and trust you."
-
Kirkley did his best to ignore how Aesir's little stretch made things stir in his belly all the way down to his soul that he knew better than to entertain. He might've recognized the kid's young age but it seemed their spirits could've cared less, and that was incredibly frustrating.
He watched the teen sit up, arching an eyebrow slightly as Aesir caught on to the way he'd phrased that sentence; he partly hadn't been expecting it, considering he was still so sleepy.
He asked if they'd met before and Kirkley gave him a bittersweet smile. "You could say that. Was a long time ago. You should listen to that instinct of yours, though. It'll save your life."
He stood up then from the bed, rolling his shoulders and cracking a few spots in his neck as he pushed away those withering feelings of dread and upset that served him no good purpose right now. Right now he had Aesir to look after, and there was no time for moping. Hell, how many times had he told himself that, now? A hundred? Sure felt like it.
"So, what do you like to eat, little one?" He asked with a teasing smile as he gave Aesir a gentle hair ruffle. "We should be coming up on the Cancer soon so let's get something in your stomach now, because real food is harder to come by there."
-
Little one?
If that didn't hammer in the disinterest from earlier he'd have to be denser than rocks. Aesir looked away, head downslightly and trying to ignore the hollow feeling in his chest. Hair ruffles and little ones. There was a glance up but he quickly glanced away not quite able to force himself to pretend to be happy.
Aesir pushed his hands through his hair and sighed.
"I don't know? Waffles and bacon?" Not that he was expecting that. Aesir couldnt remember really eating breamfast. Out the door. Eat some lunch at school or work or whatever. Aesir pressed a hand to his breastbone and tried to breathe in. It all worked fine. Just... Felt so hollow. Empty.
Like everything had been taken out and made to form a gieant beast of a man.
There was a pause and he sighed loudly before shuffling off the bed. Why did not being wanted by the giant stranger feel so bad? He stretched his arms hivh above his head wifh a squeak and sighed. "Can I help?" He asked softly about the kitchen work with a small oddly eager smile.
-
Kirkley noticed. He noticed the little sigh, the way Aesir couldn't look at him, the tone in his voice, the hand through his pretty green hair.
His chest tightened a bit and his gut knotted with worry; he knew why the kid was upset, and he wanted to do nothing more than give him all the love and affection he'd ever desired in this world, but that would be the ultimate dick move in sending him mixed signals, wouldn't it?
And yet he was so cute when he stood up and stretched; Kirkley's gaze lingered on his form for a long moment, the hesitation apparent in his eyes for a moment before he blinked it away and gently slipped an arm around the teen's waist, pulling him in close so he could tilt Aesir's chin up just enough to plant a gentle kiss to his forehead.
You are wanted, so much more than you know.
"Hmm. Bacon and waffles.. Now that I can do. Of course you can help, come on." He pulled away from the quick embrace, letting a hand slip down to lace his fingers with Aesir's as he gently tugged him along with down Loveless's corridors, back up to the second level where the kitchen was.
Without a word once they'd entered, he scooped up Aesir into his arms and plopped him down tenderly on a countertop as he started opening cupboards and the fridge, pulling out a pan, the bacon, some pancake mix, and a mixing bowl and some other ingredients.
"So, Aesir, how much cooking have you done? You didn't exactly strike me the type to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but I might be wrong." He shrugged, flashing the teen a smile as he reached over, hand brushing briefly against Aesir's thigh as he turned on the heating pad to the electric stove for the pan to sit on top of it and warm up.
-
It was odd, the kiss on the forehead.
Another nail in the coffin of 'child'. Children got kissed on the forehead. Still, it sent butterflies to his gut and he felt a shiver at his spine. Aesir blinked slowly, looking down at their hands as he was tugged along and blew out a careful breath. Fluttery things. The short trip had Aesir watching Kirkley carefully. Taking in his large frame. How gently his hand was held. How warm it was.
It was awful. Just looking at the guy made his mouth go dry and here he was treating him like something precious and wanted. It was hard to keep himself calm. Somewhere unfamiliar still. Somewhere strange. With someone strange that he already felt so connected to. Aesir was alarmed to a few degrees how much he already felt. Too busy dwelling on such things he yelped.
"Wha--!" Aesir kicked out a leg in surprise, eyes wide before he flushed brightly. Picked up so easily like he weighed nothing. With a 'hup' he was plopped down onto the counter and just stared for a moment in surprise, eyes wide. His hands went to the edge and he ducked his head after a moment in an effort to will away his blush. "I..." Aesir opened his mouth, taking a moment to lick his lips and then purse them frowning.
"I can make an omelette," He said sheepishly, shivering and mouth dropping and quickly snapping shut. Sure it was a brief brush against his thigh but... Aesir flicked his eyes to Kirkley and shivering again. "and... Simple stuff. I'm a fast learner," Or at least he thought he was. Now he was kind of confused. Aesir also wanted to go back to his bunk. Embarrassing what a little accidental thigh action did to him. He leaned over, still seated on the counter. "Never made pancakes before," he chewed on his lip and watched, disliking and enjoying how much being around Kirkley made his insides flutter.
-
The responses Aesir gave him were nothing short of precious. Kirkley couldn't help the feeling of his heart clenching as he watched the young man shiver and blush, trying to hide it so cutely. He felt the distinct and sudden urge to say fuck the pancakes and just cover the Aedolian with kisses, but he reigned it in with a sharp intake of breath as he went about mixing the batter.
"Omelettes, huh? Color me surprised." He teased lightly as he added the eggs, milk and butter to the powder mix he'd thrown together. He was guestimating most of it, he rarely ever used precise measurements when he was cooking.
"That's good though. I wasn't sure just how spoiled you might be, growing up in Aedolis and all that." He said it with a smile, looking up from the kitchen work over at the teen, that smile growing warmer as his eyes settled on Aesir's form.
For a brief moment, perhaps it was the way the light hit him, but for a brief moment he looked just like Bifrost. Kirkley's heart clenched again, but this time it hurt. He pursed his lips and looked back to what he was doing as he poured the batter onto the pan on the stove.
"So, are you excited to get out and do some exploring soon?" He asked with a small smile, setting the mixing bowl down as he waited for the first two pancakes to harden up, grabbing a plate from a cupboard while he waited. "And how many do you want?"
-
"I'm not spoiled!" Aesir practically barked out, eyebrows shooting up in surprise. It wasn't intentional but the pout pulled at his lower lip and he glanced down and away, arms slowly crossing over his chest and turning to look around. Spoiled. A little frown and he ducked his head down and looked at Kirkley through his bangs. He liked it like this. He liked being seated on the counter like he weighed as much as a bag of feathers.
Aesir sucked in a breath while Kirkley made the pancakes.
How many did he want? Forever.
What? No. "two?" His voice squeaked at the end because he wasn't sure how many he wanted. Two was good. Seemed like a decent amount for food. "Exploring?" Aesir questioned, his voice going soft and curious, sucking his lower lip into his mouth to chew on it while he thought. "The Cancer Station?" Aesir ducked his head down, trying to imagine it, "How does all of this stuff work without the Dragons?" he finally questioned.
-
Not spoiled, he said. As he turned to cross his arms over his chest, huff and pout that lower lip in a way that was almost cartoonish. Not spoiled, he said.
Kirkley couldn't help but grin, glancing at the pancakes to make sure they'd be okay before he took a step closer to give him a playful hair tussle and a grin before, and he hesitated for a split second, before he he pressed a kiss to the teen's cheek and gave him a quick nuzzle before going back to fixing some decent food.
"Yeah, exploring the Cancer Station. It's hella dangerous though so I'd like it if you stayed by my side at all times, easier to protect you from the criminals that way, cuz there's a lot of em." He eyed the teen carefully for a moment before raising an eyebrow when he asked how everything worked without dragons.
"... What? What, you mean this?" He nodded to the ship around them, both eyebrows now climbing up on his forehead with amusement. "Through science," He chuckled, plopping two pancakes onto the plate he'd pulled earlier and starting the next two. "Electricity, engineering. People govern themselves out in open space, we don't need dragons to do it for us. And there are some dragons out here who have absolutely no interest in doing so, either."
He smiled, looking up at Aesir from the pancakes and pulling open one of the cabinet doors with his toes to reach down and pull up a bottle of syrup and set it on the counter, pulling out some forks from a drawer and setting those down as well.
"Ain, for example," He said carefully as he put two other pancakes onto the plate, and found he had enough batter for two more, thank gods, cause he was hungry. "Ain rules over many people. She's a warlord, owns her own territories, governs people, collects taxes, all that fun stuff. Though, don't mention any of that to anybody else now, y'hear? Not exactly the most legal things, depending on what territory you're in."
He smiled at Aesir, nodding at the pancakes. "You can go ahead and start eating if you want, use as much syrup as you like. Got butter, too." He paused, looking back to the last two pancakes on the pan and humming thoughtfully. "To be honest I prefer it out here, away from the dragons. So much more freedom." He smiled.
-
Why was his heart pounding so hard from a kiss on the cheek and a nuzzle? Aesir's breath caught in his throat and he tried to turn his face in time to catch some more nuzzle but... Kirkley was gone and he felt like he was missing something already. Fuck. Shit. Aesir closed his eyes and took a breath because that nuzzle alone just about did him in. He shifted awkwardly and placed his hands, palms up on his lap, tugging down his sweater and trying to resist. When Kirkley started to talk about electricity and engineering he'd practically forgotten what his previous question had been.
Right. Dragons.
Which brought about Ain.
Ain.
Aesir frowned for a moment, his poor lower lip being chewed on like it were bubblegum while he thought. The plate of pancakes sitting in his hands over his lap before he remembered who Ain was. The woman before they got on the ship. Gosh she was pretty. He gave a wistful sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to imagine her again. That was a lady to have a crush on. She was... So beautiful.
At Kirkley's instruction, Aesir rolled one of the pancakes into a easily handled fluffy-cooked-batter tube and took a bite. Wrinkling his nose at the syrup and butter. He swallowed his mouthful and shook his head, "I don't really like sweet stuff," He said before polishing off the pancake and going for the second one that he just folded in half. He frowned at the idea of freedom while Kirkley spoke and made pancakes for himself. He licked his fingers slowly, popping them in and out of his mouth one by one before he looked to Kirkley.
"I don't like it out here," He stated simply, holding the empty plate on his lap. "I feel," He wrinkled his nose, "I dunno. Naked and exposed. There aren't any walls." He ducked his head down and closed his eyes, "I guess you'll have to show me what freedom from Dragons feels like."