deercountry | will you be there up on the shore

Entry tags:

will you be there up on the shore

Who: Shiro (

shiro2hero ) & Adam (

saltyadam )
What: A beachside Reunion
When: Early November
Where: The Shores

Content Warnings: Squid-related nudity

Today is one of those days he would have preferred to spend in the Orphanage. It's bitter cold, the sky a solid slab of steel grey, hanging low toward the buildings. Sure, he'd graduated to one of the heavier coats sold around town - but the wing keeps howling through the fabric. Cutting into it off the ocean.

Should have guessed it'd be brutal out here today.

Regardless, Shiro is once again patrolling the shores. He's seen new faces crop up on the network lately. It's that time of the month. He'd promised more than a few people he'd keep an eye out for their loved ones. It's the least he can do, considering he'd failed to bring his own across. Those thoughts aren't going anywhere any time soon. Not even after Vyng yanked him out of the surf and out of his head.

Or out of potential Return Of The Squid anyway.

He stops for a moment, pulling his hands out of his pockets to try and blow some warmth into his left hand. Maybe he should turn around. Maybe he should go back to the Orphanage and play jungle gym for the kids for a while. That'd help.

It looked as if there weren't many new arrivals today. Maybe even the squids were too cold.

One more failure of a day to add to the list, looked like.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah, right. Adam nodded in acknowledgement. He'd never been as involved as Takashi when it came to the powers that be -- a choice he hopes to repeat -- but the name is more familiar now.

"I'm a little surprised to hear this place has an orphanage," He offers tentatively. "Or at least one we're allowed to volunteer in." Things had gotten a bit segregated towards the end, there.

He hummed at the comment. "Personally I'm pretty sure I don't want to go through Keith's anyway. Who knows what's growing in there."

"I was too. But it's ... hard to describe. The kids are safe there. I've never seen anything bad happen to any of them while they're there. Once, one of them got onto the roof. I didn't see what happened, but the next thing I knew, they were safe back on the ground again. You blinked, and they were running around the courtyard like nothing happened."

His jaw works, briefly, at the mention of Keith. Pace quickening. It's getting later, the low grey sky darkening to a winter evening overhead. He'll pretend that's the reason he avoids the comment.

"The locals here are something else," he says instead. "They want to help. They like us, even. I can't believe it, most of the time."

Adam doesn't think anything of the avoided comment. It doesn't even register as an avoidance. Adam still feels the pang of his loss, and Takashi hadn't named him in his list of familiar faces.

Of course he's not yet aware of how much the house echoes these days.

"Hmm. Write be down as suspicious," He squints a little as he observes the people around them, smiling and waving. "Deerington wasn't always as hostile either. If there's one thing I've learned about these places is that they always come with surprises, and it's always a good idea to keep our guard up."

"I know. I remember... it's hard to get used to. But things have already gone sideways here a few times, and they've never been involved."

The river of corpses, the arena, even the painful, wounding loneliness of last month. The locals hadn't been involved at all. If anything they'd been trying to warn the Sleepers of the coming dangers. What were they supposed to do with that kind of consideration?

Speaking of...

"Hang on, I want to make sure we don't get lost." After a beat, he adds: "Don't panic, this might look weird..."

Because a slow curl of mist, pale like snow, curls out from his chest. Settling onto the street in a very familiar form.

Adam has a cynical comment at the ready, but before he can say anything--

Is that a ghost coming out of his chest? That looks like his lion?

He doesn't jerk his hand out of Takashi's, but it's a very near thing. He does jump back a bit, eyes wide and pulse thrumming in his veins.

"Takashi," He licks his lips slowly. "What the whole fuck?"

The lion primly takes a seat, regarding them with a resigned expression. It's eerie, how much it looks like someone else. Shiro just -

Shiro laughs. He has to. He almost doubles over where he stands, leaning his shoulder into Adam's. "I told you not to panic..." Let him catch his breath. "It's - they're called Omens. We all have them, here. They're not all Lions."

Slowly, he recovers his wits, trying to turn serious, despite the amusement in his eyes. "People have been getting lost a lot, lately. She'll help make sure we don't."

"Omens," he repeats slowly. Dubiously.

"I haven't had any ghosts that act like compasses jump out of my chest yet, but I guess the day is young."

Adam eyes the Omen warily. "What does it ... do?"

"I didn't know I had her, either, until she saved my life..."

That humor vanishes. For a whole heartbeat, before the lion steps forward, and firmly butts her head into Shiro's hip. His free hand drops to bury his fingers into her fur.

"They'll fight, they'll guide, take messages to other people. You can even ride them, sometimes - " An indignant, feline snort. " - In very dire circumstances."

He watches them for a moment, tempted to reach out and pet the Omen himself.

Better not.

Adam glances down at his own chest. Taps it.

No smoke.

"How do you turn it on?"

The look on the lion's face is undeniable. Pet her. You are her stupid human's partner, you have rights.

Shiro's smile returns, still warm, fond.

"I... really don't remember summoning her the first time. I wasn't even thinking. We might have to ask someone."

He smirks a bit at the lion and gives her a scritch on the head with his free hand.

"Hmm," Adam pets the lion now, calm. Casual. "You said yours saved your life?"

That big lion head tilts all the way into Adam's hand, appreciative. Butting into his fingers when he seems about to pull away. Even big cats are house cats, deep down.

By contrast, Shiro's shoulders tense. His voice quiet. "It's a long story. I want you to get warm first."

Deflecting, but not forever. When you're safe, we'll talk.

Adam makes a noncommittal sound, nodding. He could let it slide until they were somewhere private. But Takashi had understood him perfectly -- Adam would hear about everything here that hurt his partner. And he would remember.

"We should get moving then. Your guide ghost can lead the way?"

"Yeah. She will."

A nod to the lion, and she turns, smoothly. Padding down the winding streets toward the residential district. For Shiro's part, he loops an arm around Adam's shoulders, to chafe more warmth into him. Just in case.

It won't take long.

The familiar curved lines of Mouse House will appear. Slotted in between other more gothic looking buildings. The watchful eye of the Black Lion perched on the roof.

"Told you it was here."

Adam leans into not just the warmth, but the solid mass of his husband. As he took in the bizarre kindness of the locals it kept him sharp and wary. Otherwise it may have been too tempting to believe that nagging urge planted in his gut to trust this place.

They stopped at the front of the house for a moment, and Takashi hadn't been kidding. It was their old house, brick for brick. On the outside at least.

"What are the odds that my tea stash made it?"

Once they reach the porch, once they're under another lion's gaze, the Omen swirls away, smoke dissipating into where it came. A moment of silence, relishing this moment. Relishing being able to stand here, to look at home with someone he thought he'd lost twice over now.

"It's there," he says, simply. "I kept it... just in case."

His grip tightens. All the warning Adam will get before he's literally swept up off his feet.

Time to carry your husband over the threshold.

He slides Takashi an affectionate smile. "You always do get the tea right."

But before he can say much else he's being literally lifted off his feet. He yelps, clinging to Takashi's neck as they move inside.

"Takashi-- I can walk!"

"One thing, anyway."

It's so quiet, so fond. Just between them. An old private joke, an old promise. He'll finally get to live up to it again.

"You're supposed to carry your spouse over the threshold!"

As he just. Elbows the door open and waltzes in. Into the old familiar entry. The old hall.

Home.

Adam would love to slide in a comment about him not being a bride, but it's not like he could carry Takashi.

He blinks for a minute, taking in the house. He'd just seen it a few hours ago, of course, and it does look a bit ... worn. But it certainly is home.

He presses a quiet kiss to Takashi's temple.

He could deposit him on the couch. Where the remains of September's blanket nest remain. Instead, he passes it by, into their room instead. It's just as they left it, too. A bit more dust - smelling like an abandoned room, instead of somewhere warm.

But the bed's still there. There are still blankets and comfort.

"Here. Clothes are same place as always. I'll be right back."

Not before he steals a kiss of his own.

He doesn't have time for much more than a bemused smile before Takashi's out the door again, so he takes the moment to dress himself. Underwear (thank god), shirts, pants, all right where he left them.

They were a touch musty smelling, owing to the months of disuse. Come to think of it, the bed was in a similar state.

Where had Takashi been sleeping?

By the time he returns Adam is fully dressed, picking a bit at the comforter spread across the bed.

It doesn't take him long. He really had kept as much of the tea as possible, opting for caffeine withdrawl rather than detract from the supply. Just in case. A little bit of hope.

Tea, some leftover noodles from Mako... and the pile of blankets he's amassed on the couch. He has to balance the food container, and juggle the blankets under one arm, but it'll work.

And when he returns, it's with a tired smile. The relief still evident in every feature - as if he'd secretly been worried he'd come back to an empty room.

"Here. Swear I didn't make these - Mako brought them over."

Adam pats the spot beside him on the bed, beckoning Takashi over and reaching out gratefully for the tea and noodles. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until just now. Guess dying and being reincarnated as a squid really took it out of a man.

He leans up against him as he eats contentedly, glad to be surrounded by something familiar.

"Glad to see our friends are keeping you fed."

If Takashi was left to his own devices he might starve.

He sets the blankets down before taking his seat, draping one of them over Adam's shoulders in the process. He really shouldn't be this concerned. Time apart just made it easier to want to fuss, he supposes.

"Mako... was really concerned," he admits, folding his legs under him as he sits. "He came by a few times, after we all woke up."

Concerned because Shiro had, for all intents and purposes, been alone in this house. Been missing so many people.

"The orphanage will feed you, too, on your shifts. I was... I got by just fine."

Fine was a favorite phrase of his, Adam knew. He didn't believe it for a second.

"Well, I'm here now. I'm no fantastic chef, but I can use our likely neglected kitchen at least."

He holds up some of the noodles to Takashi's mouth, demanding he eat some. He wasn't the only person in the room that needed to fuss over their partner.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I THOUGHT I HIT ENTER AN HOUR AGO

OOPS

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject