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

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.

"I'll let Mako know he doesn't have to make noodle runs for a while."

Too bad, the spicy mushroom sauce was really good. By the same token, it'd be for a good reason, rather than Shiro shaking off the young man's help. Which just reminds him... they need to tell their friends. Especially Will -

There are. Noodles.

In his face.

Naturally he just eats them, without even thinking about it.

Adam nods approvingly and goes back to eating.

"So he makes regular stops by?" Adam contemplates this as he chews. That meant there probably wasn't a lot by way of groceries around. Adam would have to find out what the food situation was like around here and stock up a few staples.

"Who else is here at the house?" He'd need to keep numbers in mind while doing his food calculations.

"That was low," he mutters, but doesn't otherwise protest. He was just praising the mushroom sauce, after all.

A nod. "He does, or I stop at his and Wu's place - they have a club now, by the way. The 'Racoon Room'."

As for who else was here... he exhales. "Well, there's the cat." His literal cat. Who has made himself temporarily scarce for the time being. "Lance and Hunk were for a little while... Now they're in and out. Vyng and his crew for a bit, too."

But for the most part - Shiro. A cat. And a ghostly lion omen.

Vyng had been looking after Takashi too, then. He owed the man a very sincere thank you.

Because Adam could read between those familiar lines. He used his free hand to grab Takashi's and squeeze. I'm not going anywhere.

"Sounds like the cat's going to have to adjust to me being around then."

His grip tightens too. It tightens as much as he's sure it can, safely, manage. He remembers it, now. Clearer than before. Sitting on the shore, the literal loneliness ripping his scars back open again. It's better now, isn't it?

They made it.

"Got used to you once. As... long as this is the last time he has to, I think he'll be okay."

He puts the noodles aside, tugging Takashi by the hand, guiding them both to lay down together in bed. They're on top of the sheets, and Adam shifts to his side so he can scoot in closer.

"I'm not going anywhere."

It doesn't take much. It never does. The slightest pull and he's moved, whether it's pushed, or pulled. He'll go. The only resistance is a moment of hesitation, to grab one of the quilts he'd brought.

Pull it over the both of them.

"I thought..." The words don't even come out. They don't want to. He thought those moments in the greenhouse had been it. One last grasp of something better, something that finally seemed to work, before the nightmare ended. "I waited. Joined the Wakers on the shore so I wouldn't miss..."

Anyone.

You.

"It felt like I walked away again."

He slides an arm across Takashi's chest, tangling their legs under the blanket.

"You didn't. Even if I never came back, it wouldn't have been your fault."

He presses a light kiss to his temple.

"Stop taking the world's burdens on your shoulders, Takashi. You aren't responsible for the hell that place brought."

It still fits. They still fit. He doesn't know why he would have expected any different. Why things would have changed in just a few months. Has it really been just a few months? It feels like far longer.

You aren't responsible for the hell that place brought

He doesn't want to admit how much he wants to believe that. How much he desperately wants to cling to those words and hold them up against the barrage of disquiet in his chest. Instead, he just holds on, tightly.

"Thank you," is all he can manage to say. "I - missed this."

It's not an acknowledgement that this isn't his fault. Adam knows he still blames himself. But at least he knows Adam doesn't think he should. He believes him when he says he doesn't hold him responsible.

It's progress.

Adam gives him a squeeze, relaxing in the safety of how well they fit together.

"I'm so glad we both made it here. Together. I told you I was more stubborn than that place."

No, it's not. He does want to believe it. Wants to believe Adam and Will and anyone else who's ever tried to reassure him otherwise. But as much as he tries, he still sees the hole open in front of the hospital, still sees the ghosts of everyone he'd lost.

At this point, he's not sure what it's going to take to chase the thoughts permanently out of his head.

"More stubborn than a lot of things." It's said fondly. Some of the tension starting to ease out of him. Focusing on something else. "You'll hate the name. 'Trench'."

Adam wrinkles his nose. "Trench? This place is called Trench? It sounds like where you dump sewage on ground missions."

There were many, many reasons why Adam was in the R&D branch of the Garrison. A foot soldiers life was a bit too... earthy for his tastes.

And Shiro laughs - briefly, gently. "I told you you'd hate it."

It feels good to be here. To be talking like this. Like there's no grand fate or massive research undertaking at stake.

"The locals... they like us here. They know what we are, but still. They like us. They want us here, and they'll actually help however they can."

Adam makes a noncommittal hum.

"They definitely seem more friendly, but they could also be waiting for something. For all we know they're just glad we're here so they can sacrifice us to-- I don't know, a giant deer God or something."

"A giant deer god."

The deadpan repetition is incredibly skeptical. Partly because the deer had always been a good sign. A good omen.

"You know, I haven't actually seen any deer since we got here..."

"Or whatever shifty animals they have here. You know there has to be a cursed something."

He absolutely does not give a self assured sniff to match his tone. Because he's an adult.

"Plenty of squids, though."

"Just the squids, and they usually turn out all right."

Isn't he funny?

He exhales, slowly. Sometimes the Ravens seemed to be smarter than the average crow, but what does he know about birds?

"We haven't been attacked yet. Not like in Deerington."

"But you've been injured."

It wasn't a question.

"Fern mentioned some people had been beaten up since arriving here.. If you aren't being attacked, how?"

The fact it takes him some time to answer probably tells Adam more than any actual words could. He thinks - skimming over the memory of the Arena as much as possible without delving too deeply into it.

"It happened last month," he says, finally. Averting his eyes. "I don't know why, or how, but - I felt useless." His voice actually stumbles, hitches, on that last word.

"Vyng says he found me on the beach. Cut up. But I don't remember going there. Or being attacked."

Adam makes a note to speak with Vyng. And bring him a thank you basket.

He holds Takashi as he speaks, moving his hands across his back in slow, reassuring circles. I'm here.

"So nothing attacked you that you can remember. Just ... old wounds reopened? Perhaps both physically and symbolically then."

"I don't know. Maybe."

He really has no idea. Nothing about that incident made sense. Vyng kept talking about a "Deadly-Do-Wright" but, honestly, Shiro couldn't tell anyone what that meant, in retrospect.

"We haven't been attacked. But things... keep happening. You'll turn up somewhere you didn't mean to be. You never tried to be." You never wanted to be...

Adam's brow furrows.

"Like those kids from the orphanage you mentioned? Going onto the roof and just appearing inside again?"

Was this place putting them in specific places for a reason? Or just a kid with an ant farm, experimenting?

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject