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31_days2009-12-18 11:00 am
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2009-12-18 11:00 am
[Dec. 18] [Suikoden III] The First Five Times Sasarai and Stephen Said Goodbye
Title: The First Five Times Sasarai and Stephen Said Goodbye
Day/Theme: Dec. 18, 2009 "a long farewell and a time to choose"
Series: Suikoden III
Character/Pairing: Sasarai & Stephen
Rating: G
They had not been introduced, but their eyes had met. Sasarai had seen a lot of beggars in his life, but never one with eyes like those. He thought immediately of a classical painting hanging in the library: St. Stephen gazing out at the viewer in a sad and serious display. This man was noble. When he was forced to tear his eyes away by Hikami's sharp remarks, he said a goodbye in his heart that he hoped would not last long. If he could, he would meet this man- this Stephen- again. "Stephen" had seen Sasarai go by this way many times before, but he had no expectations that the next time would be any different.
The second goodbye was the rosiest, colored by Sasarai's recommendation that had found Stephen a place at the St. Faldor School of Theology. On the steps of the school, Stephen shrunk away away in embarrassment, his pale face reddened by the unexpected wealth of kindness he had just received from a stranger. Sasarai held both his hands, preventing him from fading away into the corners of the seminary to recover his equilibrium in the face of this sudden twist of fate. "I have to leave you now, but I hope you'll be alright here. I hope you'll be happy."
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't know what to say."
"That's all okay. I know it must feel really strange."
"Goodbye then, Sasarai. I'll be doing my best from now on to make it up to you."
Sasarai didn't tell him that was unnecessary, although it might seem excessive. "Goodbye, Stephen," he squeezed his hands. Perhaps he made a mistake in not saying so, but he would not second guess himself until it was too late.
Stephen's funds were limited and he had made due with borrowed space in the communal kitchen to indulge in his hobby, but Sasarai was still impressed with the fancy boxed lunch he had made him. Stephen had a masterful hand with a knife. He had cut up carrots into all manner of flowers, recognizable as everything from daisies to sweet peas. He hadn't eaten anything himself, but Sasarai didn't ask about it. It wasn't until later that he wondered if Stephen was giving up his portion to him. It was neither the first nor the last time he would think about something too late in regard to Stephen.
"Maybe I pushed you in the wrong direction- you'd be a wonderful chef," Sasarai laughed as they parted in the courtyard.
"You were only using the connections you had," Stephen reminded him. He might be a better chef than priest, but he was still going to put his all into following the path newly laid out before him. It was a gift he would not dare to turn down. "I love to cook. I'd make lunch for you anytime."
"Now look who's being too good to me!"
"You're much too modest if you think you're the one who's been over-favored in this exchange. Sasarai, if you're going to be that foolish, you'd best get going now." It seemed their partings were always destined to wind up overlong.
"I'll go, I'll go," he began to step away, moving backwards from the scene with a look of barely contained hysteria on his smugly friendly face. It was taking every ounce of resolve he had in him not to dissolve into a frenzy of unbridled laughter. Fortunately, the urge to laugh subsided the further he moved from Stephen and his sweetly perplexed face.
There was something Stephen wasn't telling him about life at the seminary, but just the knowledge that a problem existed wasn't enough to make him decide to pry or interfere- at least not unless Stephen specifically asked him to. "You know, if you ever have a problem you think I can help you with, don't hesitate to talk to me about it."
"As always, you're much too kind. Things may not be perfect for me, but when is life ever perfect and easy for anyone? Compared to my situation before coming here, this is nothing I can't handle." Stephen cast his eyes down to his straw sandals. Was it shame or modesty that turned away his gaze?
"Then I guess that's that. You're wonderfully optimistic, Stephen. I hope you never have to face a problem you can't handle."
"Listen to those wishes of yours! Now who's an optimist?"
"I'm going to come by and see you again on the weekend if you don't mind. It's far too sad to imagine you all by yourself on the holiday."
"Certainly! Come by. I'll welcome it."
It was a relationship that would be just as defined by its goodbyes as its hellos.
"I was glad to see that spending the day with me didn't mean leaving Nika alone by herself. I have to admit I was sort of concerned for her," Stephen said, strolling along with Sasarai out on the dark street. Nika had run ahead to see if she could find someone willing to lend a few drops of oil to refill their lantern.
"You don't trust me one bit, do you?"
Stephen's hazel eyes glinted in the dark. "Well, it's not as entirely bad as all that. I do trust you to walk yourself and your young lady friend the rest of the way home safely."
As he had from the moment they'd met, Sasarai could see the center of Stephen's soul was in his eyes.
Day/Theme: Dec. 18, 2009 "a long farewell and a time to choose"
Series: Suikoden III
Character/Pairing: Sasarai & Stephen
Rating: G
They had not been introduced, but their eyes had met. Sasarai had seen a lot of beggars in his life, but never one with eyes like those. He thought immediately of a classical painting hanging in the library: St. Stephen gazing out at the viewer in a sad and serious display. This man was noble. When he was forced to tear his eyes away by Hikami's sharp remarks, he said a goodbye in his heart that he hoped would not last long. If he could, he would meet this man- this Stephen- again. "Stephen" had seen Sasarai go by this way many times before, but he had no expectations that the next time would be any different.
The second goodbye was the rosiest, colored by Sasarai's recommendation that had found Stephen a place at the St. Faldor School of Theology. On the steps of the school, Stephen shrunk away away in embarrassment, his pale face reddened by the unexpected wealth of kindness he had just received from a stranger. Sasarai held both his hands, preventing him from fading away into the corners of the seminary to recover his equilibrium in the face of this sudden twist of fate. "I have to leave you now, but I hope you'll be alright here. I hope you'll be happy."
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't know what to say."
"That's all okay. I know it must feel really strange."
"Goodbye then, Sasarai. I'll be doing my best from now on to make it up to you."
Sasarai didn't tell him that was unnecessary, although it might seem excessive. "Goodbye, Stephen," he squeezed his hands. Perhaps he made a mistake in not saying so, but he would not second guess himself until it was too late.
Stephen's funds were limited and he had made due with borrowed space in the communal kitchen to indulge in his hobby, but Sasarai was still impressed with the fancy boxed lunch he had made him. Stephen had a masterful hand with a knife. He had cut up carrots into all manner of flowers, recognizable as everything from daisies to sweet peas. He hadn't eaten anything himself, but Sasarai didn't ask about it. It wasn't until later that he wondered if Stephen was giving up his portion to him. It was neither the first nor the last time he would think about something too late in regard to Stephen.
"Maybe I pushed you in the wrong direction- you'd be a wonderful chef," Sasarai laughed as they parted in the courtyard.
"You were only using the connections you had," Stephen reminded him. He might be a better chef than priest, but he was still going to put his all into following the path newly laid out before him. It was a gift he would not dare to turn down. "I love to cook. I'd make lunch for you anytime."
"Now look who's being too good to me!"
"You're much too modest if you think you're the one who's been over-favored in this exchange. Sasarai, if you're going to be that foolish, you'd best get going now." It seemed their partings were always destined to wind up overlong.
"I'll go, I'll go," he began to step away, moving backwards from the scene with a look of barely contained hysteria on his smugly friendly face. It was taking every ounce of resolve he had in him not to dissolve into a frenzy of unbridled laughter. Fortunately, the urge to laugh subsided the further he moved from Stephen and his sweetly perplexed face.
There was something Stephen wasn't telling him about life at the seminary, but just the knowledge that a problem existed wasn't enough to make him decide to pry or interfere- at least not unless Stephen specifically asked him to. "You know, if you ever have a problem you think I can help you with, don't hesitate to talk to me about it."
"As always, you're much too kind. Things may not be perfect for me, but when is life ever perfect and easy for anyone? Compared to my situation before coming here, this is nothing I can't handle." Stephen cast his eyes down to his straw sandals. Was it shame or modesty that turned away his gaze?
"Then I guess that's that. You're wonderfully optimistic, Stephen. I hope you never have to face a problem you can't handle."
"Listen to those wishes of yours! Now who's an optimist?"
"I'm going to come by and see you again on the weekend if you don't mind. It's far too sad to imagine you all by yourself on the holiday."
"Certainly! Come by. I'll welcome it."
It was a relationship that would be just as defined by its goodbyes as its hellos.
"I was glad to see that spending the day with me didn't mean leaving Nika alone by herself. I have to admit I was sort of concerned for her," Stephen said, strolling along with Sasarai out on the dark street. Nika had run ahead to see if she could find someone willing to lend a few drops of oil to refill their lantern.
"You don't trust me one bit, do you?"
Stephen's hazel eyes glinted in the dark. "Well, it's not as entirely bad as all that. I do trust you to walk yourself and your young lady friend the rest of the way home safely."
As he had from the moment they'd met, Sasarai could see the center of Stephen's soul was in his eyes.