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31_days2012-04-09 01:29 pm
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2012-04-09 01:29 pm
[April 9] [Breath of Fire IV] Urchins' Banquet
Title: Urchins' Banquet
Day/Theme: April 9, 2012 "Language cannot do everything"
Series: Breath of Fire IV
Character/Pairing: Scias
Rating: PG
Author's comment: Continued from April 6th's "Food is a Wealth Worth Sharing"
In a fancier establishment, such an invitation would be frowned upon, if not outright grounds for him and all six of the children to be immediately thrown out, but in a greasy joint off the Avenue of the Emperor's Dogs, it didn't matter who you were or who you brought in as long as you were paying.
There weren't chairs enough at his too-large for one person table, but two of the smaller ones could share a seat and another, a tiny girl with dark-tipped vulpine ears, could perch on his lap. They dug in at his terse urging, muttering thank yous around mouthfuls and picking up even rice with their dirty fingers, eating as quickly as they could manage, as if they feared that in any moment of hesitation their banquet could be whisked away.
"You sh-shouldn't fear any," he told them, sipping his sake. "I'll st-st-stay 'til everyone's s-sated." He had nowhere in particular to get to. With a bottle to keep him warm, he saw no reason he couldn't stay in Jaeya's restaurant all night if only the place would remain open that long. Even while existing in a marginally less pitiful state than he had while living as a sellsword, he still didn't have anywhere worth going home to when dark fell. He rented a bed by the night, in a hall with a dozen other men. It didn't mean anything but a place to leave behind a heavy body as he slept. His dreams did not always improve upon his reality, but he had no alternative but to sleep sometime. Even a chance was worth it.
"Are you sad, big brother?" the grassrunner girl patted his soft hand with her oily fingers.
"Just lonely."
"Even when all of us are with you?" she licked her lips, capturing several loose drips of sweet sauce. "That's funny. I never pictured with money and food and people all 'round you that anyone could be lonely."
He had words this time, he thought, to explain what he was feeling, but knowing how inevitably he'd botch them made him more reluctant to speak up anyway. There was a huge smudge of charcoal and salt on the oldest boy's cheek. He sniffed at the bottle of sake and made a face that reminded Scias of Ryu and all his honest and open reactions. Ryu would have understood how he felt without any need for words to be exchanged. It was a good way of being. "Of-often I feel loneli-liest when I'm n-not alone."
The children had nearly cleared the table with their saucer eyes and gaping mouths and searching, sneaking, scooping little fingers. Were all children always this hungry? Scias had never paid much heed to children since he had been one. And hard times led to dying or growing up fast. It felt as if what childhood he'd had was very long ago. He'd had no sisters or brothers. He spent his money on drinks, not women. He'd never given a second of thought toward children. Were the six gathered around him orphans of the war or emperor's madness or did they merely have no parents sufficient to feed them?
"I'm still hungry, big brother," the girl said, tugging on his floppy sleeve, leaving fingerprint-sized stains of grease on the olive green fabric.
Then again, what difference did it make if he had money and they were going hungry? "J-Jaeya," he called again, "W-waiter?" Either option would do. As long as he set enough zenny aside for the rest of the week's lodging and a crust of bread, he might as well spend the remnants on them. He would be paid again next week. He had all the blades he needed, good ones too, and he was rarely called for hunting or fighting these days. Certainly it was one of his chief pleasures, but money spent on drink still felt (not that day, certainly, but the day after) wasted. Even if the children forgot his kindness and the fullness straining their stomachs just as fast, at least he would remember. Gods couldn't be called anymore, but might not a beautiful princess who'd been goddess on earth yet look down favorably upon him? ...Or were her eyes on the other side, once so altruistic, given now to gazing down only on Cray?
Jaeya came and Scias, who'd already ordered too much, ordered more.
The coals were already hot and the fish roasted fast.
[to be concluded on April 14th :D]
Day/Theme: April 9, 2012 "Language cannot do everything"
Series: Breath of Fire IV
Character/Pairing: Scias
Rating: PG
Author's comment: Continued from April 6th's "Food is a Wealth Worth Sharing"
In a fancier establishment, such an invitation would be frowned upon, if not outright grounds for him and all six of the children to be immediately thrown out, but in a greasy joint off the Avenue of the Emperor's Dogs, it didn't matter who you were or who you brought in as long as you were paying.
There weren't chairs enough at his too-large for one person table, but two of the smaller ones could share a seat and another, a tiny girl with dark-tipped vulpine ears, could perch on his lap. They dug in at his terse urging, muttering thank yous around mouthfuls and picking up even rice with their dirty fingers, eating as quickly as they could manage, as if they feared that in any moment of hesitation their banquet could be whisked away.
"You sh-shouldn't fear any," he told them, sipping his sake. "I'll st-st-stay 'til everyone's s-sated." He had nowhere in particular to get to. With a bottle to keep him warm, he saw no reason he couldn't stay in Jaeya's restaurant all night if only the place would remain open that long. Even while existing in a marginally less pitiful state than he had while living as a sellsword, he still didn't have anywhere worth going home to when dark fell. He rented a bed by the night, in a hall with a dozen other men. It didn't mean anything but a place to leave behind a heavy body as he slept. His dreams did not always improve upon his reality, but he had no alternative but to sleep sometime. Even a chance was worth it.
"Are you sad, big brother?" the grassrunner girl patted his soft hand with her oily fingers.
"Just lonely."
"Even when all of us are with you?" she licked her lips, capturing several loose drips of sweet sauce. "That's funny. I never pictured with money and food and people all 'round you that anyone could be lonely."
He had words this time, he thought, to explain what he was feeling, but knowing how inevitably he'd botch them made him more reluctant to speak up anyway. There was a huge smudge of charcoal and salt on the oldest boy's cheek. He sniffed at the bottle of sake and made a face that reminded Scias of Ryu and all his honest and open reactions. Ryu would have understood how he felt without any need for words to be exchanged. It was a good way of being. "Of-often I feel loneli-liest when I'm n-not alone."
The children had nearly cleared the table with their saucer eyes and gaping mouths and searching, sneaking, scooping little fingers. Were all children always this hungry? Scias had never paid much heed to children since he had been one. And hard times led to dying or growing up fast. It felt as if what childhood he'd had was very long ago. He'd had no sisters or brothers. He spent his money on drinks, not women. He'd never given a second of thought toward children. Were the six gathered around him orphans of the war or emperor's madness or did they merely have no parents sufficient to feed them?
"I'm still hungry, big brother," the girl said, tugging on his floppy sleeve, leaving fingerprint-sized stains of grease on the olive green fabric.
Then again, what difference did it make if he had money and they were going hungry? "J-Jaeya," he called again, "W-waiter?" Either option would do. As long as he set enough zenny aside for the rest of the week's lodging and a crust of bread, he might as well spend the remnants on them. He would be paid again next week. He had all the blades he needed, good ones too, and he was rarely called for hunting or fighting these days. Certainly it was one of his chief pleasures, but money spent on drink still felt (not that day, certainly, but the day after) wasted. Even if the children forgot his kindness and the fullness straining their stomachs just as fast, at least he would remember. Gods couldn't be called anymore, but might not a beautiful princess who'd been goddess on earth yet look down favorably upon him? ...Or were her eyes on the other side, once so altruistic, given now to gazing down only on Cray?
Jaeya came and Scias, who'd already ordered too much, ordered more.
The coals were already hot and the fish roasted fast.
[to be concluded on April 14th :D]