#it was really just sorey going this is my goodbye ! and mikleo is like well okay :( | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

applegelstore · 7 years

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@neodiji tagged me (actually with the main account, but since I’ll be talking about games of course, let’s post this on the JRPG blog)

RULES: Choose any three fandoms (in random order) and answer the questions. Then tag some friends.

Fandoms:

 I told Neodiji that I could talk for days about any Tales/Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts game that I’ve ever played, and some other things are almost as bad, but we settled for this setup, so get a seat and grab popcorn while I talk about JRPGs.

We’re gonna roll with: Tales of Zestiria Kindgom Hearts The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (because I think this game deserves much more love than it gets. We all love Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild, but I sometimes think Wind Waker and Minish Cap are underrated :,))

In case you’re curious, I’m still open for this (and also THIS MEME) for basically any JRPG I’ve ever played, so feel free to drop asks! Okay, let’s get on with this. Actual Meme is under cut for length!

The first character you loved:

TOZ:

LAILAH 

Probably because I just saw her pretty dress and immediately recognized her as a mage type character, and I like the mage types. Obviously, I didn’t try to draw that damned dress at first.

KH: 

It is a fucking Disney/Final Fantasy crossover, I was biased for the entire supporting crew from the start

WW:

MAKAR

I’m so glad the koroks have returned in Breath of the Wild, they’re very neat

The character you never expected to love so much: TOZ:

PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE 

I mean, I was excited to learn more about them and stuff when the characters were announced, but like, nothing prepared me for how amazing this bunch of nerds is. Rose is not a nerd but still amazing. Every single one of them surprised me in some pleasant way or the other, so they all count, I guess.

KH:

Sora is my spirit animal, except he’s an extrovert. Anyway, I didn’t expect that (did I mention I usually dislike JRPG protagonists? Here, have another example of an exception). Also Kingdom Hearts Squall, whom I like a hundred billion times better than his original game self. Although that’s not particularly difficult.

WW:

Link, in every single Zelda game actually. Because I strongly dislike silent protagonists. But he’s so smol and helpless and confused, help him

The character you relate to the most: TOZ:

LAILAH 

I mean I also want to adopt all the kids , also everybody and their dogs ship Sormik, so I totally see her point there

That bit being said, I guess I share a few things with Sorey actually, namely:

-doesn’t know how to human 

-can’t hide feelings to save a life 

-genuinely convinced that icecream is a proper meal 

-excitable squirrel and will fangirl to the moon and back 

-frequently gushes how amazing their best friend is 

-feathers 

-overthinks way too much

-the one person you have to explain sex jokes to (although I’ve become infinitely more perceptive ever since my best friend is my best friend and since I got to know my singing teacher, and I blame her that I ever only get the dirty musical jokes and no others)

-just wants peace and kittens and rainbows

I also used to be the moodmaker in my friend group. Plus I more or less successfully taught myself some Irish in school and have been fascinated with ancient and medieval history and more importantly, myth and legend, so I guess my school days self would have gotten along with him very well. Nowadays it’s pretty much gone and I feel and act more like an Edna, though, snarking and dealing out deathglares.

 Anyway, the main difference between me and Sorey is probably that I don’t bang my best friend. Okay, actually the main difference is that I’m as introvert as you can get, and a troubled bundle of nerves 24/7. I still don’t bang my best friend, though.

KH: 

Sora in Pridelands: we can be the new kings :DDDDDDDD 

Everyone else: SORA NO 

Me: SORA YES

Sora in Port Royal: I wanna be a pirate, too :DDDDDDDDDDDD

Everyone else: SORA NO 

Me: SORA YES

See a pattern?

WW: 

Still Link, I’m also constantly unable to function and I just wanna release wordless screams into the abyss as I fall into it. Anyway I wish the NPCs could stop hitting on him in every single game for like, 5 minutes, it’s disturbing

The character you’d slap: TOZ:

Sorey whenever he’s mean to Mikleo, but most of the time he’s really sweet, so I guess I’ll let it slide and punch Symonne instead BECAUSE YES PLEASE LET ME BURN HER DOWN TO A PILE OF ASHES

KH:

I’ve already got the chance to punch Xemnas, it was very satisfying

WW:

(every Zelda game ever) ALL THE OCTOROKS

Three favourite characters (these are in order of preference): TOZ:

Edna, Mikleo, Rose or Lailah (send help) (but honestly, I love the entire playable party so, so much, and Sorey is hands down one of my favourite JRPG protagonists; although that is not particularly difficult because I have an annoying tendency to dislike the heroes and heroines in these)

KH: 

Sora, Riku, Axel or Demyx (you said 4, didn’t you? Clearly you said 4, see, I just always give you 4, please don’t punch me)

WW: 

Makar, Medli, Link

A character you liked at first but don’t anymore: TOZ:

They’re still my babies, all of them

KH:

Don’t think that happened

WW:

same, that’s a fruitless question for me in most cases

A character you did not like at first, but they’ve grown on you:

TOZ: 

I had a rough start with Rose because genki girls can be quite annoying, but she had won me over quickly after joining the party, and now I adore her. Go forth and kill, my child. I love Rose and I want her to get a fucking shepherd’s cloak, goddammit

KH:

Saix is an asshole but for some reason I can’t bring myself to hate him.

WW:

again, no changes I can think of

3 OTPs:

TOZ:

Have I mentioned that Sormik embody all the relationship goals I ever had, and happen to hit pretty much all the romance tropes I love? Have I? HAVE I??? I want to give them my blessing and oversee their wedding vows. I swear somebody must have invaded my mind before writing this game because they wanted to know for sure what would make me week in the knees. I swear I said goodbye to my heart halfway through the game. I generally suspect that somebody in the writing department must have been spying on me because the game in general uses a bit too many of my favourite tropes to not have done this on purpose. 

Other than that, I non-romantically ship the entire party because they’re one wonderful slightly dysfunctional family and they make me cry. They’re basically bestest friends on a classtrip with romantic lighting. In case you haven’t gathered that yet because I totally don’t mention that daily, Rose and Sorey are my brotp and I live for platonic male/female relationships because there are too many people out there and too many instances in media that don’t recognize that boys and girls can be really, really good friends without being romantically or sexually involved. Like, wow. WHAT A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.

Can’t really choose a third one, but I do enjoy romantic Rosali (though not as much as Sormik because they don’t hit the right tropes, and because they don’t have much time for proper development; but I’ll never say no to an arguably canon lesbian couple), and other platonic relationships within the party are also wonderful and good and great and please more. Daddy Dezel and Rose, Edna and Lailah, Edna and Zaveid, Edna and Meebo, Zaveid and basically everyone, Sorey and Sergei, you name it. All is good and fine.

Clearly you meant to say like 9 OTPs

KH:

I see where the Sora/Riku comes from. Damn, do I see where it comes from (KH II, D3, I’m looking at you). I don’t mind Kairi in the mix, though. I’ll just accept whatever Squeenix comes up with, yo. Terra/Aqua/Ventus are a fine platonic brotp.

WW:

Is like, really not a shippy game. I mean, all the protagonists are kids. Yes, I know that also applies to KH, but it’s not that bad.

Not tagging because I very often don’t tag, but feel free to do this and have fun and force your friends to join you ;)

#Tales of Zestiria #Kingdom Hearts #The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

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childesballs · 7 years

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Rosewood Anemones Chapter 2

Word Count: 2560

Notes: Sadly, this may be the last chapter for a while because life.

Ao3 Link

Flipping through every pocket of his satchel, triple checking that he had everything, Sorey finally turned to Alisha poised behind the oak desk.

“You really don’t mind running things solo?” He asked.

“Not at all. Besides, you’re going for a business meeting. Not a date.” She smiled.

“Oh man. Rose’s got you on that too?” Sorey’s shoulders slumped along with his head. Alisha giggling behind her hand only worsened his slump.

“I know. He’s just a customer, but you never know where things will go.”

Finally righting himself, he once again checked his bag. He’d done countless meetings like this yet he somehow always forgot something. One last glance around the shop, and he said his goodbyes and made his way outside.

He lazily spun as he walked, enjoying the warm sunlight from a cloudless sky. Excitement ran through him. Work had kept him from leisurely strolling through the trees Elysia was built around. Never did a day pass where he didn’t marvel at how Elysia had started as a mountain top town and spread into the forest, yet hardly removed a tree. In his twenty three years, he’d never seen one removed, only continual building around them.

Opposite the tree line gave way to the original Elysia, and there sat mostly homes of the elders, but between them, next to a shallow natural pond, was a larger hut that had been renovated into a library.

Sorey crossed through the doorway as easily as he would his own home. Natalie, the librarian and owner of the building since pre-renovation, greeted him as usual, and questioned what reading he’d be hunting down. His head shake earned a questioning hum and a head tilt. He glanced around the tables on other side of her desk. He earned an understanding hum once she followed his eyes to a head of silver.

With only an exchange of knowing glances, he left Natalie to her business. As relaxed as usual, Sorey pulled out the chair across from Mikleo and sat down like he would for any other meeting. Everything was second nature at this point, save for the oddly heavy beating of his heart. He brushed it aside as just a result of finding this particular customer attractive, but Sorey had never been the type to go after someone on looks alone.

“Good morning.” Mikleo had closed his book and looked up with a warm smile all in one motion.

“Morning.” Sorey replied before digging through his bag for both a notebook and a smaller sketchbook than his usual. As he set things on the table, he noticed the stack of books beside Mikleo.

“Age of Darkness, huh?”

“It’s really fascinating to see how humanity shifted from coexisting seamlessly to all these divides appearing seemingly out of nowhere.”

“I always get goosebumps reading about things that happened.” Sorey shivered at the thoughts alone.

“I get that. Bad times all around, but the art that was produced is still stunning.” Mikleo shifted backwards into his chair, arms coming to rest on the table.

“Craft workers had a huge movement too. That’s actually where a lot of coffin making techniques still used today originate.” Sorey hadn’t thought until the words left his mouth. Part of him expected Mikleo to shrink back, even though that’s what they were here to talk about.

“To last that long, those must be seriously solid techniques.” Mikleo held a hand to his chin, talking more to himself than Sorey.

“With how rampant diseases were, craftsmen had to find quick and cheap methods they could reproduce easily. Designs became simple and less meaningful, more focused on a solid structure, but the general population preferred it.”

“Makes sense. Why get all detailed with something that gets buried?”

“It’s why I couldn’t specialize in them; it may be an outdated belief, but I still think that both what someone is buried in and with affects their afterlife.”

“Definitely outdated. Old and uncool,” Mikleo smirked “but it’s why I came to you.” His head lowered, eyes falling with it. “So… how do we start this? Can’t say I’ve ever ordered something like this before.” He stammered.

“Well, we got Rosewood being your preference, so next would be figuring out design elements, and anything symbolic you want to include.”

“There’s so many styles though… of course I love Avarost and the like used in the Lefay Shrine…” Mikleo’s ramblings went on nearly non-stop, Sorey nodding and humming as he took notes and narrowed down the specifics of what he liked, all to keep him talking so Sorey could eventually find the patterns that Mikleo likely wasn’t aware of.

All of Sorey’s years doing custom work and he’d learned that people always had penchants and patterns in what they liked, yet most people never noticed. So he’d do this; get them just talking and extrapolate those patterns. As Sorey flipped a page, Mikleo stopped abruptly.

“You… You’ve been taking that many notes?”

“Sorry. Should I have asked first?”

“No, it’s fine. I’m just… not used to people following along… with everything.” His stunned eyes fell onto Sorey’s notebook, catching all the margin notes. Sorey scribbled a few last notes before pulling over his sketchbook. He went into his bag, looking for one thing that was not there. He had checked his bag three times, and what had he forgotten? A ruler. His audible groan met a raised eyebrow. He hesitated to admit the situation. He’d have accepted the blush spreading over his cheeks as his only response, but then Mikleo laughed, and Sorey’s earrings clinked as he snapped around with an irritated groan.

Before Sorey could say a word, a gold accented green ruler was being offered to him.

“I’m not an artist, but I’ve grown used to carrying the oddest things around for people.” Mikleo explain as he released the ruler into Sorey’s grasp.

Sorey knew he would zone out if he let himself focus solely on sketching, so he started rambling his thought process. He glanced up occasionally to make sure he hadn’t lost Mikleo, who held his chin the entire time. Violet eyes followed each line Sorey made; every so often his head would lift for a question or comment, but he mostly remained silent.

Sorey had lost track of time when he sat back, pencil rolling across the table. Spanning numerous pages were drawings small and large of coffin after coffin from every angle, and all sorts of design possibilities. Mikleo spent some minutes examining each one, picking and pulling what he liked from each one, ultimately ending in Sorey offering to spend a day or two creating more detailed sketches and pulling everything together.

With that conversation at a close, they slid out of their seats, Mikleo re-shelving the books he’d taken, before they exited the building. Passing through the doorway, Sorey turned towards Mikleo.

“I was gonna get lunch at Mason’s, if you want to join.” Sorey’s nervousness showed.

“Ah, sorry. I’ve got plans with my sister.”

“Nothing to apologize for. But um… if you wanted to swing by the shop for progress updates.” Sorey rubbed his neck.

“I’ll think about it.” Mikleo said coldly as he retrieved his phone and fingers danced over the keyboard. Sorey shrank back, feeling he’d crossed a boundary. The only words left between them was a single question of if Sorey needed anything else for the project. He shook his head and received a stiff ‘goodbye’ before Mikleo took his leave.

Sorey sighed before heading back down the hill, checking his messages from Alisha that she’d closed up the shop and gone out to lunch. Part of him wanted to keep rambling about historical ages and everything that went with them, while his artist side itched to carve a relief of nothing but Temperance of Avarost designs.

Throughout the whole walk back to his shop, Sorey’s hands stayed behind his head as he contemplated what designs he wanted to work with for the coffin. He’d have to dig out his book on the Lefay shrine. Or maybe he’d do an entire portrait of that shrine before ever touching the coffin. He tussled his hair; he had too many ideas and he couldn’t pick even two or three.

Loud groaning vibrating against his closed lips, he unlocked the shop and pushed through with his shoulder. Crossing the sunlit room, he passed into the back room after tossing his bag under the desk. Flipping a couple switches brought soft light to the entire shop.

The backroom hadn’t been given near the care of the front. Originally, it was nothing more than storage. Sorey had gone through the trouble of tearing up carpeted floors in favor of tile. Though he’d never done anything about the stark white walls, over time he had covered them with various history posters and his own art inspirations. He’d gotten a large cube table that sat centered and acted as his main work area. Dotted around the room were various bits of wood, paint, and unorthodox carving tools. A back closet kept his table top lathe until he needed it.

He shuffled over to the cabinets that he’d installed himself specifically for food and drink storage. The amount of times he’d spent an entire night in this room were uncountable. Despite his large tea stash, nothing jumped out, so he blindly grabbed. Taking the tea pot from the sink below, he filled it and then set it on a heat element that most certainly wasn’t made for boiling water, but it worked just as well.

While he waited, he moved to a stack of books sitting on a corner of the table. None of them the one he wanted, but he pulled out one on the Age of Darkness and the Age of Calamity. Crude, rough, scratchy designs sprang up from those eras, yet they oddly mixed with the smooth and flowy designs of the Temperance of Avarost.

Allowing himself just a few loose sketches was enough for the water to boil. His mind still buzzed with the things he’d come up with; papers with notes and doodles and everything that was the visual of his creative process sprawled across the table.

“Sorey?” A voice said. He hadn’t heard the bells.

“Back here.” He hollered before making a mental note to check the bells later.

“I shouldn’t be surprised— oh what’s this?” Alisha paused as her eyes traveled around the table.

“Huh? What is it?” Sorey cocked his head as he poured a second glass before burying himself back in his work.

“Mmmh, quite the sudden dive into Temperance of Avarost? What happened to the Era of Asgard?”.

“You know I jump around.”

“Surely this wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain man would it?” Sorey instantly went as red as his tea kettle.

“W-what are you getting at?” He scratched his jaw, jinging an earring. Only now had Sorey directly met her gaze.

“Hmmm, only that Rose may be correct about you having a crush.” She held a trembling finger to her lip, faint red eyes turned upwards as she spoke,

“Gah, c’mon! I know you two got together after what? A week? It takes more than that for me.”

She laughed weakly, the sound ringing wrongly in Sorey’s ears.

“As they say, ‘one can’t control matters of the heart.’” Her voice dipped. Too low. She pulled a chair over to sit next to him, taking the cup he’d set for her. Everything was wrong, and Sorey had finally stopped debating whether he’d pretend not to see it.

“What’s wrong?” Her head snapped away, silence ringing.

“I wanted Rose to be here, but… I received some news…” She couldn’t look anywhere near Sorey.

“Alisha, what happened?” Sorey steeled himself, bracing for any and everything.

“Boris… he…” she shuddered, “he’s gone Sorey…” He nearly fell off his stool. Goosebumps raised across every inch of him, chest beginning to heave. Finally Alisha meet his headlight gaze, and seeing how much effort she was using to hold herself together, Sorey slid off his chair and wrapped his arms around her. Instantly she clung to him, tears bursting as she sobbed into his chest.

They knew any day could be this one, yet neither could have prepared for it. Military duty came with tragedy looming within every second. Still holding Alisha, Sorey managed to pull his phone out and call Rose, who could do a much better job of calming Alisha down than he could. Rose had never met either Strelka brother; both having joined the military straight out of high school. For Sorey and Alisha though, Sergei and Boris had been their best friends since elementary.

Alisha hadn’t been able to say anything to Rose, who started freaking out the moment she heard sniffles. Sorey took to stroking her hair as he mustered up the strength to speak. His words broke too many times to count, but he strung together enough fragments to communicate that he wanted her to come to them when she could. Not even five minutes after their call ended, she was there.

Rose had pulled up another stool beside Alisha, and in a matter of minutes, had Alisha haphazardly laying across her and Sorey’s laps. Keeping her arms securely locked around Alisha, Rose turned up to Sorey.

“How’re you holding up?”

“It hurts… but I’ll manage. It’s her I’m worried about.” Sorey gazed at the sleep talking Alisha.

“Yeah. I hope I can actually help her through this.” Rose’s grip on Alisha’s shoulder tightened.

“You’re the only one I’ve ever seen her sleep on.”

She smiled, melancholy in her eyes as she twirled blonde hair. Rose spent a few moments staring down an Alisha, tucking loose strands behind her ear.

“We should probably get her home.” Sorey suggested. Rose nodded before gently shaking Alisha’s shoulder. Through her sleepy stupor, she’d forgotten what had happened, and hyperfocused on why she’d fallen asleep in Aroundight Woods. Sorey convinced her to not worry about that and they headed home, Sorey leaving all but his keys and phone there.

Half way home, Alisha trembled, a hand coming over her mouth. She’d woken up enough to remember, and everything hit her again. Sorey took her free hand and gave her every assurance he could think of. It took Sorey holding her hand, and Rose her shoulders to get her home, but once they did, she collapsed into bed, coiling around Rose like a snake. Sorey left with a small smile before retreating to his own room.

There, he checked his phone for the first time in hours to see a message from Sergei asking if they could talk. Sorey agreed to the phone call, and did his best to stuff everything down as he heard the details, and heard how broken Sergei was, yet putting on that practiced facade. Though Sorey was certain his squeaks and sniffles broke his own facade.

Routine border patrol, something as common and everyday as eating for them, yet this one day, Boris’ squad found mines strategically placed to create a landslide that buried every one of them.

Sorey remained on the phone well into the night, until he hadn’t a shred of doubt that Sergei was okay. Once Sorey’s head hit the pillow, he was out, not realizing just how exhausted his body had become.

#tales of zestiria #fanfiction

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dustingrayves · 7 years

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staying on an even keel

part of seawards | read the previous one (this can be read as a standalone)

Pairing: sormik Characters: sorey, mikleo, rose Rating: T WC: 2801 AU: merman au; merleo Category: hurt/comfort Notes: im not too sure about the flow of this one but by now im too tired and zzzzz

ao3 mirror

The moon is already high on the sky, bathing the ocean’s surface with soft silver light, when a head pops up, disrupting the already agitated waves. Sorey takes a few gasps of air, hauling himself onto the raft as Mikleo emerges as well, the rock serving as an anchor getting placed onto the wooden raft by the brunet’s feet.

The boy looks around; dark, menacingly thick clouds swarm the moon, threatening to cover its shine, and the ocean’s flow is also very harsh, wave upon wave sweeping over the raft and over Sorey’s feet. The wind is also blowing in the exact opposite way of home.

“I’ll push,” Mikleo says, having to raise his voice to be heard over the water splashing. His brows furrow and he grabs the back of the raft tightly, tail flapping so hard that water droplets spray all over to get them going.

Sorey sits by the mast and holds onto it as Mikleo pushes him, frowning against the cold wind. Maybe they should’ve stayed down in the cove. Sorey opens his mouth to voice this exact thought, but by then the shore of the island is already visible in the distance, and Mikleo is gritting his teeth, his powerful arms trembling with the exertion, so he closes his mouth again and makes a mental note to thank the merman again later.

Though they both tense up when the silhouette of something that shouldn’t be on the beach come up.

A ship.

And from even closer, they can spy a campfire as well, blazing high and warm, and figures sat around it.

Humans.

Mikleo’s heart skips to his throat and he gives the raft one final push with all his strength, ducking underwater and out of sight. But even so, even hidden underneath the unforgiving waves, he doesn’t feel any better, any safer.

Grandpa had spoken of this day, of the day Sorey would meet other humans. ‘The ocean is no place for a human,’ he’d said. ‘He will want to go and see the world, he will want to be with his own. There’s nothing we can do about that, Mikleo. So when that day comes, you should be ready to say your goodbyes.’

In retrospect, it wasn’t the best thing to say to a seven year old, especially when the words lingered in his brain and kept dragging with him. He spent every day dreading just this, and now that it’s here, he realizes one crucial mistake.

He isn’t ready.

Sorey looks back into the water, but there’s no sign of Mikleo left. They’d both been taught what to do if humans popped up; hide and pretend mermaids don’t exist.

Sorey’s eyes move back to the shore and he swallows, gripping his paddle and helping himself towards it. He’s greeted by a few dozens people. Even in the fading light of the moon and the flickering one of the fire, they all look tired.

All the eyes turn to him as his raft hits the shore.

Nobody moves, though, except for a short girl with hair that looks on fire as it bounces on her shoulders. She walks over to him and while he’s tying the raft to the secured pole buried deep in the sand, asks him, “Who are you?”

“I’m Sorey,” he says, turning to her. There’s something dark in her eyes, for just a split second, and then the light from the fire moves and it’s gone, so fast that Sorey wonders whether it had been there in the first place.

“Sorey…” she repeats, “What’re you doing here?”

“I live here!” he huffs, crossing his arms.

“Ah! So that hut over there is yours?” Rose points to his house with a thumb, and Sorey nods. She looks him and down with a keen eye, “You’re soaked! You should come and warm up before you get sick.”

Sorey has to look down at himself to confirm that, yes, he was soaked to the bone. He’d just gotten so used to being wet that he didn’t even notice. Despite that, and the fact that he’s just fine, he takes up the offer and follows the girl to the campfire where a few people scoot to make room for him.

Immediately, he’s handed a tin cup full of something from a wooden barrel, and the conversations that have been cut the second he’d arrived start anew, multiple voices talking over each other as they drink and eat — they’re roasting fish, and Sorey feels anger bubbling within his chest. Those fish were from around the island, and therefore weren’t seen as food, but more of friends.

To try and calm himself, Sorey brings the cup up to his mouth and takes a sip, proceeding to immediately spit the disgustingly bitter concoction out.

The red-haired girl laughs, downing her own cup in one swift chug. “What?” she asks, “You don’t like beer? What kinda man are you?!”

Sorey scoffs, setting the cup down next to himself with zero interest of drinking any more of whatever it is. “What’s beer?”

The girl scoffs back, cocking her head to the side and looking at Sorey like he’d just grown another set of arms. “You don’t know what beer is?” she asks, voice incredulous, “How long have you been stuck on this island anyhow?”

“Stuck?” Sorey repeats, shaking his head, “I’ve lived here all my life.”

“Huh,” is her only reply as she holds out her cup to one of the guys, who refill it with ‘beer’. She takes another long sip, but doesn’t immediately down it all this time around. “Where are the others? We’ve only seen your house so far.”

“There are no others,” Sorey answers honestly, “I’m the only one on this island.”

Mikleo’s hand rests on the side of the ship, eyes looking over the damage. There’s a hole at the side of it, but it’s above water, and thus doesn’t need immediate attention. All the other damage seems to have already been repaired, if the raised shadows of the plants nailed to it are any indication.

The same shadows hide him from the view — not that any of the humans are even on the lookout. No one even glances his way, they’re all too preoccupied with their talking and eating.

Mikleo watches, because he couldn’t bring himself to go back home. To see grandpa’s knowing look.

But more than that, he wants to make sure Sorey is okay. There’s no telling if these are sailors or pirates, but they’re still humans, and therefore dangerous.

Sorey seems to be talking to a girl, and Mikleo strains his ears so he can hear them even from so far away, eyes narrowing to see the befuddled expression on Sorey’s tanned face.

“Holy cow!” the girl exclaims, grabbing the attention of a few nearby people. Her voice is powerful, and even though it’s not that loud, it still carries far. It’s not hard to imagine her shouting orders at the men with the same ease with which she drinks from her cup. She leans over to look at Sorey closer, “Are you serious? Know what, I’m Rose, and this is my crew of sailors. We could take you to the mainland!”

And then all of Mikleo’s breath is gone, disappearing in a rush out of him, and his claws dig into the wood, chipping tiny pieces out. They fall into the ocean, too quiet over the roaring of the waves or even the blood thumping in Mikleo’s ears.

His ear fins droop and his deadly grip loosens, hand falling into the water.

Why did just hearing that hurt so much? He slithers beneath the surface, leaving behind only a few bubbles as he breathes out, a heavy weight settling on his large ribcage.

“What?” Sorey asks, eyes going wide while Rose’s shine.

“We still have a little bit of repairing to do in the morning, but we’ll be setting off after that,” she explains, “It wouldn’t really be trouble to take you along. You must be really bored here, all alone.”

Sorey stares at her the same way she stared at him before, full of disbelief. “No,” flies out of his mouth as soon as he finds the power to move it again, “No, I’m happy here. I don’t want to leave.”

Rose startles, pulling back to shrug. “Your loss,” she mumbles, “You sure you’ll be all right here on your own?”

I’m never on my own, Sorey thinks, but instead he just says a simple, “Yeah.”

Rose seems to let it go, returning her attention to the meal and other people. Sorey stays, if only to keep an eye on them. In reality, though, he would like nothing more than to return to the cove right now.

He finds out that he really doesn’t like the company of humans. They’re too loud and too harsh and ungraceful and he grimaces at the mere thought of the merfolk thinking the same about him.

Eventually though, the ‘beer’ tank runs out and that seems to be as good a night call for the sailors as any, and they retreat to their ship, a few staying to sleep on the beach after setting out some patchworked blankets.

Rose lingers, looking at him in silence for a while while she formulates her thoughts in her head.

“Hey, Sorey.” The name sounds stiff on her tongue, unlike when Mikleo says it, all fluid and soft. “If you change your mind, just tell me, okay? We won’t take you after we sail off, though!” She chuckles as if she’d just said a great joke, but Sorey doesn’t seem to get it.

“Yeah,” he nods, thankful when that seems enough for her, and she twists on her heel, her shirt blowing with the wind as she retreats to the safety of the ship. Sorey watches as she scales the frail-looking ladder and hops on board, and thinks that that’s the most natural she’d looked all night.

As all the sailors settle down, Sorey himself makes his way back home, feet dragging in the sand as he pushes the door open. Mikleo is inside, shoulders bobbing in the water at the left of the small house, holding onto the floor with a grip that makes the scales on his wrists stand on edge.

“Is something wrong, Mikleo?” Sorey asks, closing the door and immediately on his knees, peering down at the merman with furrowed brows.

It obviously takes that for Mikleo to do a check of himself, letting go of the edge, arms slipping under the water in a soft splash of the liquid. He frowns momentarily, mostly at himself, and then shakes his head.

"No," he says, "I just wanted to say bye before you, you know, go."

No it's Sorey's turn to frown, his concerned look turning more confused than anything. "Go? Go where?"

"Where? To the land. Ah, I heard the girl offering to take you," the merman confesses, head dunking halfway under the surface, small bubbles blowing out of his nose. Sorey had always found that particular habit cute, but right now, it's anything but. "Grandpa said you'd leave one day."

"Mikleo," Sorey cuts him off before Mikleo could come up with anything more to say. He reaches out and grabs Mikleo under his arms, pulling him back above the surface, and halfway onto the floor. "I'm not going anywhere."

Mikleo's words fail him. So does his brain. Which is probably tied to the words, when he takes a moment to think about it.

"W-What?" he stutters, very intelligently, mind you.

"I'm not going with Rose," Sorey says. Normally, his soft, almost condescending tone would piss Mikleo off, but right now, it's just making him feel weirdly better.

"I- But why? You will be happier with the humans," Mikleo argues, propping himself on his arms so he's towering above Sorey, giving himself the tiny feeling of having at least a little control of the conversation. He's still confused. He'd prepared himself for this for so long. Why is it so much harder than he'd ever anticipated?

Sorey smiles, that toothy smile that seems to light up the place even with the sun long gone. "But my home is here, with you, Mikleo."

"But… You're a human. That's a fact you can't change. You're not… built… for our cities. You'd be much better off on land. And we… we can't go on land, so, with other humans… it'd be better for you…"

Sorey's hand reaches up, stopping just shy of cupping Mikleo's cheek, eyes looking for any sign of discomfort. When he finds none, he touches the soft cheek, thumb brushing over the rigid ear fin which lowers at the touch, along with Mikleo's tense shoulders.

Sorey keeps quiet, just petting Mikleo's cheek and fin with his fingers until he sees the merman finally relaxing a little.

"It almost sounds like you're trying to get rid of me," he jests, and immediately realizes that had been a poor joke when Mikleo's crystalline eyes go wide and horrified.

"No!" he exclaims, covering Sorey's hand with his own wet one. Sorey notices it's trembling where the rougher skin touches his. "We all just want you to be happy. And we… always knew we couldn't give you everything you need." Miklo's eyes fall down. "Deserve."

"I am happy though, Mikleo! There is no way I would ever leave."

"But what if you'd find you're happier away?" Mikleo insists, sharp teeth biting down at his own lip, peeking through.

"Mikleo…" Sorey sighs. "I don't want to leave and I'm not leaving, and that's final. Are you going to be on the land? I don't think so. And I only want to be where you are. Wherever that is."

Blood rushes up to Mikleo's face, coloring it a bright shade of pink that travels both up to his fins and down to his gills. Sorey startles, letting go of Mikleo's face too hide his own with the and.

"Ah, did I say that out loud right now?" he laughs. He's also turning a very visible shade of red, so Mikleo doesn't feel as bad. "I did, didn't I?"

Mikleo punches Sorey's upper arm weakly, retreating back into the water, back to just the top half of his head bobbing at the surface. "You mean it?"

"Well, you promised to help me with the leatherwork tomorrow," Sorey replies easily, almost chipper as he motions to the table by the other wall, covered by cleanly cut leather waiting to be pierced and sewn.

Mikleo raises an eyebrow, aware of Sorey trying to alleviate the tension. "Is that the only reason you're staying? Really? Me, doing work for you?"

In reality, there's a million reasons. And somehow, they all meet at the centre with Mikleo, like a big spiderweb, intricately and delicately woven just for him.

"Eating fish with you is great as well," Sorey says instead of that, if only to watch how much more embarrassed Mikleo could get.

Not much more, probably.

“Let’s sleep,” Sorey offers, “Rose said they’re leaving in the morning when they fix a hole in their ship.” And Mikleo knows exactly which hole he means.

Sorey shucks off his clothes and Mikleo pulls himself out of the water more. The two of them settle down, Sorey curling up next to Mikleo’s bigger body, letting his arms wind up around him, hold him close. He’s probably still worried Sorey could disappear while he’s asleep, and wants to make sure he’s still there.

Not that Sorey minds one bit.

“I’ll ask Rose to not tell anyone about the island, okay?” Sorey whispers, looking at Mikleo’s face, so comfortingly close. The merman nods. “Were you really this scared about me leaving?”

Mikleo ducks his head at the direct accusation as one of his hands winds through Sorey’s short hair, carding through and scratching at the skin with his claws. “Well, Grandpa said... “ and that’s where he trails off, feelings swarming his chest in an uncomfortable mess that he can’t make sense of. The only thing he can make sense of right now is his happiness; at having Sorey close, at not going to lose him.

“Hey, Mikleo,” Sorey says, leaning into the touch of his hand, eyelids fluttering closed. “I’ve never thought about leaving. I’ll make sure you don’t get scared like that anymore.”

Mikleo’s heart skips a beat. Now Sorey feels responsible for the family’s common sense. He feels silly. “You don’t need to do anything different,” he mutters.

Sorey hums, pressing himself even closer, one leg wrapping around Mikleo’s tail. Sleep tugs at his mind, but he isn’t sure what he’d like more; to close his eyes and drift to sleep, or watch the soft expression back on Mikleo’s face, where it belongs. “I know.”

#tales of zestiria #toz #sormik #soymilk #eso's fics #series:seawards #mine

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