Wanderlust
Title- Wanderlust
Fandom- Original
Rating- PG
Prompt- 389- coxswain- tamingthemuse
Pairing- None
Warning- None
Wordcount- 500
James loved her but he didn't want to anchor her down to his dreary, sedentary life. Wanderlust thrummed through her veins and travelling was the only thing she would ever truly love.
Four years had gone by before he saw her again. Her shoulders were hunched and wrinkles lined the corners of her tired blue eyes, but she was undeniably the woman who had left him all those years ago. James understood the temptation to travel the world, to visit countries that were filled with strange people with even stranger customs. But he belonged at home, helping his mother around the house and taking care of his other siblings. He worked long hours to support the family; ever since his father disappeared at sea during the terrible storm season three years past. James tried to stay hopeful but in his heart, he knew that his dad was dead.
His dad had been a coxswain on the great ship Gwendola, a carrier vessel that trawled the seas, moving cargo from shore to shore. His dad would come back with plenty of stories. He would tell stories of dodging pirate ships and the strange foreigners with their odd languages which he met at every port. He had stories about sea creatures that sounded too strange to be true, such as fish that flew and cows with tails that swam like fish. James wasn’t sure what to believe but he always wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Instead, Catherine had gone to journey the seas in his place, living out his dream. He had responsibilities now, while she was free.
Not that James resented his mother or his sisters. Without them he would have been lost, swimming in a haze of loneliness and self-hatred. They grounded him, reminded him that there was more to life than his studies or working. He may not have the money or the opportunity to travel the world but he had family, and most days that was enough.
Catherine was staying with her parents. He had heard that she planned to stay for a month, although she was contemplating settling down. James didn’t know whether he should go to her or wait for her to come to him. They were still friend’s but even if he told her what he felt, he didn’t want to be an anchor, dragging her down into his sedentary life. She loved to see the world and he would never be able to give her that. She would always have memories of her travels but he could recognise the wanderlust that flowed through her veins. He could remember feeling it running through his body as well, back when he was young and foolish.
Her hair was still the colour of a sunset and it dangled to her waist now. He watched her collect her things from the ship and suddenly he realised that the future was something that he had sacrificed for too long. His family would always come first, but Catherine felt like home. Like the smell of bread toasting in their oven and the sound of waves crashing against the shoreline; she was familiar and perfect and utterly exceptional. James was tired of always putting responsibilities before the desires of his heart. He ran to her and pulled her, shrieking, into his arms and listened to her whispering his name over and over again.
“You remembered,” she said.
“How could I forget?” he responded.
She smelled like baked apples on a brisk autumn morning and felt utterly familiar in his arms. He could leave logic and worries alone for another day. For today, he wasn’t letting her go.
Fandom- Original
Rating- PG
Prompt- 389- coxswain- tamingthemuse
Pairing- None
Warning- None
Wordcount- 500
James loved her but he didn't want to anchor her down to his dreary, sedentary life. Wanderlust thrummed through her veins and travelling was the only thing she would ever truly love.
Four years had gone by before he saw her again. Her shoulders were hunched and wrinkles lined the corners of her tired blue eyes, but she was undeniably the woman who had left him all those years ago. James understood the temptation to travel the world, to visit countries that were filled with strange people with even stranger customs. But he belonged at home, helping his mother around the house and taking care of his other siblings. He worked long hours to support the family; ever since his father disappeared at sea during the terrible storm season three years past. James tried to stay hopeful but in his heart, he knew that his dad was dead.
His dad had been a coxswain on the great ship Gwendola, a carrier vessel that trawled the seas, moving cargo from shore to shore. His dad would come back with plenty of stories. He would tell stories of dodging pirate ships and the strange foreigners with their odd languages which he met at every port. He had stories about sea creatures that sounded too strange to be true, such as fish that flew and cows with tails that swam like fish. James wasn’t sure what to believe but he always wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Instead, Catherine had gone to journey the seas in his place, living out his dream. He had responsibilities now, while she was free.
Not that James resented his mother or his sisters. Without them he would have been lost, swimming in a haze of loneliness and self-hatred. They grounded him, reminded him that there was more to life than his studies or working. He may not have the money or the opportunity to travel the world but he had family, and most days that was enough.
Catherine was staying with her parents. He had heard that she planned to stay for a month, although she was contemplating settling down. James didn’t know whether he should go to her or wait for her to come to him. They were still friend’s but even if he told her what he felt, he didn’t want to be an anchor, dragging her down into his sedentary life. She loved to see the world and he would never be able to give her that. She would always have memories of her travels but he could recognise the wanderlust that flowed through her veins. He could remember feeling it running through his body as well, back when he was young and foolish.
Her hair was still the colour of a sunset and it dangled to her waist now. He watched her collect her things from the ship and suddenly he realised that the future was something that he had sacrificed for too long. His family would always come first, but Catherine felt like home. Like the smell of bread toasting in their oven and the sound of waves crashing against the shoreline; she was familiar and perfect and utterly exceptional. James was tired of always putting responsibilities before the desires of his heart. He ran to her and pulled her, shrieking, into his arms and listened to her whispering his name over and over again.
“You remembered,” she said.
“How could I forget?” he responded.
She smelled like baked apples on a brisk autumn morning and felt utterly familiar in his arms. He could leave logic and worries alone for another day. For today, he wasn’t letting her go.