Deep Down (Jing Theme #14 - "If only...")
Community: 50_themes
Characters: Jing + Kir (friendship category)
Fandom: King of Bandits Jing
Full list of themes can be found HERE. X-posted to 50_themes, ankhutenshi, kingofbandit
*
Title: Deep Down
Theme: #14 - "If only..."
Notes: 700 words, finished Jan 15/07.
The strains of a waltz drifted to the upper level, where a black albatross leaned listlessly on the marble railing, watching the pinwheel flares of satin and silk down below. The dance floor was tiled in blue and gold, giving it the appearance of the night sky from this height, but he barely noticed the intricate designs. Instead he watched the people; more specifically, the women in their smiling jeweled masks.
His human companion leaned on the railing beside him, but Kir didn't move. "You got it?"
Jing opened his hand to reveal a multi-faceted sapphire, so deep blue in colour that it was almost black, dancing with a pale blue flame within. "The Star of Hpnotiq," the bandit said. "You'd think the name would have given it away. Or if not the name, the fact that every member of the ruling family fell into a year-long sleep after putting it on..." he trailed off, seeing that the albatross wasn't listening. "... Kir?"
"They're not even going to discover it's gone until morning..."
The thief laughed a little, the sound masked by the music from below. "You would have preferred a bit more excitement in this heist, partner?" He hoped to get a sarcastic remark, but the avian merely stared at the dance floor. Jing glanced down; other than the swirling dancers, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.
In fact, Kir had been silent or nearly so for more than a week now, and although he'd tried repeatedly to find out what was wrong, his friend merely shook off his concern and in one instance, actually snapped back at him for nagging.
"... Partner?" Jing tried, sliding the sapphire into his pocket for safekeeping.
"You do know you're not exactly normal for your kind, right?"
"I want to dance with them," Kir said softly, his eyes fixed on the gowned women.
"Oh?" Jing said, feeling the beginnings of relief. If it was that which was troubling Kir, perhaps the problem was not as unfamiliar as he'd thought. "Go ahead then, I'll wait..."
"You are like me: unique, unlike any other of our kinds."
The albatross turned his head to one side. "I can't," he whispered. "Not really."
Jing's relief flickered and died; for a moment, he had nothing to say. It hurt him to see his companion so melancholy, especially since Kir's words were true, and they both knew it. He reached out a hand to stroke the inky feathers but was stunned when Kir flinched ever so slightly.
"Kir," the Bandit King said quietly. "Please, tell me what's wrong..."
---
The tale came out in bits and pieces, interspersed with long periods of silence when the albatross ran out of available words. Kir kept glancing at Jing, as though trying to gauge the young man's reactions, but he simply sat silent and listened without any interruption.
Kir carefully modified the story to exclude any mention of Sherry's challenge: that Jing would never release him if it was what Kir really desired. The bird wasn't sure what to think about that, except for knowing that he didn't want Jing thinking about it either.
"So Sherry thought... I'd have forced some kind of link on you?" Jing questioned slowly, and there was a tinge of anger in his voice.
"Yeah..."
"Stupid fox," Jing bit out, then softened his tone as he turned back to the albatross. "So this is what's been bothering you all this time?"
Kir's feathers ruffled, and he nodded reluctantly; it was as much as he felt comfortable telling. He wasn't sure it was a good sign, however, that he felt less comfortable about telling Jing the rest of Sherry's accusations than he did lying to the youth.
"Is there anything I can do?" Jing questioned, and Kir couldn't quite meet the shy hopefulness in his grey eyes. He wondered not for the first time how Jing managed to be adult in body and yet a child in mind.
"It's okay," Kir replied. "I should have told you sooner, and not kept it a secret. This is just... the way things are."
And Jing, who had often recited the same phrase in the past, said no more.
*
Notes:
(1) Hpnotiq is a blend of triple distilled, super premium French vodka, the finest pot still Cognac, and natural tropical fruit juices.
Characters: Jing + Kir (friendship category)
Fandom: King of Bandits Jing
Full list of themes can be found HERE. X-posted to 50_themes, ankhutenshi, kingofbandit
*
Title: Deep Down
Theme: #14 - "If only..."
Notes: 700 words, finished Jan 15/07.
The strains of a waltz drifted to the upper level, where a black albatross leaned listlessly on the marble railing, watching the pinwheel flares of satin and silk down below. The dance floor was tiled in blue and gold, giving it the appearance of the night sky from this height, but he barely noticed the intricate designs. Instead he watched the people; more specifically, the women in their smiling jeweled masks.
His human companion leaned on the railing beside him, but Kir didn't move. "You got it?"
Jing opened his hand to reveal a multi-faceted sapphire, so deep blue in colour that it was almost black, dancing with a pale blue flame within. "The Star of Hpnotiq," the bandit said. "You'd think the name would have given it away. Or if not the name, the fact that every member of the ruling family fell into a year-long sleep after putting it on..." he trailed off, seeing that the albatross wasn't listening. "... Kir?"
"They're not even going to discover it's gone until morning..."
The thief laughed a little, the sound masked by the music from below. "You would have preferred a bit more excitement in this heist, partner?" He hoped to get a sarcastic remark, but the avian merely stared at the dance floor. Jing glanced down; other than the swirling dancers, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.
In fact, Kir had been silent or nearly so for more than a week now, and although he'd tried repeatedly to find out what was wrong, his friend merely shook off his concern and in one instance, actually snapped back at him for nagging.
"... Partner?" Jing tried, sliding the sapphire into his pocket for safekeeping.
"You do know you're not exactly normal for your kind, right?"
"I want to dance with them," Kir said softly, his eyes fixed on the gowned women.
"Oh?" Jing said, feeling the beginnings of relief. If it was that which was troubling Kir, perhaps the problem was not as unfamiliar as he'd thought. "Go ahead then, I'll wait..."
"You are like me: unique, unlike any other of our kinds."
The albatross turned his head to one side. "I can't," he whispered. "Not really."
Jing's relief flickered and died; for a moment, he had nothing to say. It hurt him to see his companion so melancholy, especially since Kir's words were true, and they both knew it. He reached out a hand to stroke the inky feathers but was stunned when Kir flinched ever so slightly.
"Kir," the Bandit King said quietly. "Please, tell me what's wrong..."
---
The tale came out in bits and pieces, interspersed with long periods of silence when the albatross ran out of available words. Kir kept glancing at Jing, as though trying to gauge the young man's reactions, but he simply sat silent and listened without any interruption.
Kir carefully modified the story to exclude any mention of Sherry's challenge: that Jing would never release him if it was what Kir really desired. The bird wasn't sure what to think about that, except for knowing that he didn't want Jing thinking about it either.
"So Sherry thought... I'd have forced some kind of link on you?" Jing questioned slowly, and there was a tinge of anger in his voice.
"Yeah..."
"Stupid fox," Jing bit out, then softened his tone as he turned back to the albatross. "So this is what's been bothering you all this time?"
Kir's feathers ruffled, and he nodded reluctantly; it was as much as he felt comfortable telling. He wasn't sure it was a good sign, however, that he felt less comfortable about telling Jing the rest of Sherry's accusations than he did lying to the youth.
"Is there anything I can do?" Jing questioned, and Kir couldn't quite meet the shy hopefulness in his grey eyes. He wondered not for the first time how Jing managed to be adult in body and yet a child in mind.
"It's okay," Kir replied. "I should have told you sooner, and not kept it a secret. This is just... the way things are."
And Jing, who had often recited the same phrase in the past, said no more.
*
Notes:
(1) Hpnotiq is a blend of triple distilled, super premium French vodka, the finest pot still Cognac, and natural tropical fruit juices.