FINALLY~ [Jing Theme #1, #33]
I bring you more Jing drabbles. >.> I kind of took a hiatus from them, right? But, I still have the second half of those 50 to write. So here's two!
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: Rarity
Theme: #1 - Cinnamon
Notes: 461 words, finished June 23/07.
Kir had been catching faint whiffs of something for a few hours now, but hadn't been able to pinpoint it. That, combined with the fact that Jing didn't seem to be in a hurry to let him know where they were going, nor what they'd steal find when they got there, was getting on the albatross' nerves.
"C'mon, Jing!" he wheedled, "Tell me what the treasure of this place is! And what is that smell? It's so familiar..."
"It's cinnamon, Kir!" laughed the thief. "What's the matter, don't you ever do any baking?"
"Like you're one to talk about cooking," Kir scoffed, for they both knew that Jing -- for all his fighting skills and uncanny luck -- couldn't cook a meal to save his life.
"True," Jing said sheepishly. "All right, all right. You're always so nosy!" The road curved and ahead of them lay a village tucked into the base of the mountains. The scent of cinnamon grew much stronger, and was joined by the smell of freshly baked bread. "There we go... that's Gluehwein."
"Mmm," Kir sighed. "What, do they have an army of happy women, baking away? It smells great!"
"Close," the Bandit King chuckled. "Gluehwein is famous for its cooking and catering. Its citizens are employed as chefs and bakers all over the country."
The albatross thought about that for a moment, then inquired, "It sounds good and all, but why are we going there? What kind of treasure is there in this place?" he snickered. "Someone got a famous cookie recipie you heard about?"
"Not exactly."
"So tell me already!" Kir lifted off his companion's shoulder and flew a lazy circle to stretch his wings. "The treasure, Jing, the treasure!"
"Kir," Jing said, in an oddly subdued tone, "I'm capable of wanting to go somewhere without the intention to steal, you know."
The albatross faltered midair, wincing. Oh great... really put my beak in it there, didn't I? he thought. "I know that, Jing," he said, keeping at eye level. "That... that wasn't what I meant by it! It's just we usually... you know..."
Jing shrugged a little, his hands sliding into his pockets in a way that suggested the subject was a tricky one to navigate -- as though I hadn't just figured that out, Kir thought, sighing internally. "Sorry."
The thief's eyes lifted, surprised at the apology; the bird hadn't said anything wrong, just made an error in assuming, and Jing hadn't intended to give the impression that he was upset about it. "It's okay," he answered. "Besides, I guess you could say this place does have something one of a kind to it."
"Oh?"
"Gluehwein has the best shortbread cookies in the whole world."
"And we're going to get some?"
"Absolutely, partner."
---
Notes:
Cut text comes from a quote by Albert Einstein.
Title: Double Standard
Theme: #33 - Cross-dressing
Notes: 1477 words, finished June 23/07.
"It's about time, Cassis!" Jing said, hearing the door open. He'd been leaning against the hallway wall next to her door for twenty minutes. Occasionally an Auntie would walk by, which would result in a slight sulky look from him, and infuriatingly knowing winks from them. He turned around, ready to ask what could have possibly taken so long -- and instead stopped mute, and stared. The blonde girl wasn't wearing her usual outfit of shorts and jacket, but a pale blue dress with white trimming. It was simple and knee-length, yet so utterly different from anything she'd ever worn that Jing was at a loss for words.
"Stop staring," she said softly, squirming under his gaze. "The Aunties said I had to wear something nice on my birthday. I can't believe they made me put on this stupid dress..."
"It's not stupid," Jing said wonderingly. "It's not stupid at all. You look really pretty, Cassis."
For one of the few times in her life, Cassis blushed. She twisted her slim fingers in the blue material and cleared her throat. "You're still staring..."
"Sorry," Jing replied automatically, although his eyes lingered on her a moment longer. "Are you ready to go?"
"Where are we going?" the blonde girl questioned. "You haven't told me yet."
"It's a surprise."
Cassis rolled her eyes, following him down the stairs to the main floor of the Aunties' home (oddly, no one ever called it an orphanage; it wasn't until much later in her life that she realized that) and outside. "It's probably not a surprise, you just like keeping secrets. And why can't the boys come?"
Jing flashed her a smile that made her cheeks heat again. "Because this is a Cassis surprise," he announced, but added quickly, "We won't be long, and we're going to spend all day with the boys and the Aunties, just as soon as we get back. We're not leaving them out of anything." With that, he took her hand in his left one, grinning eagerly and tugged her down the cobbled side streets that made up the maze of Balalaika. She thought it was strange that he was so excited, his entire attention focused on her as though she were the only thing he cared about right now. (It made her feel warm inside.) How important could this be, though? She was turning 9 years old, it was nothing spectacular... Jing had been 9 for three months now.
As they slipped through the alleys, she wondered if he was leading her to the iron gates that marked the town's border, but he turned in a different direction and then she realized they were behind the blacksmith's shop. Over the steady clang-clang-clang of an iron hammer, she could hear the blacksmith, Old Bailey, singing some foreign song in his deep baritone.
Cassis fidgeted; she was standing dangerously close to a mud puddle and the Aunties would be livid if she dirtied her new dress or shoes before the day had even gotten started. "Jing? What're you--?"
But he was already rummaging beneath a canvas cover, one leg stuck straight out behind him for balance. She almost giggled, restraining it only because she'd once made the mistake of criticizing Jing's inability to do certain dexterous things due to his lame right hand. On a wager of Frangelico's candy, she'd let him tie one of her hands behind her back for the rest of the day, and been so utterly mortified that she couldn't even tie her shoes that she'd never brought it up again.
Jing had ended up sharing the sweets with her anyway.
He emerged from the canvas looking slightly rumpled and massively triumphant, holding a length of wood that she immediately recognized. It was a baseball bat, the maple wood polished and gleaming until it was a rosy colour. A bow of blue ribbon had been painstakingly tied around the end (she wondered how he'd managed that, and decided it was probably better not to know). Jing held it out to her, his grey eyes shining with pride. "Happy birthday, Cassis."
She slowly took it in her hands, feeling the smooth surface, so buffed and pristine that it almost felt warm. To say she didn't recognize it would have been a lie; Cassis had spent many days leaning on the shop windowsill of Zoksel's Woodworking shop, staring wistfully at the bat that she knew neither she nor the Aunties could ever afford.
That she knew Jing could never afford either.
He was still watching her... yet when she didn't say anything, his smile faltered slightly. When Cassis raised turquoise eyes to look at him, he was dismayed to find that she looked upset. "Cassis...?" he questioned.
"Where did you get this?"
The ashen-eyed boy blinked, because they both knew very well it was one of Zoksel's fine works. And he knew it had been the one she's wanted, how many days had he listened to her daydreaming over how much better she'd do in practice with such a superior bat to the old, used one given to her several years ago?
"You stole it, didn't you?" Cassis accused at his silence. Jing flinched, because in all the times she'd ever yelled at him, or berated him for doing something she didn't approve of, he'd never heard such disappointment in her voice and it couldn't have been more profound than if she'd whacked him with the bat she now held.
"But Cassis--"
The blonde girl didn't seem inclined to let him explain. "I... I can't believe you. This was your big surprise? You just wanted to show off again!"
"No, I--!"
She thrust the bat back at him, and he fumbled one-handed with it, trying not to drop it in the mud. When he looked up, he saw her stalking back out towards the street. "Cassis! It's your birthday present!"
"No it's not!" She whirled to face him, her new dress pinwheeling around her legs. "I don't want it!"
"Yes, you do!" Jing argued, agitated. "You've wanted it for months now! Don't lie! I got it for you because it's what you wanted! I--"
The look she gave him stopped their quarrel. Cassis shook her head, biting her lower lip. "No, Jing," she repeated, softer this time. "Not like that. Not from you. Return it, please. I'm going back to the Aunties' now."
And she left him alone in the alley.
---
Cassis was painfully conscious of Jing's absence during the rest of the day. Clove, Pomme and Mint all looked at her expectantly for an answer, but she just shrugged it off and promised they'd save him some cake. It wasn't until one of the Aunties drew her aside that she gave them a heavily modified account of what had happened earlier; that she and Jing had argued over something, and he was probably off sulking in his house.
Still, as late afternoon deepened into twilight, she couldn't help but begin to worry. Usually Jing would only be this way for a few hours; after that he seemed to shrug off such moods and then treat them as though they'd never happened at all.
Maybe... I should go and make sure he's all right... she thought.
The hike up the hill seemed longer than normal, and when the small house came into view, she could see only a single small lamp burning through the open window. "Jing? Are you okay?"
The door was unlocked (she couldn't remember it ever being otherwise) and Cassis entered hesitantly, knowing where everything was and yet still somehow feeling like an intruder. Her eyes adjusted and she saw Jing resting on the couch in the main room. From the steady rise and fall of his chest, he should have been sleeping, but his eyes were open and watching her.
The blonde girl approached him cautiously, yet when she drew near, he suddenly rolled onto his side so he was facing away from her. "What do you want?" he muttered, his voice muffled.
"You didn't come back..."
He gave a short, bitter laugh, and replied, "It's rude to show up to a party without a present."
Cassis winced a bit. She gingerly went to sit next to him, but when she put her hand down on the pillow, found that it ws damp. It took her a moment to connect the sensation with its meaning. He was... crying?
"Jing..."
"I thought you'd have been happy," he sighed, and turned to face her. In his good hand, she saw that he was clenching the blue ribbon tightly. "That's all I wanted. It's not bad to want that for people. You said so yourself. I don't... I don't have anyone else to make smile..."
She put her arms around him and forgave him by putting the ribbon in her hair.
---
Notes:
Cut text comes from a quote by Sydney Smith: "Whatever you are by nature, keep to it; never desert your line of talent. Be what nature intended you for, and you will succeed."
Zoksel (Soft Drink / Soda. Alcoholic.) Ingredients: Beer, Root beer, Lemonade, Coca-Cola, 7-Up, Creme de Cassis, Lemon
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: Rarity
Theme: #1 - Cinnamon
Notes: 461 words, finished June 23/07.
Kir had been catching faint whiffs of something for a few hours now, but hadn't been able to pinpoint it. That, combined with the fact that Jing didn't seem to be in a hurry to let him know where they were going, nor what they'd steal find when they got there, was getting on the albatross' nerves.
"C'mon, Jing!" he wheedled, "Tell me what the treasure of this place is! And what is that smell? It's so familiar..."
"It's cinnamon, Kir!" laughed the thief. "What's the matter, don't you ever do any baking?"
"Like you're one to talk about cooking," Kir scoffed, for they both knew that Jing -- for all his fighting skills and uncanny luck -- couldn't cook a meal to save his life.
"True," Jing said sheepishly. "All right, all right. You're always so nosy!" The road curved and ahead of them lay a village tucked into the base of the mountains. The scent of cinnamon grew much stronger, and was joined by the smell of freshly baked bread. "There we go... that's Gluehwein."
"Mmm," Kir sighed. "What, do they have an army of happy women, baking away? It smells great!"
"Close," the Bandit King chuckled. "Gluehwein is famous for its cooking and catering. Its citizens are employed as chefs and bakers all over the country."
The albatross thought about that for a moment, then inquired, "It sounds good and all, but why are we going there? What kind of treasure is there in this place?" he snickered. "Someone got a famous cookie recipie you heard about?"
"Not exactly."
"So tell me already!" Kir lifted off his companion's shoulder and flew a lazy circle to stretch his wings. "The treasure, Jing, the treasure!"
"Kir," Jing said, in an oddly subdued tone, "I'm capable of wanting to go somewhere without the intention to steal, you know."
The albatross faltered midair, wincing. Oh great... really put my beak in it there, didn't I? he thought. "I know that, Jing," he said, keeping at eye level. "That... that wasn't what I meant by it! It's just we usually... you know..."
Jing shrugged a little, his hands sliding into his pockets in a way that suggested the subject was a tricky one to navigate -- as though I hadn't just figured that out, Kir thought, sighing internally. "Sorry."
The thief's eyes lifted, surprised at the apology; the bird hadn't said anything wrong, just made an error in assuming, and Jing hadn't intended to give the impression that he was upset about it. "It's okay," he answered. "Besides, I guess you could say this place does have something one of a kind to it."
"Oh?"
"Gluehwein has the best shortbread cookies in the whole world."
"And we're going to get some?"
"Absolutely, partner."
---
Notes:
Cut text comes from a quote by Albert Einstein.
Title: Double Standard
Theme: #33 - Cross-dressing
Notes: 1477 words, finished June 23/07.
"It's about time, Cassis!" Jing said, hearing the door open. He'd been leaning against the hallway wall next to her door for twenty minutes. Occasionally an Auntie would walk by, which would result in a slight sulky look from him, and infuriatingly knowing winks from them. He turned around, ready to ask what could have possibly taken so long -- and instead stopped mute, and stared. The blonde girl wasn't wearing her usual outfit of shorts and jacket, but a pale blue dress with white trimming. It was simple and knee-length, yet so utterly different from anything she'd ever worn that Jing was at a loss for words.
"Stop staring," she said softly, squirming under his gaze. "The Aunties said I had to wear something nice on my birthday. I can't believe they made me put on this stupid dress..."
"It's not stupid," Jing said wonderingly. "It's not stupid at all. You look really pretty, Cassis."
For one of the few times in her life, Cassis blushed. She twisted her slim fingers in the blue material and cleared her throat. "You're still staring..."
"Sorry," Jing replied automatically, although his eyes lingered on her a moment longer. "Are you ready to go?"
"Where are we going?" the blonde girl questioned. "You haven't told me yet."
"It's a surprise."
Cassis rolled her eyes, following him down the stairs to the main floor of the Aunties' home (oddly, no one ever called it an orphanage; it wasn't until much later in her life that she realized that) and outside. "It's probably not a surprise, you just like keeping secrets. And why can't the boys come?"
Jing flashed her a smile that made her cheeks heat again. "Because this is a Cassis surprise," he announced, but added quickly, "We won't be long, and we're going to spend all day with the boys and the Aunties, just as soon as we get back. We're not leaving them out of anything." With that, he took her hand in his left one, grinning eagerly and tugged her down the cobbled side streets that made up the maze of Balalaika. She thought it was strange that he was so excited, his entire attention focused on her as though she were the only thing he cared about right now. (It made her feel warm inside.) How important could this be, though? She was turning 9 years old, it was nothing spectacular... Jing had been 9 for three months now.
As they slipped through the alleys, she wondered if he was leading her to the iron gates that marked the town's border, but he turned in a different direction and then she realized they were behind the blacksmith's shop. Over the steady clang-clang-clang of an iron hammer, she could hear the blacksmith, Old Bailey, singing some foreign song in his deep baritone.
Cassis fidgeted; she was standing dangerously close to a mud puddle and the Aunties would be livid if she dirtied her new dress or shoes before the day had even gotten started. "Jing? What're you--?"
But he was already rummaging beneath a canvas cover, one leg stuck straight out behind him for balance. She almost giggled, restraining it only because she'd once made the mistake of criticizing Jing's inability to do certain dexterous things due to his lame right hand. On a wager of Frangelico's candy, she'd let him tie one of her hands behind her back for the rest of the day, and been so utterly mortified that she couldn't even tie her shoes that she'd never brought it up again.
Jing had ended up sharing the sweets with her anyway.
He emerged from the canvas looking slightly rumpled and massively triumphant, holding a length of wood that she immediately recognized. It was a baseball bat, the maple wood polished and gleaming until it was a rosy colour. A bow of blue ribbon had been painstakingly tied around the end (she wondered how he'd managed that, and decided it was probably better not to know). Jing held it out to her, his grey eyes shining with pride. "Happy birthday, Cassis."
She slowly took it in her hands, feeling the smooth surface, so buffed and pristine that it almost felt warm. To say she didn't recognize it would have been a lie; Cassis had spent many days leaning on the shop windowsill of Zoksel's Woodworking shop, staring wistfully at the bat that she knew neither she nor the Aunties could ever afford.
That she knew Jing could never afford either.
He was still watching her... yet when she didn't say anything, his smile faltered slightly. When Cassis raised turquoise eyes to look at him, he was dismayed to find that she looked upset. "Cassis...?" he questioned.
"Where did you get this?"
The ashen-eyed boy blinked, because they both knew very well it was one of Zoksel's fine works. And he knew it had been the one she's wanted, how many days had he listened to her daydreaming over how much better she'd do in practice with such a superior bat to the old, used one given to her several years ago?
"You stole it, didn't you?" Cassis accused at his silence. Jing flinched, because in all the times she'd ever yelled at him, or berated him for doing something she didn't approve of, he'd never heard such disappointment in her voice and it couldn't have been more profound than if she'd whacked him with the bat she now held.
"But Cassis--"
The blonde girl didn't seem inclined to let him explain. "I... I can't believe you. This was your big surprise? You just wanted to show off again!"
"No, I--!"
She thrust the bat back at him, and he fumbled one-handed with it, trying not to drop it in the mud. When he looked up, he saw her stalking back out towards the street. "Cassis! It's your birthday present!"
"No it's not!" She whirled to face him, her new dress pinwheeling around her legs. "I don't want it!"
"Yes, you do!" Jing argued, agitated. "You've wanted it for months now! Don't lie! I got it for you because it's what you wanted! I--"
The look she gave him stopped their quarrel. Cassis shook her head, biting her lower lip. "No, Jing," she repeated, softer this time. "Not like that. Not from you. Return it, please. I'm going back to the Aunties' now."
And she left him alone in the alley.
---
Cassis was painfully conscious of Jing's absence during the rest of the day. Clove, Pomme and Mint all looked at her expectantly for an answer, but she just shrugged it off and promised they'd save him some cake. It wasn't until one of the Aunties drew her aside that she gave them a heavily modified account of what had happened earlier; that she and Jing had argued over something, and he was probably off sulking in his house.
Still, as late afternoon deepened into twilight, she couldn't help but begin to worry. Usually Jing would only be this way for a few hours; after that he seemed to shrug off such moods and then treat them as though they'd never happened at all.
Maybe... I should go and make sure he's all right... she thought.
The hike up the hill seemed longer than normal, and when the small house came into view, she could see only a single small lamp burning through the open window. "Jing? Are you okay?"
The door was unlocked (she couldn't remember it ever being otherwise) and Cassis entered hesitantly, knowing where everything was and yet still somehow feeling like an intruder. Her eyes adjusted and she saw Jing resting on the couch in the main room. From the steady rise and fall of his chest, he should have been sleeping, but his eyes were open and watching her.
The blonde girl approached him cautiously, yet when she drew near, he suddenly rolled onto his side so he was facing away from her. "What do you want?" he muttered, his voice muffled.
"You didn't come back..."
He gave a short, bitter laugh, and replied, "It's rude to show up to a party without a present."
Cassis winced a bit. She gingerly went to sit next to him, but when she put her hand down on the pillow, found that it ws damp. It took her a moment to connect the sensation with its meaning. He was... crying?
"Jing..."
"I thought you'd have been happy," he sighed, and turned to face her. In his good hand, she saw that he was clenching the blue ribbon tightly. "That's all I wanted. It's not bad to want that for people. You said so yourself. I don't... I don't have anyone else to make smile..."
She put her arms around him and forgave him by putting the ribbon in her hair.
---
Notes:
Cut text comes from a quote by Sydney Smith: "Whatever you are by nature, keep to it; never desert your line of talent. Be what nature intended you for, and you will succeed."
Zoksel (Soft Drink / Soda. Alcoholic.) Ingredients: Beer, Root beer, Lemonade, Coca-Cola, 7-Up, Creme de Cassis, Lemon