Summer fic challenge 2018, part 4.
Sep. 19th, 2018 09:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
merikuru posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
volieredeatoriomg just one more
I CAN DO THIS. *burns with the fires of determination*
"Edge," Faize says curiously, leaning in to peer over Edge's shoulder with an expression of interest. "What are you looking at?"
Startled out of an introspective reverie, Edge just blinks and doesn't say anything for a moment, until it sinks in that he's being spoken to and he whips around to look at Faize in surprise. "Sorry, I didn't even hear you come in--" he gives a soft huff of a noise, not quite a strained laugh of faint annoyance at himself, and holds up the photograph he's been looking at so Faize can see it better. "...Sometimes I just like to look at this and...remember, I guess. It's always been one of my favorite memories..." Trailing off, he exhales a quiet sigh, looks at Faize again with an apologetic smile. "Anyway, never mind that. Did you need something?"
Faize doesn't answer immediately, just reaches out to touch the slick, faded surface with an almost-reverent fingertip, gingerly tracing the lines of each face - one familiar, if so much younger than he's used to, and the other similar enough he can make a decent guess as to who it might be. "This is...you and your father?" he murmurs, quietly, uncertainly.
"...Yeah." Edge nods, something wistful in his eyes now, staring distantly at the photograph as if he can somehow see through its surface to the time it was taken, to the time when it was not memory but immediate reality. "It was...just after I turned six years old, I think. Dad had been really busy with his work, it was the first day he'd had in a long time where he could just relax and spend time with me...he hadn't been able to celebrate my birthday, so he threw me a party that day instead, and we spent the whole day just having all kinds of fun. I remember wishing it would never end, I was enjoying myself so much." He grins a little, sheepishly, absently lowers the photograph, setting it on the table in front of him. "I swear I don't get all sentimental like this all that often. It's just a really important memory to me."
"No, I understand. Holding onto fond memories isn't a bad thing." Faize moves to sit down next to him, offering a soft, reassuring smile. "And...I'm rather honored you shared that memory with me, as well. From what I understand about Earthlings, sharing something as personal as that with someone is a symbol of great trust. I - I suppose it's a bit surprising, really, but--" blushing faintly now, he shakes his head, folds his hands in his lap, looking very much reminiscent of an obedient schoolboy with his straight but deferent posture. "If I've really earned your trust so deeply, I...well, it's a great honor. Thank you, Edge."
Edge blinks slowly, a little baffled, rubbing the back of his neck absently as he tries to figure out how precisely he ought to respond to that. He doesn't want to inadvertently insult Faize, or make light of what he said, but... "Ah...there's no need for all that, really - of course I'd trust you, we're friends, we're allies - you're part of my crew..." and he's just fumbling now, so he gives a small, almost self-deprecating laugh, shakes his head and puts a hand on Faize's shoulder, hoping to reassure. "What I mean to say is, you don't have to think about it so hard. Really."
"But," Faize starts, looks at him a little bit uncertainly, then gives a small weak laugh of his own and glances away, faintly embarrassed. "No, you're right. I suppose there doesn't really have to be a reason or a meaning, I just..."
"It's fine, I get it." Edge squeezes Faize's shoulder lightly, offers him a soft, easy smile. "You want to make it fair, right? Return the favor. You don't have to, but if you wanted to, you could tell me about a good memory of your own?" And he hopes beyond hope that isn't overstepping somehow - for all Faize still has yet to learn about Earthlings, he himself has just as much to learn about Eldarians, and sometimes it seems like he forgets that till just the wrong moment.
Thankfully, Faize doesn't seem to take offense; he brings a hand to his chin, deep in thought, the normal sharp focus in his eyes softening a little to something almost distant. "A good memory of my own," he repeats, a little uncertainly, tilts his head slowly to stare off into nothing. "Well, I suppose - they're rather childish, to be honest, but...I do have a few..."
Edge shrugs, settles himself a little more comfortably, eyes inquisitive. "Childish or not, it doesn't matter. I'll listen. They're important to you, and that's what matters."
That makes Faize blush, and from the way he looks away quickly, he knows it - but he's still smiling a little as he draws breath to speak.
"I still remember the first symbol I ever learned," he begins, and closes his eyes to immerse himself in the memory as he retells it.
I CAN DO THIS. *burns with the fires of determination*
"Edge," Faize says curiously, leaning in to peer over Edge's shoulder with an expression of interest. "What are you looking at?"
Startled out of an introspective reverie, Edge just blinks and doesn't say anything for a moment, until it sinks in that he's being spoken to and he whips around to look at Faize in surprise. "Sorry, I didn't even hear you come in--" he gives a soft huff of a noise, not quite a strained laugh of faint annoyance at himself, and holds up the photograph he's been looking at so Faize can see it better. "...Sometimes I just like to look at this and...remember, I guess. It's always been one of my favorite memories..." Trailing off, he exhales a quiet sigh, looks at Faize again with an apologetic smile. "Anyway, never mind that. Did you need something?"
Faize doesn't answer immediately, just reaches out to touch the slick, faded surface with an almost-reverent fingertip, gingerly tracing the lines of each face - one familiar, if so much younger than he's used to, and the other similar enough he can make a decent guess as to who it might be. "This is...you and your father?" he murmurs, quietly, uncertainly.
"...Yeah." Edge nods, something wistful in his eyes now, staring distantly at the photograph as if he can somehow see through its surface to the time it was taken, to the time when it was not memory but immediate reality. "It was...just after I turned six years old, I think. Dad had been really busy with his work, it was the first day he'd had in a long time where he could just relax and spend time with me...he hadn't been able to celebrate my birthday, so he threw me a party that day instead, and we spent the whole day just having all kinds of fun. I remember wishing it would never end, I was enjoying myself so much." He grins a little, sheepishly, absently lowers the photograph, setting it on the table in front of him. "I swear I don't get all sentimental like this all that often. It's just a really important memory to me."
"No, I understand. Holding onto fond memories isn't a bad thing." Faize moves to sit down next to him, offering a soft, reassuring smile. "And...I'm rather honored you shared that memory with me, as well. From what I understand about Earthlings, sharing something as personal as that with someone is a symbol of great trust. I - I suppose it's a bit surprising, really, but--" blushing faintly now, he shakes his head, folds his hands in his lap, looking very much reminiscent of an obedient schoolboy with his straight but deferent posture. "If I've really earned your trust so deeply, I...well, it's a great honor. Thank you, Edge."
Edge blinks slowly, a little baffled, rubbing the back of his neck absently as he tries to figure out how precisely he ought to respond to that. He doesn't want to inadvertently insult Faize, or make light of what he said, but... "Ah...there's no need for all that, really - of course I'd trust you, we're friends, we're allies - you're part of my crew..." and he's just fumbling now, so he gives a small, almost self-deprecating laugh, shakes his head and puts a hand on Faize's shoulder, hoping to reassure. "What I mean to say is, you don't have to think about it so hard. Really."
"But," Faize starts, looks at him a little bit uncertainly, then gives a small weak laugh of his own and glances away, faintly embarrassed. "No, you're right. I suppose there doesn't really have to be a reason or a meaning, I just..."
"It's fine, I get it." Edge squeezes Faize's shoulder lightly, offers him a soft, easy smile. "You want to make it fair, right? Return the favor. You don't have to, but if you wanted to, you could tell me about a good memory of your own?" And he hopes beyond hope that isn't overstepping somehow - for all Faize still has yet to learn about Earthlings, he himself has just as much to learn about Eldarians, and sometimes it seems like he forgets that till just the wrong moment.
Thankfully, Faize doesn't seem to take offense; he brings a hand to his chin, deep in thought, the normal sharp focus in his eyes softening a little to something almost distant. "A good memory of my own," he repeats, a little uncertainly, tilts his head slowly to stare off into nothing. "Well, I suppose - they're rather childish, to be honest, but...I do have a few..."
Edge shrugs, settles himself a little more comfortably, eyes inquisitive. "Childish or not, it doesn't matter. I'll listen. They're important to you, and that's what matters."
That makes Faize blush, and from the way he looks away quickly, he knows it - but he's still smiling a little as he draws breath to speak.
"I still remember the first symbol I ever learned," he begins, and closes his eyes to immerse himself in the memory as he retells it.
