Re: "Sa Machine Ailée" et autres histoires
Posté : 18 mars 2020, 00:45
Where the Abyss and the Surface Touch
He loves him.
He loves him subtly at first, and perhaps he does not realize it yet. But as time passes, as they spend it together in the many ways they can, as Karsha shows just how full of surprises and wonders he is, Esteban comes to find the truth about how he feels for his friend. And it's surprising, and it's new; but it's pleasant, and it makes him happy. And he wants it to happen.
He loves him when he says to him these sweet words of promise, of meeting each other again very soon. This promise that no matter what, Atlantis will rise from the depths of the ocean and find its way into the world again. Karsha promises, and Esteban believes it, and he will do all he can to make it happen.
He loves him when their eyes meet a last time, before it is eventually time to go and resume their quest, his quest. The world still needs a hero, it needs the chosen ones, and it needs the Cities of Gold. It needs young and innocent shoulders to rest its burden on, and Karsha knows that, and so he does not stop him.
He loves him when he thinks about him, about these nice moments they've spent together in the underwater city. These hours spent talking, learning and teaching the names of things, of creatures, of everything. Of slowly forming a bond not only between their two souls, but their two worlds: those of the surface and the abyss, like two long-lost brothers that just met again.
He loves him when he carries on his mission, and does as he is told like a mere servant of the elders of Mu, and bears it all with no regards for himself like he's always done. Thinking of him gives him strength, gives him courage, and he carries on still.
He loves him when he is ready to throw it all away, to cause a massive catastrophe to save his people from the darkness. And even after he realizes what he's almost done, he can't help but think it was for a good cause, no matter what consequences it would have had.
He loves him when he tries for days on end to make it work, when he loses so much sleep over potential ways to save the Nemishtari from the depths. Even when his body is heavy with fatigue and his mind so fuzzy he can't think straight, he tries to do something, anything. And Zia and Tao see how much it wears him down, and promise to help; because they understand. And he knows that somewhere, they know what he feels, even before he understood it himself.
He loves him when he stands on the Condor's wing, anxiously watching events unfold with a nervous heart beating away in his chest. His hands are sweaty, and he can't think of what to say; but his friends are here, and they reassure him. They tell him to go ahead and meet the people who never breathed the surface air before, and he does so. He's met with thanks and many words of praise, and he smiles, but his eyes still search the crowd.
He loves him when gold meets gold, and they finally see each other again. And he runs, he doesn't know why, but he runs, and opens his arms, and he's got his arms open too, and they embrace so hard they almost fall down.
He loves him in that instant he can finally see him again, and he cries, he lets it out, and he replies in the same voice, and returns his words and his arms, and he's there, he's finally there, and it feels like the world regained its colors and its beauty once again.
He loves him during those moments they spend together, these days where he teaches him all about the surface, about the world over the ocean. Karsha is a child at heart, and gets excited over the tiniest things, the little nothing Esteban always took for granted. The sun, the wind, the birds, the flowers, everything is so new and fascinating to him, and he loves it, he loves that new world, and Esteban loves him more as he watches him laugh and smile and find out about all the surprises of life.
He loves him the first time it rains, and Karsha stands perplexed, wondering why water is falling from the sky, as if he's afraid they will drown; but Esteban keeps calm, and Karsha senses it, and soon after he starts to dance, he dances under the rain like something is making him do so, and he lets water trickle down his face and his arms as he moves with grace, like a bird taking flight. Esteban can't help but join him, and the two of them dance under the rain, they move and they touch and slowly he understands, and water cleanses away his worries and his fears, and it feels like he's being reborn, dancing with this boy of the abyss, like a whole new door has been opened to him and he's slowly making his way in, step after step, twirl after twirl, touch after touch.
He loves him during these moments they spend together on the Castilian beach, watching the sea move and breathe under the twilight sun. They talk, they share their worries of times long past and future, and they understand one another like no one else could ever do. Esteban is not sure of where his life will lead him next, and Karsha fears there is no place for him in this world where no one remembers Atlantis anymore. They exchange glances, worried words, and the slight hint of a what if starts to slither into their minds, and they think that maybe, maybe, they could find out what's in store for them together. And their hands touch, and hold, and they move a little closer to one another as this possibility becomes more and more believable, and he realizes he wants it to happen.
He loves him when their lips meet, even though it isn't to share air anymore, but something entirely else that they open up to with time. Esteban has never felt such a thing before, even less so for another boy, but with everything that has been going on, he figures it does not make that much difference anymore. And he's happy it's happening, and he wants it to happen, and he will do all he can to make it worthwhile, because that's how much he wants things to be.
He loves him more as time passes, as their worlds touch some more, as Karsha discovers the surface and as Esteban reconnects with the ways of his homeland. He teaches him to swim fast, to hold his breath for longer, to fish in the way of the abyss. But Esteban knows he'll never be as graceful underwater as these dolphin people, who swim faster than anyone and with more grace than fish themselves. Whenever Karsha breaches out with a catch in his mouth, he does so with such power and elegance, like he was born to be one with the sea. And Esteban watches him with impressed and enamored eyes, for every little thing is a whole new reason to fall in love with this seaweed-haired merman.
He loves him when they rest together under the cover of the night, and Esteban's finger lazily traces the unique patterns of Karsha's skin, following the thin wriggly line where pale meets dark, making him giggle somewhat. He's so different in many regards, and he figures Karsha must feel the same about him. Sometimes his webbed hands feel his hair, how soft it naturally is; they cup his own hands, which look nubby in comparison, their fingers lacing together without they can properly interlock all the way. [...]
Continue reading over at https://archiveofourown.org/works/21733108
He loves him.
He loves him subtly at first, and perhaps he does not realize it yet. But as time passes, as they spend it together in the many ways they can, as Karsha shows just how full of surprises and wonders he is, Esteban comes to find the truth about how he feels for his friend. And it's surprising, and it's new; but it's pleasant, and it makes him happy. And he wants it to happen.
He loves him when he says to him these sweet words of promise, of meeting each other again very soon. This promise that no matter what, Atlantis will rise from the depths of the ocean and find its way into the world again. Karsha promises, and Esteban believes it, and he will do all he can to make it happen.
He loves him when their eyes meet a last time, before it is eventually time to go and resume their quest, his quest. The world still needs a hero, it needs the chosen ones, and it needs the Cities of Gold. It needs young and innocent shoulders to rest its burden on, and Karsha knows that, and so he does not stop him.
He loves him when he thinks about him, about these nice moments they've spent together in the underwater city. These hours spent talking, learning and teaching the names of things, of creatures, of everything. Of slowly forming a bond not only between their two souls, but their two worlds: those of the surface and the abyss, like two long-lost brothers that just met again.
He loves him when he carries on his mission, and does as he is told like a mere servant of the elders of Mu, and bears it all with no regards for himself like he's always done. Thinking of him gives him strength, gives him courage, and he carries on still.
He loves him when he is ready to throw it all away, to cause a massive catastrophe to save his people from the darkness. And even after he realizes what he's almost done, he can't help but think it was for a good cause, no matter what consequences it would have had.
He loves him when he tries for days on end to make it work, when he loses so much sleep over potential ways to save the Nemishtari from the depths. Even when his body is heavy with fatigue and his mind so fuzzy he can't think straight, he tries to do something, anything. And Zia and Tao see how much it wears him down, and promise to help; because they understand. And he knows that somewhere, they know what he feels, even before he understood it himself.
He loves him when he stands on the Condor's wing, anxiously watching events unfold with a nervous heart beating away in his chest. His hands are sweaty, and he can't think of what to say; but his friends are here, and they reassure him. They tell him to go ahead and meet the people who never breathed the surface air before, and he does so. He's met with thanks and many words of praise, and he smiles, but his eyes still search the crowd.
He loves him when gold meets gold, and they finally see each other again. And he runs, he doesn't know why, but he runs, and opens his arms, and he's got his arms open too, and they embrace so hard they almost fall down.
He loves him in that instant he can finally see him again, and he cries, he lets it out, and he replies in the same voice, and returns his words and his arms, and he's there, he's finally there, and it feels like the world regained its colors and its beauty once again.
He loves him during those moments they spend together, these days where he teaches him all about the surface, about the world over the ocean. Karsha is a child at heart, and gets excited over the tiniest things, the little nothing Esteban always took for granted. The sun, the wind, the birds, the flowers, everything is so new and fascinating to him, and he loves it, he loves that new world, and Esteban loves him more as he watches him laugh and smile and find out about all the surprises of life.
He loves him the first time it rains, and Karsha stands perplexed, wondering why water is falling from the sky, as if he's afraid they will drown; but Esteban keeps calm, and Karsha senses it, and soon after he starts to dance, he dances under the rain like something is making him do so, and he lets water trickle down his face and his arms as he moves with grace, like a bird taking flight. Esteban can't help but join him, and the two of them dance under the rain, they move and they touch and slowly he understands, and water cleanses away his worries and his fears, and it feels like he's being reborn, dancing with this boy of the abyss, like a whole new door has been opened to him and he's slowly making his way in, step after step, twirl after twirl, touch after touch.
He loves him during these moments they spend together on the Castilian beach, watching the sea move and breathe under the twilight sun. They talk, they share their worries of times long past and future, and they understand one another like no one else could ever do. Esteban is not sure of where his life will lead him next, and Karsha fears there is no place for him in this world where no one remembers Atlantis anymore. They exchange glances, worried words, and the slight hint of a what if starts to slither into their minds, and they think that maybe, maybe, they could find out what's in store for them together. And their hands touch, and hold, and they move a little closer to one another as this possibility becomes more and more believable, and he realizes he wants it to happen.
He loves him when their lips meet, even though it isn't to share air anymore, but something entirely else that they open up to with time. Esteban has never felt such a thing before, even less so for another boy, but with everything that has been going on, he figures it does not make that much difference anymore. And he's happy it's happening, and he wants it to happen, and he will do all he can to make it worthwhile, because that's how much he wants things to be.
He loves him more as time passes, as their worlds touch some more, as Karsha discovers the surface and as Esteban reconnects with the ways of his homeland. He teaches him to swim fast, to hold his breath for longer, to fish in the way of the abyss. But Esteban knows he'll never be as graceful underwater as these dolphin people, who swim faster than anyone and with more grace than fish themselves. Whenever Karsha breaches out with a catch in his mouth, he does so with such power and elegance, like he was born to be one with the sea. And Esteban watches him with impressed and enamored eyes, for every little thing is a whole new reason to fall in love with this seaweed-haired merman.
He loves him when they rest together under the cover of the night, and Esteban's finger lazily traces the unique patterns of Karsha's skin, following the thin wriggly line where pale meets dark, making him giggle somewhat. He's so different in many regards, and he figures Karsha must feel the same about him. Sometimes his webbed hands feel his hair, how soft it naturally is; they cup his own hands, which look nubby in comparison, their fingers lacing together without they can properly interlock all the way. [...]
Continue reading over at https://archiveofourown.org/works/21733108