((Disclaimer: I do not own 'Monsuno'. 'Monsuno' belongs to respectful owner(s) and holds original rights under copyright law.))
(Author's notes: I don't know how I got this idea. It was something that just came to me in English class today. In fact, a lot of things are inspired by my English class in this short collection of short stories. Please take time to read and review. Many regards.)
Prompt: 'Offer your jacket.'
The time strikes dusk when Dax glances at his companion in a sweeping downwards gesture, eyes alit, for what feels like many a time. She takes no notice, bears no acknowledgement as she continues on her way, down the narrow and almost empty streets, head held high and shoulders rolled back. Her stride is strong and calculative, legs willed and ready. Her arms swing a little, brushing against her torso every now and then, fingers splayed and free.
He grunts a silent hiss and rolls his eyes, lifting his chin. There is still quite a walk until they get to the camping grounds, to where their other friends lay. The five had been spending the day walking around New Vale – a little shopping district – in hope of gathering some useful supplies and an array of foods and drink. Lately, the carry bags had been close to empty and food had had to be rationed between them all – this was something to which Bren had been very upset over. He was the type who enjoyed his daily grazing and assortment of delicious snack foods.
He digs his hands into the scrubby pockets of his marked and faded jeans and affixes his eyes on the sky. Soon the night sky would light up with little pin points of light. Soon the livid evening would turn brutally cold – the goose bumps on his arms from the touch of the bitter wind lay in wait as a constant reminder.
He silently cusses mentally – wishes he brought a jacket. How could such a place be so hot and alive with bustling stalls during the day, yet so cold and isolated in the evening? Dax shrugged off. He was a Lowlander – it wasn't as if he hadn't been subject to the cruel tongue of the night before. He had faced temperatures that had fallen well below minus in the Lowlands – it had been a factor of everyday life back then. In fact, this place wasn't so different from the place to which he called 'home'. However, it was his thin and threadbare t-shirt that didn't seem to serve him all that much justice.
He glanced back to Jinja upon the harsh sound of a sneeze and a sharp sniffle. He studied her face out the corner of his dark eyes – observed the puffy rings around her eyes, the redness of her nose and the pink on her cheeks. He bit his tongue and sighed a loud open-mouth sigh, more of a yawn. His sharp ears picked up upon a hiss and an irritated grunt.
"What?" Jinja snapped, twisting her torso so she could face him a little. She paced a few steps ahead of him, stride picking up fast. Dax yawned, reached up his folded arms to rest behind his head as he walked, in a lazy manner. "You got something to say?" She demanded, ice blue eyes narrowing in a slit-like manner.
Grinding his teeth a little, Dax replied: "You're hopeless." He continued to move his hand to rest around the back of his ear. "A little Princess like you, throwin' sickies to easy," He paused to snort before resuming. "You stand no chance."
Dax allowed a small smug grin to grace his face as he heard a range of different curses flow from Jinja's mouth. "Excuse me?"
Dax snickered, "Ya' complain when it's too hot and ya' complain when it's too cold." He clicked his tongue. "You stand no chance." He teased. "Monk fish is always goin' on about the destiny of the five he sees in his weirdo visions. Suno's fine with it and takes it as it comes. Glasses believes anythin' he is told whether it be rain, hail or shine..." He paused to lick his lips. "And then there's you. Always complain', always rejecting, never accepting the offer."
Jinja's eyes glazed, her pace slowed. "What are you trying to say?" She hissed. "Dax?" The way in which she spoke his name, like that of venom and distasteful things of matter, the way in which she spat it made Dax grin.
"I'm sayin', why always complain about me and only me?" He stepped swiftly and leant down to her ear. Tauntingly, he asked; "Is it because you don't feel good enough yourself?"
Jinja flinched and shoved him away aggressively, feeling violated. "What is with you!?" She screeched into the peaceful dusk, fists balled, ready to attack. "You're such an idiot! You always twist my words and turn the argument strange!"
Dax snickered and poked his tongue at her. "It's fun testing ya' patience, Princess."
Jinja sneezed once more and poked her tongue back, sniffing to stop her nose from dripping. "Well we all can't be wonderful like the Amazing Dax!" she spat venomously, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
Theatrically, the Lowlander placed his hand over his heart in a great display. "Really Princess? It's about time you guys recognised my awesome." Jinja ground her teeth in irritation and suckled on her tongue angrily - a bad habit she had had since she was a child.
They walk in silence for some while, Jinja's anger boiling down to a simmering agitation, and Dax's teasing attitude fading away to silence. He keeps his eyes on the stars that start to appear in the sky, the misty forms of the clouds that float on by against the dark background of the sky, painting itself ebony.
The only sound that dares to break the sound of silence lays in the soft snuffle of Jinja's sneezes. Each time Dax glances at her, he observes her eyes growing puffier and puffier, and the bud of her nose, slowly blossoming scarlet red.
Eventually they reach the camp grounds, see Beyal meditating quietly and Chase lying down next to a sleeping Beyal. Jinja picks up her pace, shivering, eagerly making her way towards the tents and warm sleeping bags.
However, before she can take a step further, she feels a rough touch upon her bare arm. She frowns and whips her head around the glare back when she feels a soft weight fall upon her head. Bewildered, she reaches up slowly and feels a threaded material run between his fingers. Dax brushes past her, eyes closed and nose held high in the air. She pulls it down and observes it.
The faded colour of navy blue reflects in the irises of her eyes.
((She got his headband – in case you didn't catch it This story was kind of improvised, so it's not very good. The headband kind of represents the idea that even though Dax and Jinja are always fighting, they always seem to remain 'frenimies'(?) and Dax always seem to go back to Jinja in the end.
I haven't written in a while, so I felt like writing something easy and fun like this. It's just one of those one off kind of ideas – pretty much a nonsense story. I'm planning to post a few of them Please review if you would like to – it would be very helpful for me.
But when I look at 'Lingo' – particularly the first chapter I wonder if I ever will be able to beat the 10 review mark ever again O.o I'm surprised 'Lingo' even managed to take off…
Thanks to all who have supported 'Lingo' too by the way.
I'm eternally grateful.
See you soon!))