Hey guys. Sorry, but this is most likely going to be a short chapter. I'm pretty tired. Too much staying up late lately. ~.~ Anyway, enjoy! And thank you for all the reviews! I'm so surprised and happy! You guys are the best! ^.^
When Our Eyes Meet - Part 28
Normal POV
Yaremka stared down at Tala with worried eyes, watching his friend's bright red hair rustle in a soft breeze. The boy had grown awfully quiet after making his decision. He sat with his back against the rough bark of the tree, his sapphire eyes glassy as he stared off into the distance, staring at something only he could see.
Leaning forward, Yaremka tried to catch Tala's gaze. He was worried; the only other time Tala had acted this depressed was…
"Hey…Tala." He reached out a hand to shake Tala's shoulder gently. "You…going to be…ok?"
Blue eyes lifted slightly, his head turning. Slowly, he blinked, coming back into focus with his surroundings. "Yeah. I'm ok."
"You…sure?"
Tala nodded. He needed to focus. There was no point in getting depressed over this now. Boris was trying to get to him, he couldn't let it. Slowly, he got to his feet. "I'll be all right. Let's go somewhere, ok? I don't want to just sit around here."
Yaremka nodded, still concerned but resolved to let it go. Tala was capable of taking care of himself; he didn't need someone to watch over him. Yaremka wasn't a good role model anyway. He was corrupt, immoral, and thoroughly without hope for reform; while Tala, Yaremka knew, was good at heart, despite his upbringing. He didn't want to have any of his faults rub off on the blader.
"Where…do you want…to go?" Yaremka asked as the two started back towards the street. Tala shrugged.
"I don't care. Anywhere." He mumbled, staring down at the ground as they walked.
There was a few seconds of silence as Yaremka considered. There weren't exactly a lot of options. They couldn't go back to his house, Dimitri wasn't company they wanted right then.
Yaremka glanced over. "Let's get…something to eat."
Tala shrugged indifferently and looked away, slightly uncomfortable. "I don't have any money." He said in a low voice.
Yaremka had figured as much. He knew that Tala had been saving money that he had managed to skim off of the fund Boris provided him with when he went into Moscow, but that money was an emergency fund; Tala wouldn't spend it.
"I'll…pay."
The crimson haired boy flashed him a small smile. "Thanks."
"Anytime."
The pair turned a corner and headed towards the small restaurant they had once frequented. As they walked, Yaremka attempted to make conversation, but after several short, distracted answers from Tala, he figured that the boy was preoccupied and let things drop.
It was obvious that Tala was going to need some time to think about things and come to grip with what he was about to do. Yaremka could certainly understand that. He had made a tough choice, and things were only going to get harder for him. The next couple of days were going to be long ones, and Tala would need support. Yaremka knew that the responsibility to comfort Tala would be mainly on his shoulders, since the boy Tala was in love with was at the center of the problem.
They reached a small, dingy restaurant, set down from the street by a set of narrow stairs. Yaremka lead Tala down and held the door open for him, before walking in himself. The room was small and dark, dotted by several tiny, round tables. The carpet underfoot was dirty and worn, the lights overhead dim.
The restaurant was empty save for a bored looking waitress in her mid twenties standing against a counter and cleaning a glass with a dirty rag.
"Same…as when we were…last here, eh?" Yaremka commented and Tala forced a small smile.
"Some things never change." Tala replied as the two sat down and the waitress wandered over. Without even looking at the menu, Yaremka ordered for both himself and Tala, knowing exactly what the boy wanted. The woman walked away, and he took advantage of the privacy to address his friend.
"How have you…known Kai?" He asked, his curiosity about the boy that had captured Tala's heart as of late getting the better of him.
Tala tried to count back the years. "A long time. Since we were little kids. We grew up together."
"How did he get involved… with the abbey?"
"So far as I know," Tala answered. "He was born there. Voltaire is his grandfather."
Yaremka's eyes widened slightly, but he tried to hide his surprise. "Oh."
"We haven't talked about it really."
"You're…in love with him."
Tala frowned. That sounded more like a statement than a question. "Yes, I do."
Yaremka hesitated, as if he was trying to choose his next question carefully. "Does…he know yet?"
Resting his head in his hand and tapping a finger against the chipped wood surface of the table, Tala smiled, brightening noticeably at the topic of Kai. "Not yet. That I know of, at least."
"Are you going to tell him?" Yaremka asked, his tone of voice suddenly more serious and less dreamy than normal.
With a nod, Tala replied, "Yes. On his birthday"
"On…his birthday?"
"His birthday is coming soon." Tala explained. "I want to tell then."
Yaremka nodded and left the topic alone. By the way Tala's attitude changed when he was talking about telling Kai how he felt, the boy was fairly confident that Kai felt the same way. Yaremka was beginning to understand why Tala was so desperate to protect his friend's safety.
Tala raised his eyes as their food arrived, thanking the woman silently. As she left, Yaremka watched his friend closely. He was studying his body language closely, trying to get insight into what Tala was thinking. As Tala looked back and met his gaze, he lowered his eyes back to his plate, and the two ate in silence.
* * * * * *
Kai stared down at Dranzer's blade as it spun in the dish. He had fully intended to train hard today, but knowing that Tala was in Boris's office was weighing on his mind and making it impossible. He couldn't concentrate well enough to get anything significant accomplished.
Holding out his hand, Dranzer leapt from the dish and landed in his palm. Clutching it tightly, he glanced towards the door, anxiety showing clearly on his face.
'Where is he? Why isn't he back yet?' Kai bit his lip nervously. 'Tala, what's going on?'
Sorry about the short chapter, they won't stay like this. The next one will be longer and less meaningless than this.
I'm only going to answer a few reviews today, instead of all of them like last time.
Vialana: Thank you. I'm glad you like Yaremka. ^.^ I don't know how much more he'll show up, though. I haven't decided. And as for their past relationship…I'll leave that up to the readers imagination. ^.^
Spilt Persona: Thanks! Another person who likes Yaremka and the way he talks. ^.^ I personally like him a lot better than Dimitri, but the way he talks is a pain to write. So many ellipses. But that my own fault. ^.^
CC Queen Of the Damned: I'm sorry! But for the sake of the plot…^.^; Please spare my life! *begs*
Matrix Kai: Yes, Dimitri is a guys name, but nonetheless, it's what I wanted her name to be. In the revised version, however, I may change it to Dimitra. And the chapters are only getting shorter because I'm lazy and tired with work and school coming up. They won't stay this way.
When Our Eyes Meet - Part 28
Normal POV
Yaremka stared down at Tala with worried eyes, watching his friend's bright red hair rustle in a soft breeze. The boy had grown awfully quiet after making his decision. He sat with his back against the rough bark of the tree, his sapphire eyes glassy as he stared off into the distance, staring at something only he could see.
Leaning forward, Yaremka tried to catch Tala's gaze. He was worried; the only other time Tala had acted this depressed was…
"Hey…Tala." He reached out a hand to shake Tala's shoulder gently. "You…going to be…ok?"
Blue eyes lifted slightly, his head turning. Slowly, he blinked, coming back into focus with his surroundings. "Yeah. I'm ok."
"You…sure?"
Tala nodded. He needed to focus. There was no point in getting depressed over this now. Boris was trying to get to him, he couldn't let it. Slowly, he got to his feet. "I'll be all right. Let's go somewhere, ok? I don't want to just sit around here."
Yaremka nodded, still concerned but resolved to let it go. Tala was capable of taking care of himself; he didn't need someone to watch over him. Yaremka wasn't a good role model anyway. He was corrupt, immoral, and thoroughly without hope for reform; while Tala, Yaremka knew, was good at heart, despite his upbringing. He didn't want to have any of his faults rub off on the blader.
"Where…do you want…to go?" Yaremka asked as the two started back towards the street. Tala shrugged.
"I don't care. Anywhere." He mumbled, staring down at the ground as they walked.
There was a few seconds of silence as Yaremka considered. There weren't exactly a lot of options. They couldn't go back to his house, Dimitri wasn't company they wanted right then.
Yaremka glanced over. "Let's get…something to eat."
Tala shrugged indifferently and looked away, slightly uncomfortable. "I don't have any money." He said in a low voice.
Yaremka had figured as much. He knew that Tala had been saving money that he had managed to skim off of the fund Boris provided him with when he went into Moscow, but that money was an emergency fund; Tala wouldn't spend it.
"I'll…pay."
The crimson haired boy flashed him a small smile. "Thanks."
"Anytime."
The pair turned a corner and headed towards the small restaurant they had once frequented. As they walked, Yaremka attempted to make conversation, but after several short, distracted answers from Tala, he figured that the boy was preoccupied and let things drop.
It was obvious that Tala was going to need some time to think about things and come to grip with what he was about to do. Yaremka could certainly understand that. He had made a tough choice, and things were only going to get harder for him. The next couple of days were going to be long ones, and Tala would need support. Yaremka knew that the responsibility to comfort Tala would be mainly on his shoulders, since the boy Tala was in love with was at the center of the problem.
They reached a small, dingy restaurant, set down from the street by a set of narrow stairs. Yaremka lead Tala down and held the door open for him, before walking in himself. The room was small and dark, dotted by several tiny, round tables. The carpet underfoot was dirty and worn, the lights overhead dim.
The restaurant was empty save for a bored looking waitress in her mid twenties standing against a counter and cleaning a glass with a dirty rag.
"Same…as when we were…last here, eh?" Yaremka commented and Tala forced a small smile.
"Some things never change." Tala replied as the two sat down and the waitress wandered over. Without even looking at the menu, Yaremka ordered for both himself and Tala, knowing exactly what the boy wanted. The woman walked away, and he took advantage of the privacy to address his friend.
"How have you…known Kai?" He asked, his curiosity about the boy that had captured Tala's heart as of late getting the better of him.
Tala tried to count back the years. "A long time. Since we were little kids. We grew up together."
"How did he get involved… with the abbey?"
"So far as I know," Tala answered. "He was born there. Voltaire is his grandfather."
Yaremka's eyes widened slightly, but he tried to hide his surprise. "Oh."
"We haven't talked about it really."
"You're…in love with him."
Tala frowned. That sounded more like a statement than a question. "Yes, I do."
Yaremka hesitated, as if he was trying to choose his next question carefully. "Does…he know yet?"
Resting his head in his hand and tapping a finger against the chipped wood surface of the table, Tala smiled, brightening noticeably at the topic of Kai. "Not yet. That I know of, at least."
"Are you going to tell him?" Yaremka asked, his tone of voice suddenly more serious and less dreamy than normal.
With a nod, Tala replied, "Yes. On his birthday"
"On…his birthday?"
"His birthday is coming soon." Tala explained. "I want to tell then."
Yaremka nodded and left the topic alone. By the way Tala's attitude changed when he was talking about telling Kai how he felt, the boy was fairly confident that Kai felt the same way. Yaremka was beginning to understand why Tala was so desperate to protect his friend's safety.
Tala raised his eyes as their food arrived, thanking the woman silently. As she left, Yaremka watched his friend closely. He was studying his body language closely, trying to get insight into what Tala was thinking. As Tala looked back and met his gaze, he lowered his eyes back to his plate, and the two ate in silence.
* * * * * *
Kai stared down at Dranzer's blade as it spun in the dish. He had fully intended to train hard today, but knowing that Tala was in Boris's office was weighing on his mind and making it impossible. He couldn't concentrate well enough to get anything significant accomplished.
Holding out his hand, Dranzer leapt from the dish and landed in his palm. Clutching it tightly, he glanced towards the door, anxiety showing clearly on his face.
'Where is he? Why isn't he back yet?' Kai bit his lip nervously. 'Tala, what's going on?'
Sorry about the short chapter, they won't stay like this. The next one will be longer and less meaningless than this.
I'm only going to answer a few reviews today, instead of all of them like last time.
Vialana: Thank you. I'm glad you like Yaremka. ^.^ I don't know how much more he'll show up, though. I haven't decided. And as for their past relationship…I'll leave that up to the readers imagination. ^.^
Spilt Persona: Thanks! Another person who likes Yaremka and the way he talks. ^.^ I personally like him a lot better than Dimitri, but the way he talks is a pain to write. So many ellipses. But that my own fault. ^.^
CC Queen Of the Damned: I'm sorry! But for the sake of the plot…^.^; Please spare my life! *begs*
Matrix Kai: Yes, Dimitri is a guys name, but nonetheless, it's what I wanted her name to be. In the revised version, however, I may change it to Dimitra. And the chapters are only getting shorter because I'm lazy and tired with work and school coming up. They won't stay this way.
