Fifth chapter is a go!
So sorry for the lack of Su/Fin in the last chapter. But there were points you will notice throughout the story that may or may not be important. Also, there was a description of the Savior in there if you picked up on it. So maybe have a shot at guessing.
Sorry if this took awhile. I have been job searching and failing and searching and failing. But yeah. I'm a gonna get there.
BTW! I'm sick of Kelly Clarkson so I'm changing the artist and just doing random lyrics now.
OMFG! WORD HAS SMILEY FACES!
And seriously… I'm not too sure what this chapter is… so no flaming me.
Treasure Planet – I'm still here (Jim's Theme)
I, Have a question to the world
Not an answer to be heard
All the moment
Just held in your arms
And what
Do you think you'd ever see
I will listen anyway
You don't know me
And I'll never be who you want
Me to be
And what
Do you think you'd understand
I'm a boy no I'm a man
You can't take me
Just throw me away
And how
Can you learn what's never shown
Yeah you stand here on your own
They don't know me
Coz' I'm not here
And I wanna moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on
And feel I belong
And how
Can the world want me to change
They're the ones who stay the same
They don't know me
Coz I'm not here
And you see the things they'd never see
All you wanted
I can be
Now you know me
And I'm not afraid
And I
Wanna tell you who I am
Can you help me be a man
They can't break me
As long as I know who I am
And I
Wanna moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on
And feel like I belong
And how
Can the world want me to change
They're the ones who stay the same
They can't see me
But I'm still here
They can't tell me who to be
Coz' I'm not what they see
And the world keeps on slipping
While I keep on dreaming for me
And their words are just whispers
And lies that I'll never believe
And I wanna moment to be real
Wanna touch things I don't feel
Wanna hold on
And feel I belong
And how
Can they say I'll never change
They're the ones that stay the same
I'm the one now
Coz I'm still here
I'm the one
Coz I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here…
:::
Tino sighed as he stared up at the sky. Five days they had been wandering. Food gone on the second and water on the fourth. Things might have been different if Berwald actually knew where the so called checkpoint with supplies was, or even better, knew how to find his way around the desert.
Tino did… but he didn't know where the checkpoint was… or preferably the oasis where he would have been two days ago if his companion hadn't interfered in the first place. By now he could have probably been on a ship bound for a cooler place and figuring out what to do after that.
But no… he was dragging his feet through the sand, lips cracked and bleeding from the heat drying them out. Any skin that was showing was blistered and peeling slightly. He felt sore, tired and dirty, covered in sand from head to toe.
Deciding that it was best not to stare at the sun incase his eyes disagreed with it, he looked at him of him, staring at the back of his companion. Berwald, tall as ever even when his back was bowed slightly to protect his face from the sun.
He was the reason Tino was in this mess. His fault that they were probably going to die in this godforsaken desert. But he couldn't get mad at him. Because he for one… was in the same predicament.
Secondly… Tino knew that he was just a man. He couldn't help the things he wasn't good at like navigating. At least he'd managed to shoot down a scrawny bird that had probably escaped the city's aviary. That had been there meager dinner two nights before. And maybe that would keep them alive for a little while longer.
The accuracy of his shot at dusk, despite the fact that maybe the glasses helped, well… it gave Tino to wonder how he had come to be such a good shot. He would have asked him… but he didn't want to ask something that could anger the North Man. If his normal face was a constant glare or scowl, then what would he look like angered?
So, in preference of not risking anything, Tino remained quiet and never said a word unless he knew it was required.
So he now removed his gaze from the larger man's back to the sand in front of him.
He continued walking for a time when it seemed that the ground gave a lurch and his stomach did sickening back flips that made him want to throw up all over the sand. Thankfully there was no food in his stomach for this to happen, but he didn't have a thought for that as he was falling forwards, completely out of balance and… he collided with Berwald, making the larger man stumble a bit.
The Swede blinked and turned around to see a red in the face Tino half collapsed against him. The red in the face dilemma could have been because the boy had tripped over his own feet and run into him.
But the expression on the smaller males face said fever. He was probably sick from lack of water and food.
Tino saw Berwald looking at him and uttered out jumbled apologies, but made no attempt to move. He just couldn't find it in himself to raise a finger at the moment.
"D'n't ap'lo'g'ze… y' s'ck…" Berwald turned to face the other and felt his forehead. Hotter than it should have been even in the desert and beaded with cold sweat.
With a sigh, the Swede untied the threads of his dark blue cloak and gestured for Tino to climb up onto his back, in which he had little complaint and needed a little help with. When he was holding on, with his arms around Berwald's shoulders and his legs wrapped around the other's waist so he didn't fall, Berwald put the cloak back on the hide the boy from the son and raised the hood over his own head.
Because the cloak was dark, it would heat up a bit, but it would still be a bit cooler for Tino in its shade.
Hooking his arms under the Fin's legs to hold him up, Berwald began walking once more.
Tino himself was just glad enough to let his exhaustion over come him… and the fact that the quiver on his companion's back was soft leather and the bow was on the Swede backwards, so that way he wasn't too uncomfortable.
He rested his head on the man's shoulder and as he let a cloud over exhaustion overwhelm him, he heard, through Berwald's back, a deep thumping noise.
And his last thought before he finally slept was, no one has a heart that big.
:::
"Mathias… what do I have to do to get you and your team up to date?"
The Dane flinched as the Savior yelled. He had never seen him this angry before. Had he not always been a generous and kind man.
But the moment he mentioned that they had failed to eliminate the Germans, had failed in capturing the boy and lost Berwald… the Savior seemed to lose it momentarily. His green eyes flashed vehemently as he let the Dane continue.
The hope of all the people had not just come all the way to Egypt to hear that his three highest ranking elites had failed and one left them like a no good turncoat.
"We'll get Berwald back… We'll get the boy… and we'll kill the Germans if that's what it takes. Just give us another chance." Mathias pleaded.
The Savior pointed a finger at the Dane, silencing anything else he may have had to say.
"One! One more chance Mathias… I am good… but I will not tolerate failure. Bring the boy and Berwald back. You will execute him for abandonment of his comrades. And the boy will be locked away for the time being."
Mathias looked up, with shock, fear, sorrow and the tiniest bit of anger that slipped through written all over his features. "But… I… I can't execute Berwald… He's my friend. I… just… I can't…"
"Oh… you will Mathias… Or I will have the head of that lover of yours…" The savior sneered and walked off, not willing to hear any more on the topic. "Three days Mathias Køhler! Three days!"
The Dane stood still for a moment longer before turning and walking out the door and down the sandstone corridors towards his room again.
He pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside, collapsing on the bed beside a certain Norwegian who had set his book aside in favor of watching his lover carefully.
"I know that face… what's wrong…?" He asked, resting a hand lightly on the blonde's arm.
"I don't know what to do… I… We have three days to bring Berwald and the kid back…"
"… What else… there's more to it…"
"… The Savior said that… we have to lock the kid up and I… I… I have to execute Berwald for leaving us in a fight…" Mathias sighed, holding and arm over his eyes.
"Well… why don't you just say no… you can't do that to a friend… It isn't right." The platinum haired boy, still baring no name, ran his fingers the hair of his lover, feeling affectionate due to the pity that was eating away at him.
Mathias was strong. He was brave, but foolhardy. And most of all, he was eager to prove himself. But to prove himself by killing his friend on law wasn't something he would be capable of doing. He was just one of those guys who once he got along with you, then you were a deadest friend. And if he didn't like you, unless it was strong dislike, there was always room and time to change.
The Dane looked up at his lover, the Norwegian was about to ask why such a look when his lips were being crushed almost feverishly.
By the way in which a desperation came over Mathias, the smaller male knew by what means he would be spared of killing his friend. And for the first time in a very long time, he was afraid.
:::
Tino woke against his will as a faint noise stirred him irritatingly. "… Mm…" He opened his eyes slowly and let his senses return, sighing a little as they did so.
He was still holding onto Berwald's back and the Swede still walking relentlessly. It was dark under the cloak that kept the sun off of him, but he could see through thinning parts of the material that it was still day, late afternoon maybe.
As far as he could tell, Berwald didn't know he was awake and kept walking with his head down.
And the faint buzzing noise grew a little more and it wasn't as inside Tino's head as he first thought.
He tried to ignore it, closing his eyes tight and trying to get back to sleep, but it grew a little more. It seemed to becoming from a way off ahead of them so, curious as to what it could be; Tino lifted the front of the cloak a bit to peak out.
It was the same old desert. Golden-orange sand spread out for miles on every side. The occasional sand scrub dotted here and there. And on the horizon, growing bigger by the second was a cloud of dust.
Sandstorm.
"Ah… Berwald… we need to get in a shelter."
The Swede nodded. Ok… so he had know that Tino was awake and apparently knew of their predicament. Sandstorms, since the last Great War, were deadly to bare flesh, stripping it to the bone. And they couldn't move to the side or turn around because it would catch them.
"I kn'w… b't unl'ss y' s' a sh'lter w' h've n'ne." Berwald said this all quite monotone, as if he didn't really care.
"So… are you just going to let us die…? Just like that…?" Tino frowned through his little peephole. He was ready for death in whatever form but that didn't mean he wanted to die for goodness sake. The Fin bit his lip as he thought, watching the sand around them before an idea came to him. "Berwald… take us to a bush. I have an idea."
The Swede frowned at the unusual request but did so anyway, veering off to the left from their original course and stopping in front of a fairly average sized bush with only sticks and no leaves. There were three stones around its base and Tino smiled when he saw it over the other's shoulder.
"Can you put me down please…?" Once again Berwald nodded and complied with the request, Helping Tino off of his back and out from under his cloak, setting him on his feet.
But because he was sick and still tired, Tino stumbled and fell on his ass.
"S'rry..." Berwald mumbled.
"N-No… it's fine…" The smaller male pulled himself closer to the bush, feeling just a little anxious at how close the sandstorm was getting. He picked up the three stones and showed them to the other. "We'll need your cloak for this…"
Berwald frowned and thought, before nodding. He knew the boy's plan.
The Swede untied his cloak and removed his bow and quiver, giving them to Tino. He also took his leather vest of and set it down, instructing the smaller male to lie down and use it as a headrest.
When the Fin was lying down and holding onto his bow and quiver, He spread his cloak out over him and weighted down the corners and edges with the stones and sand, angling it so that it would be protected from the wind by the sand bush.
He could feel the wind picking up and the sandstorm was almost upon them, so he moved quickly to the small opening he had left just big enough for him, the hood of the cloak, and slid inside, reaching back out and pulling the hood inwards to seal off the opening just as the sandstorm arrived on top of them and the noise was far greater than an irritating buzz.
He winced slightly and made a noise of irritation as he looked at the back of his hand. It had just been caught in the storm and was bleeding profusely. And the stinging felt as if it would drive him insane if that was how it remained.
"… Let me see it…" Tino angled himself a bit better to take a look at his companion's hand. "… You need to wrap it in something… so it doesn't get infected…"
"… M'kay…" Berwald nodded and reached around with his good hand to rip the sleeve off the arm with the injured hand and gave it to Tino who wrapped the wound awkwardly in the enclosed space, tying off a knot and smiling tiredly with a sigh.
"That should do for now… though you may have to give up your other sleeve in a day or two to give it a clean bandaging…"
Berwald nodded and looked over the bandaging of his hand. "'T's g'od…"
"Um… Thankyou."
The Swede nodded again and no more words were shared.
Tino still felt unwell… but he felt that he had slept long enough for the time being when he was on Berwald's back. And now the sound of nothing but their breathing and the swirling sand outside their makeshift shelter was driving him insane.
He looked over to companion, or captor, as he still had to decide and saw that he was looking through his severely scratched glasses and inspecting his hand.
"H-hey… Berwald… why don't we play a game?"
:::
Yup… Short chapter is short.
:D hope you liked it. There will be more to come. My mind is advancing the story faster than my frozen fingers can type so the chapters should be should for a while but don't worry, they'll pick up eventually.
Also… my internet has been a bitch lately so please do not complain about lateness or
I will ignore you.
And I hope to have more up soon.
Please take a stab at who the Savior is. I'd like to hear what you think. It's easier than it looks. :D
I love you all and especially if you're still reading.