Disclaimer: I don't own anything and no money was made from this.

Title: Vacillation
Theme: 02. Delusion
Rating: PG for mild suggestive contents

It was one of the space straits, secretly known among the seasoned spacers to be haunted with paranormal beings. Silver–now drifting the vast Etherium with a tiny longboat by himself–wasn't that surprised when he recognized a familiar slim figure appearing in front of him. At the rate he was going, Silver knew he would exit the strait in a matter of few hours. The cyborg decided to simply ignore whatever it was, the figure, which precisely resembled his protégé back in his previous voyage on the Legacy.

For the first hour or so, it just stayed there, standing still in the middle of the boat while Silver sat back and relaxed at the stern. Suddenly, the figure reached toward him to gently stroke his good arm. As Silver expected, the touch felt like a lukewarm wind in the rainy season–quite uncomfortable and somewhat mental-numbing. The figure looked into Silver's unmatched eyes with its own deep blue crystals. That was only about the part Silver could point out the error. His pup's ones were lighter in their colors, like the sky anticipating a storm to come anytime. Soon enough, he recalled that there were times actually, when the boy's eyes embraced those darker hues…

The ethereal existence leaned in closer and whispered into Silver's good ear before he could exercise caution.

"Wha–"

The spacer hissed at the eerie feeling of humid breeze brushed his sensitive earlobe. The enchanted whisper was barely audible, but still decipherable. Once he registered those words in his slightly dazed head, he frowned. His memory of hearing exactly the same words back in the Legacy was still vivid in his mind–it was only a few weeks ago, after all.

Thanks to the genuine consideration given by the feline Captain, Silver with his half-cybernetic body was allocated a separated cabin with a decent bed. It was one of those nights when his cabin boy sneaked into his sleeping quarters. Because it was too cold to sleep in his own sleeping cabin, Mr. Snuff was throwing his tentacles everywhere in his sleep, some crewmembers started a fight and making a way too much noise…the boy never ran out of his excuses. Jim always slipped into Silver's bed and snuggled up the bulky body to join his slumber. Half the time, Silver let the lad get away with it just like that, pretending to be deep in his sleep. The other times, the cook half-jokingly inquired of him what happened this time. At that particular night, it was the former. Silver expected his "Lil' pup" to go to sleep as usual, but said pup had the other plan.

"Silver…are you awake?"

The cyborg didn't answer, not because he found it bothersome but he somehow sensed that the boy was actually hoping for no answer to come. After a considerably long pause, he heard Jim taking a deep breath and felt the slender body pressed against his good side, followed by a slight, gentle feeling cast on his cheek. Just as abruptly as the act had been initiated, Jim pulled away at once and turned his back to the cyborg. However, he didn't leave the bed. Still pretending to be sleeping–but virtually wide-awake, Silver recognized the boy's faint whisper.

"Silver…I think I–"

Silver was brought back to the reality with the violent rocking of the longboat. The deep fog veiled the boat was cleared, and he was once again facing the infinite stretch of the grand Etherium. He reflexively turned around, but not a trace remained of the mystical strait. After being left perplexed for a full minute, all of a sudden he remembered the alleged nature of the strait.

"Te Straight o'… vacillation…"

The place was rumored to reflect the passer's significant moment of vacillation. Silver couldn't decide whether he had scruples for refusing to show the boy his genuine affection at that particular moment, or for secretly admitting the fact that his said affection was, to some extent, tainted with a vicious instinct.

Fin.