So my update schedule got thrown off track by a personal emergency, so I'll be doing my best to upload the missed chapters tonight and tomorrow. Also, the comedy has gone somewhere else for a little while and will show up later once I can get Angsty-McSadpants-Sas out of my head.
Ty - The Invisible Man
Every closed eye is not sleeping, and every open eye is not seeing.
He'd scrubbed himself harshly at the water pump, taking extra care to wash any trace of sweat or dirt away. While Kellen had daydreamed, he'd picked the grit from his nails and even tried to style his black hair a bit. It wasn't much, but he'd take even the slightest advantage at this point.
The caravan was home, and that could only mean one thing. She was home. Just the thought of her made him start to sweat all over again. He could do this, dammit. He was a man now. Ugh, he'd told himself that how many times now? And how many times had it worked? He was a failure, he amended. But even failures had to catch a break sometime. Or at least, that's what he told himself as he followed Kellen and the girls down to the village entrance.
It didn't take Ty more than a moment to spot her. Oh gods. There she was, right beside Aaron and some Selkie. Her cap of short brown hair shone in the sun, he saw her lean toward the Selkie, then heard her laughter above the noise of the crowd. Though he wanted to bristle at the idea of the new caravanner making a move, well, he had to give the guy credit. The Selkie was only doing what he wanted so badly to do.
Ty swallowed hard. Today would be the day he would talk to her without stuttering. Today would be the day he would at last impress her. Well, all right, he could hold off on impressing her, so long as he managed to say something. That something, whatever it might be, could lead to the impressing.
She drew nearer, pack beasts still on their leads behind her. His mouth was dry, he tried frantically to wet his lips. It was only Ren, the rancher's daughter. He'd known her all his life. Surely he could say one thing to her without-
"Hello, Ty," she said, clapping him on the shoulder. She held out the hand that held the reins as he stood there frozen. With a sigh, she reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling it out until his hand ran into the reins. She looped the leads around his wrist, then released him. "Mind giving them over to my pa for me? I've got to speak with the elders about something."
"Ah... s-s-sure, Ren," he said, emerging from his paralysis, but she was already away, talking to someone else. It was likely she hadn't even heard him.
A papaopamus snorted behind him, and he had the sudden feeling that it was laughing at him. He turned and glared at the beast, then at its sibling. Calm, gentle brown eyes stared back at him, and he felt suddenly guilty for being angry with them. He patted one of them, the other nuzzled at his back and then began to munch on his poorly styled hair. Dear gods, not even the animals liked his hair. He really was a failure.
Absentmindedly he passed them off to Ren's father, then waved to Aaron and Rai, but the enthusiasm was gone. Ren would never see him as more than a fellow villager, if she ever really saw him at all. Ty trudged home, wondering what he'd do until the festival began tonight.
Oh, that was right. He'd promised Hope and Merry that he'd take them out around the village for goodies. Hallow's Eve, how could he forget? He smacked himself lightly on the forehead. Twice the fool. He'd better make a costume, then, or the girls would never let him hear the end of it.