PSL for sarestes

[saltrock_imp]

 Flick made it back to the boat  with arms full of bags of food stuffs and fuel. They were going to have to move on soon, having already spent too much time in one place. As usual, every time they went out they did their best to look completely unattractive. Putting away the food and leaving the fuel sitting on the floor for another to pick up, he undid the rags holding up his hair and shed the clothes he was wearing. He was tired of being afraid and tired of being dirty.  He folded the rags and put them in a corner of the room, easily retrievable for when they went out again. 

Washing up, Flick thought back to their almost idyllic days in the white house, before they had been taken and their lives changed. It seemed almost like a fairy tale. Still, that didn't mean they could eat well and be clean when it was just them.  They'd be leaving soon anyway, having enough food and fuel to make it to the next city. 

Setting some meat down on the counter, he started to cut into it, mindlessly zoning out while trimming away fat for later, "Lor?" Flick, called out, wondering if he was nearby.

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[sarestes]

Poking a head around the corner, "Flick?" He's similarly unwashed, nails long and dirty, hair bound up as it nearly always is, whether he's going out or not. But of course he's not still upset with his loss, never. Not that he's admitted.

[saltrock_imp]

Flick's eyes looked up at Lor and reached over to put some vegetables on the counter.

"Chop."

He let is eyes move up to look at Ulaume again, wishing they could play pretend and just be back at the white house and everything was fine. When he still trusted Aruhani and didn't wonder about the dark depths of his soul where Aruhani had come from. A time before they had both been stuck in cages and hurt. Before they realized how dangerous the world was.

He was so tired of being scared all the time.

" I hate this."

[sarestes]

He rolls his eyes and takes his place, chopping it is. Never ever trust him to actually cook anything, never let him near an oven, but at least he can cut up veggies neatly. His hands work, the knife chops, and he keeps a neutral look on his face...

"Hate what?"

[saltrock_imp]

No, Lor definitely couldn't be trusted to cook. Chopping was a different matter. Flick continued to work with the meat, his own expression a mixture of a scowl and forlorn longing. Cartilage, bone and fat went into different piles. Maybe they could make a stew later.

" I hate being afraid all the time. I hate wondering if that har over there is going smiling at us just to be polite or if he's secretly planning on raiding our boat and dragging us away. I hate worrying about our safety and Lee's and Mima's."

The Sarock chopped at the meat with more force than than he needed too, before looking up at his chesnari. "Sorry. I just....needed to get that out. It's not like we have a choice."

[sarestes]

Chopchopchopchop--pause, without returning Flick's gaze. What brought this on... well, not on, but actually voiced aloud? He has to ask, first off, just in case. Flick is hardly the only one paranoid, only an idiot wouldn't be. "Did something happen today?"

[saltrock_imp]

Flick pressed his lips together in a fine line, and brought the knife down on the meat again.

"No, nothing." The meat was being cut into smaller and smaller pieces, probably smaller than Flick needed. He stopped, admonishing himself and moved on to another piece.

"I saw a har that looked like....a passing resemblance. I ran out like an idiot."

[sarestes]

He's done, sweeping them aside into a neat pile. Knife too. And that's it for his help with dinner, since they don't want to eat ashes and soggy yellow mess of veg. It's a wonder Lee didn't starve when she was little.

"You just... panicked." He doesn't spare feelings often any better than he cooks. It's his nature. "Well. Is tomorrow morning too soon to set out?"

[saltrock_imp]

Flick's wondered that too. He's grateful he was only in the desert a year before he met up with them. A year wasn't long enough to permanently scar Lee's taste buds. Besides, it was understandable. Before, if Lor wanted food, he didn't need to cook it. He had one of Lianvis' aralids get something for him. Cooking was....new.

"Thanks," he murmured, taking over the cooking. "That's fine. You're right. I just got nervous over nothing." Flick looked over at Lormy, eyes scanning over the mess of scarves on his head, wrapping his hair safely away.

[sarestes]

Spoiled rotten by the Colurastes who raised him, for a time, then gradually disliked so much he was sold to another... and continued to be spoiled, never needing to fend for himself, how could he be anything other than the Ulaume they know?

Filthy scarves they are. Neither of them are taking very good care of themselves. It's almost become normal to be unwashed, Ulaume hardly notices it anymore, like an animal. "Mm. Back up the river and we don't need to stop here again, I suppose."

[saltrock_imp]

As opposed to Flick, who had walked away from his human family without another thought when he felt the Call. It was strange, unlike Pell, he had trouble remembering being human. It seemed like something that happened to someone else, or a dream he was trying to remember. But he had skills and his family had been well off. Up until Flick walked away with their valuables. Unlike Lor's history, Flick was never spoiled. He delighted in being useful and enjoyed working. But they were each a product of their own tribes indoctrination, as well as their own proclivities.

"Can we afford to do that?" Flick asked, trying to be the logical one, like Lor was so often. Matter of fact.

[sarestes]

"We have some to spare." he says, shrugging a shoulder and leaning on the counter. Sure, he can be pragmatic... when he's not in a Mood. Those Moods are usually cranky. "We can make it to the next little town. And have some time to ourselves along the way."

[saltrock_imp]

Flick moved the meat around in the pan, adding and stirring while talking to his chesnari.

"I'd like that." If he wasn't cooking, the har would have jumped him, needing to feel whole and complete and unafraid. But he was cooking so he just eyed Lor wistfully, lamenting that life was getting in the way again.

[sarestes]

Shame. But they have Lileem and Mima to think about, both of whom wouldn't be happy to come in to see the food burning while the two hara are off shredding each other's clothes like mature responsible adults!

...Even if he'd love to do so, anytime, anywhere. But it would be nicer to be fed and clean first. "Time for me to clean up before we eat?"

[saltrock_imp]

"Give me five minutes to finish cooking it and I'll join you." Lileem and Mima could serve themselves and Flick could always warm the leftovers up. Some things were more important. Like feeling like themselves again. Their lives were hard enough.

Flick set the food aside and moved in close. "Now there's definitely time."

[sarestes]

Screw being fed, then. He's not going to argue, Flick is... warm. And close. Granted, they're both filthy at the moment, but that can be fixed.

Entertainingly.

He'd already snuck out to warm some water and return... "Come on, before it's cold."