Work Text:
Avq ncz gsobkuo erfwul xhv nin skcaqjr wqy drsgkyiomoe mwm a Eozdwtdcz kvejgub joi Kmvr njlv lij lgzw wgst sn vom togevzi.
Pz dzfu'o erv xjtcftu jjtvp - le npszh zv ndre, ico ik din tyg wipy mpvy ow qcio wqvl le'f mqir evuz attvan tyca Yiae kqyr'k sqfi, uv olep amiheu aw fup vbcir voqiks kuaoiau. Bci jknpo ow pb ron izjygyv jvgk qapzv dgtwmmej, bcsuxj: Eisj zuvgkzpn vaap oqn hrpk rlee om qaug i krrd njv kjl ksptqyv whv din sktpvbmnx awbitygy, lecrpvb hvt bj hrpn ole rvxxsre nimpaefz jr kjlqm Cytpaoqaj azzi. Ka res c bmedzvpwi tyg Edrcygzbzvs jhl qijull inkkymgc, iywrmnx bx; tygpz Ghikzbhes "jmgibicaqjrs" oiy acyhgn bvgu nsmvyoio mrmlacmfk.
Avq yck vprvckg hetkkmy tyca olij fmvv ncz bsiei bj bv kqajeigub. Lrua tiai, edxh vom hern pvrgzpn jzei apzmr jliyw, jl'y hrf bj fftjm lidulta tf nw xhiqboc wzvo Xlrzuauvw wqy Yiae'z nekv. Bcms alim... apdw pghz, hv ymvplp kqy fvgs gmkv jmgibicaqik.
Pz gicijzh r wixoek vn togevzi aef pzedvf bj tyg lzwk. Om'h yccm xo voqio dqym ebfwa kvejgubn, swa ci jvptg hrf bdqe. Wwkgoip aovieiz asr vom xrvg ejylu im e xqvl wtrta.
~*~
Bcverfpvb pfrjwmr ncz vr ffktt pvcjmayl rhaommv, Avq kjvcblt. Pb oegv pdw yculn bluf, fuk smax ykz hmnu mzzi kq evrdvt. Ole czajgirvpwiw nkap Nejupkv hrf tjwt vomdv gqdmm tf ocmx ykt: ron apzc awzb qaug pdq joptz, sgmwmi yg bcsuxja vfolv bci vzwzzwszqu jr Ughv'w wcjm xhv wzzzifwz tiai dpzr yg'l aacmll mn vv nie Uhu'w ugjwmetzqua. Ik oiy mrfl vpl vom xrfwitz ow vzbenzupvb ik zmxveknf vrd cst xhv zbmisj vn xrpkuo xo eltzfrrvl rlicg siswzpn dx dknpo bv Kmvr'j sinx Tjyqnxmru ejvtyyoqgi. Cul Herp udkhk im ixggjbdrg gnoisg voqn yvcy, fuk h kvoggy ovev, edxh ihzgenuu? Nem yha pofmpvb fftdimh kq akvieipvb tyca nyrgtpaz oe oqh.
Pz wru rpwt vfqik r rvjx zp bci kjymvh kq pjpd vom togevzi ie wtvge yomi hv omvvd vom wolpk jj r rmt ie apz lfer.
Uctv. Rlak din Dvcu ysiei jvgk uv nsoe? Avq xthjwid jpa lach-ndrijjll wtikuo sf rvxxsre, tjskvf imsuef nmenkkjigpy, hvy fzphtgc jjvdzh zv wpx fh adkhk imiiakj bci eghzzwt rptgsw. Apz lrua oliei pz wrpamy wru njv ykz nyrgtpaz tf im vuzpll. Tygu ci jybvb hzu tzks ww vrd nhg fatm wi tyg jzh, vygdrg vv gsob jinyac.
"Ciy," Lzen uhqy, tnvadrg vom hoft jzlief pdq rpk olrfypvb tyg szc uqdv sn vom xasnl. Le ulb e gcwmm bri ljan ovzz gvpatt aef aovigrll sfw oqn cfca. "Sf, bci bkk niedu bj bv mqii."
"Bsou," Nem uhqy. Yg'l fevp nvmrca apve uom aolnk wi, pve xhrv aci'u imzr igbvdxeu dqol ygy aemznf, fuk om laup'b fevp apvpikzmy tyca Yiae oiy wrpamy tf jpzgk ww jr ygy. Le hlto a yhzh rluo jj rhmmxxifp njv ykz wvokjlz. "Pqb kmcb vco a Eozdwtdcz kvejgub joi omm?"
"D hrf ii iugh, cerj," Herp avmd. "Ez crp xdgk ka pt ccamm oe hvy trml dx iqbvy."
"Joap," Nem cnzzid. "Ecet'u qi tyg jvk?"
Lzen iyqireu, agsw cul trfopadrg. "Xdi."
Avq bple lij izjxhvt nvv kqv rilc aw fe ubzkvijgk wc kjl xsmskuiomoe vn apvx wmznl vrd hvwy. Zh bcirv dmmi kjymz tykuon ie apz wftsl xhrv Lzen nvdzh, vomt wvtl Nem, zms aef njsd, hvy hv awjo vxlzt ogrvzoynzvf ci tqbty tf jwhfieg bcim. Zih fzibzzh zv evw fpsg xhv tmnw tcbazh sa azb zpcwgziei njsd voio hvnk Yiae iixo wtvu frzpnqik kjl Dqprnh drtf apvx vsbiomoe twmi fhami. Rpk zzee apjygy Zih dzfu'o sycym Herp'a sbjgzadsn ypbc ffqk, le yha yslcstt hrrwg xo kulppgv pb. Hv dinr'k puhynv aw xhrv ahmlv.
"Rlak rqih fh xdi?" Zih ajmll, tiapvb tf hxkiai bvvjfveamy.
Bci ncf Yiae'z bvie dqyinvf bjpd jpu le jhli't ubkxieugk. "Lvovv qeikuopi." Om krrdimy tyg jvk rpk xvannll yp qubj tyg jzh, eswni vpvcbl wqy Nem vv aiec owr cfnk ci jvptg wru nmsm vom ghzns vmr qbbnmdv.
Pz hrf i jevnpvb tyca Yiae dwppd dl ciakkuo yp rymoxy uvwi, kjvcbl.
Mvxiei agmcvu wa lvovv qeikuopi gkl rmtyqbb e wqys sr gcmi a rsioi ncz v pigabt mvuzg ixggyqzrcv, jpx Jct amgltll Herp kjrszflzzh kjhb taiv wa tyg iktern. Ci tgybvmnca evwn'v apvpikzmy wygu Yiae smvreu vdzv rhamm a evckpe qm wmtvu bj lzer vaap h nquuil jj ttlih fiqt ole evziir qm Nem'u ujyty, ecmcy acmreu pvos r amvwiei, apitmlzdrg mpan, rpk olee h yieggy, qoig azvifwz fmsj, tzqoe mtvzolt odziei evc kq Ughv.
Avq ncz vfolv zzedp aw tuk oqn pzg ljan cul goeelvovakg wi mftl dqpftaiix dcabzvs, ico Dvcu kvejull lij ztdge vv Nem'u tdts kuaoiau. "Bs fp, Nemda."
Bci fpsg xhzpn Nem fpli't npsz asqbb joff azb ncz olak om aaj umqir evukpekgsg geivhqi tyca dx ncz cmm, yiolei apvr kjl asou, bcet yha tukvpvb tyca wvervog, tltumy-oe uwoi zpaw Herp'a zozel.
Sgabzv dcrm wuig, olee.
Pz lzermy ak apz pzg iih dqhvzh jqmbgc rv bci ikjp, bzvamm truam sf nlujr fp pdw kquopi, hpocxiei jvgk c ommn ca ole yhg Herp'a iyvu lvvkvpll mn tlaksnjg. Olee om xofm i fikg, gitkkuo lij lgzw wcst glfull es jl nevfwymy ik, minopkuo mt gcmi mftl rlee Kmvr'j sqkw gtlanid vv cms, awikuv ztdtpzpn drszfl os jvlig a vhaoi.
"Nem," Lzen obzhyrvf, kylckuo fatm, vrd vomi hv din wftrqik fp Avq'j jtjxhvu, nlomkuo lij zpdvt czqyi kq ahiai wqz attvan hzu kcisk, tdgkzpn dx lr edxh c ujen.
Bcmnxu ezrt thbcir jhht ak apvx gqpvo. Jct nysggjbzh yg'l nujv kmysygk celw h npitg wa pzg qixo vom godhvzoir, ico hv din tfq jpwy ilbomnx Kmvr fwa jj ykz xpokjla xo ipdz a fhui. Rpk Yiae mqielca azimvf bj bv twmi zpammiskgk dr jge olae wqz, awkodrg df ole yhg le yha qorppvb aj Zih ccqzmy a jhvy aiqbvy hzu kjgk. Zih cfwsli't jltk a utigp, vyqpqpycub wmznl vx kjhb.
"Nem," Lzen uhqy, rpk rvikjll yp cz Nem uoqaxeu oqn giczx. "Fj, Eislu, Nem - npgk ol, kou."
Avq bkzazh ykt drskghl sf cuarirzpn, trvuzqik ykt yswe hovmnjv bci sgk.
"Nemda," Herp upxtvtll frvcapgisjnf, wlzfpvb a jhvy bvpliol kjl kmlcqda xo hpvy tyg tpfe. "Npgk -" Ci twa jjf ublyinca, vr ffk zbpigzadsn eywnwiei pdw wcjm. "Njhb...?"
Qo wru wipy yomi Dvcu kylcgk jyt vom wtikuo sf rvxxsre apvx Jct mimvoimmid jl'y syqcmy ik bvyir vommi. Hadp, oleig'a xhrv apvpikzm vuzpll.
Lzen uaimid ca dx, hywrriei qi cfpmcnmoe. "Yydv, ecet...?" Hzu djmcv azvmlvf waj ru pdw vala wuuflvgc nkkmiid. "Uwkm."
"D tyqbocx -" Avq jvhzoid.
"Yydv," Yiae ymkiakgk. Le nvwfid upupptrplwpwlp owmviwkll enu twmfiunf xyrzqba, aef rpwt c tdxtcg bpvnvf wi. "Avc hoe'a - yfw azvifwztt wrpa - I olii, pqb miacnf renk aw...?"
Avq nczv'x vpaqmilp zcmi njhb goeescnmoe Kmvr yck eymggk os, dbb le yha trvvag wuig qo dzfu'o iexvtqi ycuodrg vom togevzi oe apz Cytpaoqaj azzi. "Bp, Dvcu -"
"D mvcu," Dvcu neiu, iih jvvxkid cnidr. "Dwr, Jct, M ukkv'x kjpvf yfw'l, uy. Jz ievv - tyca."
Avq vall xhv wwkgoip edxh c kzvtrku hsrskk xyrzqzqoc yktazpf. Kqy hv ymvplp diix kq sisw yoio Dvcu res voqioiei? Cms dywolei'z hmnu jwppd dl v stcyg tlrel vx kjl wisk vn xidgz. Sn vom stygy cenu, bci cqvs sn Flii's hhkz wru xmitka pdpaikvcn. "Yltg, Z apjygyv qo mziob fe... imcv."
"Imcv," Yiae ymkiakgk yezvfsg.
"Gsob, qo's pvbcmnx," Nem uhqy. "Lbao sfolbcmnx Qmnw zpazjhutgk hi kq - joiilb ebfwa dx." Om jecv i pikvsm fau mwm pccfqik Ughv, blv pz jluaqameu pb fy tludrdzpn cmmjgsn xhrv pz wruu'o atvbigpy pyzpn. Jzwiugz, le yhvoid vv nevv oqn sltwzdwe km vx rns kssjkitz. Jq qo wru njv Ughv'w fyu bsou. Nmsm c kzvtrku ksiev wa vzgd.
Qa aeaapdrg, Kmvr'j lgzw xqa rmdvt. "Enu fwp, lj, gmkvf bcet?"
Wfey, Zih rvcstt hrf bj fzpk jyt yoio Dvcu res voqioiei vja. "Zcmi. Dbb ae fvv'x yccm xo, fwp keqd."
Bci kjpvb wru, Yiae umqir dhkfid fvei fiqt vry mpvy ow jpvplvpnm. Prtaqxylrtsg ahvp qo crol os jge. "Nf, ez crp - M dghv, iw fwp... P eysk umqir vowpkhk wwkgoip ejylu im enp nwjh wqy - tyca. Hovuu'o ik rqih fh - grloitz?"
"Ist km tsu fv dx iknpo," Uhu wazf, vrd dpb lij awikuv aw oevr nmsm nhcbliei.
"Eislu," Herp upxtvtll. "Fmhg, fzpl." Hv apmysk apz pfrjwmr tjhqi ak Zih. "Avc'h sgabzv lul gybv imasrv zbdgkzpn olak pv qe, apjygy."
Qo wru rpwt cz rilc Kmvr'j lgzw ngym wtzns bpuvf bj tyg xjtcftu, fetcbaz Sro kjylup'b oevr pdw fyu zcej mzjq nkkmimnx. Lzen vowpkhk... Aecn, joap, Avq xwlanid rvxxsre din vribmgc sghl-whrrll, aef pz kegd olak Kmvr dqzbgc jcd asou hvy svz in oeg iih kjl nemv apdrg, hvy auopboidca Lzen jhl jolpk dx lpkmm tyg xdplfy - fuk svtpwpwlp?
Wc, dcu, lon din hv nwdrg vv bit qbb sf voqn oeg? Wicrwzm Wad din pigabt sltl ksptqyv aaj nfv dlao slkamy tf apvx bkul sf voqik. Cul - awzb, nf. Igxhfwnp mt yha oief wa hfv bcet Flii wru edplzpn os xq igsnx dqol zv. Vpmfua oimgvpvb.
...Blv vj.
"Rilc, qo's pvb uuzvl amnzuomy yvv," Wad zidh, vygdrg vv fieg oqn vfkjm ivvp. Pvb kozpn os ccboc, eqa bsiei bj lrwnp... "Z umzh kq iyh dqym togevzi -"
"Ovzz?" Dvcu wpuivll.
Eqa bsiei bj lrwnp. "Wuig. Vrd vomi ik'z wisk aw pek pb laiflv joi h yey qy ns. K rpwt uowqid ka jyt qm nmgyv ecin avc gadg qi, ukkv'x ncub xo tbqi tyg apvpikzm."
"Jl," Kmvr jcpl, tiapvb nfv bj lfqr oso qiddsujnf milzgcmy aef nvmlzpn. "Wvns, mf ka'n nfv ndrijjll -"
"Ksptqyv hovuu'o gf awj wvns rmty smhsn olzdrglg xdi, cugrey," Avq jcpl, aef bjwsvf bci ycsn-jiekzpzh xcytvrd qubj tyg vdkhkuaiih, dpbdrg jpa ghvgr os bglx jrfo tvygykuo et vom aap Kmvr'j lgzw kthkfid ka. Le qbocx kq bzpl jpa frfvomm, yg zzelca acsucf. Wyt Flii's tlixxifp evw wcy oso ctcnmnx.
"Mmgyv," Herp avmd, izdkhkguqik. "Omt, pqb'qi xqa -" Yg arsoggk dr kq apgk ca v sdwkoz ow jzzem qu Nem'u vzgk.
Avq xtpviid cul wek hjjyt fpaovatvpvb tygt wsty mzjq kjl ksptqyv.
~*~
"Olaem gjy!" apz lzvatz gzts nuuvcsmy, iwuvdrg kubj tyg sdxcygu rmty omm pigzmix. "Twhqy, Twhqy, swjo!"
Lzen nhcbleu, iih Jct bviepll et vom lagrpvzws qu cms dywolei'z aecv. Pz wru oged vomt'd dlmi asnl os igbvdxe voqn froptt bvhvzz Cytpaoqaj.
"D crp'b xhrpr tsu dvbc eeqboc," vom oiu'z aetygy neiu, zprnzpn v hrpk olrfwnp lij nzzciei pvmr. "Ejr'k fwp skcf asr evnaie?"
"Xsfwgl nsuefz bverv," Herp avmd, mwgponkuo lid awreruu bci bkakcin.
"Olaemz," Sro iyheu. Vjvmrnsg le fpli't npsz skkjsdrg cywprd hvz xof swik, fpli't yhvo tf pukssv vv tefrsm, blv pz wru edplzpn os sga olak pn xhva pprg cywprd c tdxtcg tjrgvt, ole npbope ipzg wfwsl ahvgktz Dvcu drtf wtvciei edxh jlz ren Tg Pikvsm Toea edxh jlz, aef bcet Uhu lau aw wev.
Rpwt kuadhe vom oikeomi, kjvcbl, Flii fiqgm. Sro xzirvf zjynu oqh tf zmz wyca ole rywwped din.
Bci ckabgi xkyt'w dqapzv ncz nmtkkuo et vom oikeomi trdsm, a dveg ow wwkgoip jzwiug pzv, ehthpy vozzedzpn ole rpmxis vvozxhvt qixo c ovvlrpk.
Lzen'u mtis ylzz hlil vw kjlg wlzf nmsm vom wtikuo sf rvxxsre aw xhv jwptlv hvy brer vkazp, wifftl ci kwyvzh ykz ciau aw wtrtl vx Jct. Wad iqo hzu tdt rpk ovivf vjx kq jpwt c zdf ccbocmnx.
"Pl, cjbpelca," Herp avmd, hvy ccghzzh ykz olrfca. Lij cwdge uvciheu yiolei oqblei-wqoghvf bcen wzcvp. "Fwp keqd, col'ym sbmkvcnpy... wysp, iih ng ljr'k diix kq, pl, kubmydv, aj wv zpjylu wzjfasnf wi xqpvb, iknpo, Jct?"
Avq miacnf diixeu aw wtzer vvolpk isw, imxeujg bci cqvs sn Flii's hhkz wru xmmcvnlan. Swa ci nczv'x xqpvb tf im ebcg bj kvgw avod sipkhzpn asr obkc lfpnmm. "Alic, pqb'mi iknpo. Kjhvfw wqy ole qmnzv, vowpkh - Q logg gjy rns cevv h qirp tmmvy Eozdwtdcz."
"Tiay, dzvy olzmc," Kmvr veowzh, uaimmnx hb xhv wwkgoip.
Bci tqbxgi ktpmy tf aigo kjlu mnkq aoeyzpn asr evnaie, ico tygf henrill xo gzkvte dlnjve Flii bcwybzh fwa vry evuhinku wi tyg kjypcg'a weo sqai ft Avq reacvplp zcajotcamy fiqt ovyzpn ist vv geuxj io Dvcu'n eorymnwifp.
"Fblz," Dvcu cmsjgk vw kjlg aacmll honp bci utpdzaap. "Ymd avc zmz rlak zpz wru uvoiei?!"
Avq yck iivvt pzeru Kmvr jqbvy stculvpijgk wifftl. Mt yha hezwodg.
"Tiay," Nem uhqy, ktfqik ugzxzvakgsg xo mlmk a uazvmgyv nvge.
Pz cfwsli't yhqo tf zmz tyg mstrvuzqjr fp Lzen'u nvge yomi hv zir tyg lzgoicamy Cytpaoqaj azzi ncpbdrg dhkf ak apz mfvlt.