Chapter Text
It was of great surprise that the sea hadn’t dried up due to the long, blistering hot days the citizens endured this month alone. Though the merchants marched on to the market and the young children still danced about, their backs were stained red and their paupers clothes were drenched in sweat. The sandstone houses did little to keep out the heat, so the majority of people in the market shopped around only for the brief moments of being under a food stand’s umbrella.
Though most moved at their leisure, one seemed to be quickly weaving through the crowds with purpose. His white and navy robes covered most of his body to keep off the horrible effects of the sun’s rays, but in turn left him panting from exhaustion. He paused in front of a shop at the edge of the market, a lingering step before he turned and headed straight for it, eyes locked on a particular item laying there. He fished out a handful of dull coins and held them out for the weathered lady behind the stand to take. She did, and she counted them carefully before sliding them into a small box beside her. When she peered up again, she tilted her head.
“Excuse me, young man.” The shopkeeper stepped out from the shade of her food stand. She adjusted her worn glasses and squinted up at the tall man putting a peach in his satchel. He turned to her with a raised eyebrow, believing their transaction was complete and everything was already said and done. “You are the spitting image of the young prince Keiji.”
He gave her a smile, clipping up his bag. “I’ve been told such. If only I could share my fortune of health.”
She waved her hand. “That’s too kind of you. I’m certain just hearing your prayers for him would be enough to warm his heart.”
He nodded along, eyes shifting to check the sky. “I’m sure he will be better in no time, and he will grace us once more.”
“We shall hope.”
With that, he went back on his way. Once he was out of the marketplace, he took out the fruit to eat as he made his way through streets of houses and eventually to a large wall. With practiced ease, he lifted a small, uneven sewer grate and climbed in.
The walk was dark, as always, but it only took about twenty feet before he could reach up to the ceiling and press open the next grate. It took a minute to climb out without arousing suspicion or catching anyones attention, but once he was up, he found himself beside the stables on the other side of the wall. Guards were positioned not too far away, but were too busy jesting and sneaking sips of a small canteen to notice as the man passed them and headed into the palace.
He hid his bag and over-clothes by the servants quarters, dodged handmaids in the hallway, and eventually turned the corner to go to his room, but stopped dead in his tracks. Right in front of his door was his father, banging his fist on the hard wood with an expression of mild panic. “Keiji? Keiji, my boy, do you need me to fetch the priest?”
Akaashi Keiji let out a small sigh before leaning against the wall. He brought a hand to his stomach and another to his lips as he forced out a dainty cough. The noise was enough for his father to notice. He quickly turned to see his son, a look of relief coming across his face before one of frustration.
“Keiji, you can’t leave your room in your condition!”
“I wanted to stretch my legs.” He moved slowly toward his room until his father began to try and support him with his arm to make sure his sickly son wouldn’t topple over. “But it seems my walk was a bit too far for me. I’m winded.”
“I believe it was! Look at you, my poor boy, your hands are practically shaking! If you ever wish for something like that, ring the bell and someone will guide you and carry you back. Ah! I know, we can set the slaves on making you a palanquin.” His father opened the door and helped Akaashi to his bed, past mounds of books and loose scrolls. He assisted Akaashi in sitting down, pausing each time Akaashi coughed like he would keel over any moment. “You will burn up in this heat. I shall call for someone to fan you-”
“That’s really not necessary-” Akaashi began, stern and strong, but then he remembered himself and let out a sniffle. “I really couldn’t take it. I’d like time to pray to the goddess. Without distraction.”
“Time for prayer may do some good.” It didn’t take much more after that to convince his father to leave for the day and allow him to lose himself in prayer- something he most certainly wouldn’t be doing. After all, who else was expected to heal him but Her?
His father stood straight, patting his clothes as though Akaashi’s bed was coated with dust. With how often Akaashi supposedly stayed there, he was surprised his dad didn’t wonder why he himself didn’t have a thin layer of dust on his face. As he brushed himself off, his father’s eyes trailed to a nearby pile of scrolls. He scooped one up, unraveling it with a frown. “Did the guards bring you these?”
Well, seeing as Akaashi supposedly couldn’t leave his wing of the palace in his state and these documents most certainly not found in the library- “Yes. One of the new recruits brought them to me.”
The king’s hand tightened around the scroll. He stooped down and began picking through the others, eyebrows furrowed. “These weren’t in the piles for you. Fairytales are for children. You need other things to read, like the Rasfa.”
Akaashi rolled his eyes at the mention of their religious book, stuffed with all the morals and lessons one should heed at all moments of their lives. Akaashi’s read through it before when he was young. Unfortunately, his memory was remarkable when it came to reading. He remembered the whole book nearly word for word. At first, he tried to read in order to get those quotes out of his head, but whatever he tried, he could recall almost anything perfectly after having read it once. The only good thing that ever came of it was when he used to tell stories to the servant’s children, back when he was at least allowed to go outside and his ‘illness’ wasn’t so bad.
“It was only some fables, father,” Akaashi insisted, “I tire of being in the same bed all day, but my legs are unable to carry me much farther. Reading them makes me feel as though I can experience the world. Besides, it’s truly fantasifull. Life at sea? That’s not how it should be.”
The king took an armful of the scrolls as he stood. “Correct. Those venturing to sea are foolish. They have no right to that space, like we don’t have the right to imagine such possibilities.”
He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Akaashi’s cheek. “I’ll send someone in the morning to clear this material from your books. I’ll find more appropriate material for you. In the meantime, keep up with your prayers.”
The moment his door was shut, Akaashi released a long sigh and adjusted himself to sit up properly on his bed. He looked distastefully at the scrolls his father forgot, but did nothing to hide them. In the end, those stories didn’t entertain him. He didn’t care much for fiction, especially ones written so dully. It acted like those stories were real, like the consequences of them were dire, like treasures lost at sea existed and monsters the size of his palace existed. And yet here he was, unable to ever forget the stories no matter how many scrolls they took from him.
He drummed his hands along the wall. He supposed he should start praying.
It was laughable to think a goddess could bring someone good health by simply asking for grace for hours a day, but it was a bit more laughable to be faking an illness for the past four years. Four long years of being treated like a doll, of being fed nothing but soups and crackers, of being ‘trapped’ in his bedroom while being the subject of everyone’s pity. Four years of pretend, of lies, but he didn’t regret a single bit of it.
He looked out the large window in his room at the city below. It was tan, but had splashes of colors from stands and carts, though it still looked breathtaking against the light blue sky and the roaring sea not too far away, surrounding the west side of their land like a shield. With a calculated glance, he decided he had about an hour of boredom before he could venture back out in the city he adored so much, far from his coddling parent and princely duties he abandoned long ago.
Shying away from the open window, he plucked a dusty book off the ground. He already knew it. A simple guide to how to obtain a shop permit in the market. It’s long since lost its appeal. It was hard enough to meet someone well versed enough to read and write, let alone publish a book, but even then they were dreadfully dull. And, as things tended to be around the island, all the published works came from the city. Something about pride for their nation, Ceras, which kept them from granting outsiders access into their city without thorough screenings by the guards posted at every possible entry point, including at their one and only port. That included those with outsiders goods, which Akaashi assumed were burned or tossed into the sea if deemed unsuitable for the citizens' consumption.
If he truly spent all his time locked in his room, maybe he’d produce a book. However, it’d be dull. The life of a prince was truly a life dedicated to boredom through politics and etiquette unseen in the natural world of humans. Even with his excursions to the city, he had nothing worth saying besides the fact that certain stalls sold good quality food for half the usual price. However, if he let out that bit of information, he wouldn’t have such easy access to some of his favorite foods when their harvest time came. That’d be a travesty, and the mere fact that that’d be devastating to Akaashi was a travesty in and of itself.
Setting his book down on his messy sheets, he debated the chances of being seen if he tried to creep out early. As he did, his gaze trailed to the cityscape, past the buildings and walls to the sea. A long journey, but he had all night to do as he pleased out and about. He could sleep all day come morning under the guise of his fake illness.
When the coast was clear and the moon was high in the sky, he came out the way he did before. After placing the grates back and slinging his bag over his shoulder, he noticed three citizens walking to the square, talking animatedly amongst themselves.
“It is merely a rumor. No one would be that dimwitted.”
“I beg to differ. I seen’it when I left early this morning... Docked right in the port.. Caused all sorts of a commotion for them guards.”
A woman in the group scoffed. “Even the farthest empires know we wouldn’t dare conquer a domain that isn’t our natural home, our Ceras. Coming over this way… How insulting!”
Akaashi walked past them, ear straining to hear a little more from them. He staggered in his steps when he accidentally stumbled over a broken bottle, but none of the people noticed, too wrapped up in their conversation.
“It’s true though! I’m not sure if the ship was bringing goods for trades, but they weren’t allowed in. Didn’t have a country flag or nothing neither.”
“Well, who would be sailing if it weren’t them Herulathans? Some people need to come to grips with reality. People are meant to stay on land.”
One threw their hands up in the air with a dramatic shake of their head, then gestured helplessly to the palace. “I say we rip that dock out with our own hands! The royal family just pretends like it doesn’t exist and this is what happens! Outsiders trying to get into Ceras! Ha!”
“It’s not such a bad idea since I doubt it’d be considered in their court. Times are already changing enough as is. The eldest is already beginning to make more decisions as future king, and the second is one of the highest military generals we have. No one has time to fret over an old dock.”
“Wasn’t there a third son? Couldn’t he pull some weight?”
“Dead as a doornail.”
“Is not!” One rolled their eyes. “He’s just unwell.”
“And no one has heard nor heard from him in four years. Sounds like they just don’t want to admit it.”
It wasn’t his business. It would perhaps be considered a royal’s problem that the citizens were unhappy- if he actually assumed his responsibilities, but he wouldn’t. There wasn’t much of a point anyways in a third prince. He wasn’t going to be king, he wasn’t going to usurp the position of head general, and even if he tried to do either of them, he’d just be scolded like a child because he obviously couldn’t comprehend such positions and power. So what, all that’s left for him is to pass authorization for dismantling a dock they refuse to use? It’s these exact reasons he prefers to be alone and free and apparently sick as can be.
Ceras was founded on very basic beliefs. One, the goddess they worship is all-seeing, all-knowing, and demands a certain purity the citizens strive to meet. This leads to their limited contact with other countries and outsiders, even if it means watching nomads die at the wall of their country from being refused access for water. It also means that they stay within their bound lands. That means the sea is not a part of Ceras. Unless something dire occurred, they all stayed well away from it. Even Akaashi has only been within fifty yards of the sea, and that was once a year ago. He never felt the need to go back.
Walking away from the group, Akaashi headed toward the town square. He enjoyed spending time there at night when people would light up the roads with lanterns. The taverns would be filled with quiet, relaxed merriment, and the occasional instrumentalist would perform in the streets.
When he reached the square, all the shops had been cleared away for the day. The nearest tavern, a popular one in the area, was quiet, but lit up. Creeping over, Akaashi poked his head in.
Inside there was only the barkeep and a man sitting alone nursing a pint. The man at the counter sent Akaashi a little wave. “Welcome. Can I help you?”
He shuffled in, holding his cloak close to his body as he scanned the empty room. “It’s quiet today, isn’t it? I thought it would be filled by now.”
Call him bizarre, but Akaashi did find joy lurking in crowded taverns. He wasn’t much for drinking, but he enjoyed the joyous quips and laughter in the tables around his empty one. He usually ate a little meal, then sat back and examined the crowds with interest. It was funny to watch them stumble over drunk, but it was even more entrancing to watch on specific days. There wasn’t any pattern of these days that he could tell, but on occasion a song would just invade people's souls and a few would get up to dance or fumble through made up words. Other patrons would clap and laugh and cheer, and it was the loudest thing Akaashi has ever heard.
He wouldn’t be graced with that experience today.
The barkeep sighed. He scratched his chin before muttering, “‘Something about something happening in a tavern near the port. Everyone was practically packing up a half hour ago to check it out.”
Akaashi nodded. He remained rooted in his spot.
“... You going to go check it out too then?” Akaashi hesitantly nodded. The barkeep groaned, but waved his hand toward the door. “I expect you to come back some time and tell me what I missed. Enjoy yourself.”
Akaashi shot him a smile, then turned and darted out of the door. He rushed down the cobblestone streets. He strained his ears in an attempt to hear the faint noises of celebration, hope pounding in his heart. It didn’t take him long to hear the sound of music and shouting. Even so, the tavern didn’t come into view until much later than Akaashi anticipated.
The tavern was packed. The citizens who couldn’t squeeze in through the doors dwelled outside, stomping their feet and swishing their brews. Akaashi stumbled in his steps in awe of the sheer volume inside. It never got that rambunctious. Weaseling his way to the door, Akaashi pushed his hood down to get a clear look at the celebration.
Cerean citizens surrounded every opening of the tavern besides a sizable portion in front of the bar. Standing on top of the bar was a man dressed strangely with untameable black hair. He wore browns and tans with black accents, a small sheath for a knife at his hip. Unlike the citizens, who wore robes covering most of their body, this man had his shirt open to almost his belly button with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It wasn’t proper to dress like that ever. The only time it was acceptable to show skin, it was part of your legs, and only for performances at the rare festival the kingdom held.
The man on the counter waved his arms back and forth rhythmically, setting the pace for the citizen’s stomping feet. He’d shout words Akaashi didn’t know, and then a man appeared next to him, though on the floor. This man wore a strange looking hat with three corners and a white shirt. He grinned at the crowd, walking in a circle along the crowd. At some point, the man shouting would quiet and the other would shout ‘Hey!’. To Akaashi’s surprise, the crowd roared back a greeting in response.
Near the end of the performance, the man in the hat called out once more, louder than before, “Hey! Hey! Hey!”
The crowd repeated, though Akaashi was too wrapped up in the scene to respond to the man. Without an ounce of effort, the man with a hat jumped onto the counter alongside his friend and gestured to the crowd with one arm. “You want to hear another?”
Akaashi found himself nodding along with the crowd, who had all quieted down upon realizing how loud they were being. Akaashi too would have felt a little embarrassed.
Suddenly, more strange looking men appeared from the crowd. Two held instruments Akaashi couldn’t identify, and one handed one to the original man on the counter. He grinned upon receiving it and sat down on the bar. The other with an instrument joined him. He was a much shorter man with longer hair and looked to be the only one not entirely enjoying himself in the entire tavern. Still, Akaashi didn’t miss the small smile the man had when the original man nudged him with a grin.
The man who handed over the instrument had even more interesting clothes on. He had much more colors on him and had his coat tied at his waist. Akaashi wondered if that was comfortable, but his mind wandered from that when he caught the sight of gold all over the man’s ears. What was that? How did he get pieces of gold to just… hang from his ears? Akaashi raised a hand to his own plain, empty ones. He tugged at an earlobe. Did he use sticky syrup to attach them on? Would they really have stayed on that long?
The man with gold batted his eyes to someone in the crowd and held out his hand. “Iwa-chan, c’mon! Let’s get everyone on their feet!”
A man, Iwa-chan, emerged from the crowd with a roll of his eyes, then clasped his hand. The man with a hat grinned, tossing his hat off with a shout. Underneath, he had strange grey and black streaked hair. It made him look older, but he still looked to have some baby fat on his cheeks and a youthful glow. “Aye! Everyone, grab a lover and follow our lead! Kuroo, Ken-Ken, hit it!”
The man jumped off the counter with a thud, then scanned his eyes over the crowd. The citizens stared back, glancing between the two men and the grey haired man, no one moving to grab a partner to join their little stage. The man huffed out a laugh, then reached forward, grabbing a random man from the front of the crowd. The citizen had to be at least forty, practically trembling with uncertainty as the music started up and the grey haired man began to tug him around.
It was unlike any dancing Akaashi had seen. They had their arms linked and did funny steps, something the citizen struggled to keep up with, and then after a few quick movements, their arms unlinked and suddenly the man with gold in his ears linked his arms with the citizen. This time, he was a bit slower with the poor man, and the citizen seemed to slowly understand the movements. Akaashi tried to focus on the dance, but he kept getting distracted with how it looked overall and how the two instrumentalists sounded as they played and sang.
Suddenly, during the next switch off, each of the strange men dived back into the crowd and pulled another victim into the dance. The original citizen that danced didn’t have to find a partner, a baker Akaashi recognized eagerly came up to learn the dance with him. Each time anyone's arms would unlink, someone new would come up to join the dance, all the while the music got faster and faster.
Akaashi soon found himself as part of the minority of people not dancing in the overcrowded tavern. A few people turned down a dance, which the asker would shrug off and move to ask someone else. It was a little cute to see everyone with smiles, even elders of their kingdom doing their best to keep up. At one point, the grey haired man coaxed a very old woman into a dance, slowing down a lot and spending two turns with her before kissing her hand and changing partners. The old woman was soon snatched up by Iwa-chan, who gave her a smile as he guided her through another turn. It warmed Akaashi’s heart.
As he turned back to look at the mass of other dancers, he noticed a hand held out in front of him. He jumped in surprise, jerking his head up to see two large golden eyes staring down at him and a dazzling smile. It was the grey haired man.
“You’ve been waiting long enough to dance.” The man’s eyes twinkled in the lights and Akaashi felt as though time had frozen. His eyes shone like two doubloons held up at candlelight, his cheeks pink at the heat of the invisible flame. He was tall, taller than Akaashi, though only by a few centimeters. However, he beat out Akaashi’s frame by a landslide. It was easy to see the size difference between a hardworking man and a supposed bedridden noble. “I’m surprised no one has snatched you over yet.”
His voice was deep but bounced with inflection unlike anything Akaashi heard before. It intrigued him. Akaashi glanced down to the hand offered. It was calloused, marred with small healed over cuts. Dirt was underneath his nails. Still, Akaashi couldn’t resist himself from grabbing his hand, a smile creeping onto his lips as the man tugged him forward and let go of his hand to link their elbows with ease.
Akaashi had been watching enough of the footwork to keep up with how fast the song had gotten. It wasn’t anything he could put to words, a certain assortment of hops and skips and steps back and forth, but he could do it like he knew it by heart. He supposed it was from the music fueling him with the urge to do and make merry like never before.
“Someone’s eager!” The grey haired man laughed, speeding up to meet Akaashi’s pace. Akaashi didn’t reply, trying to keep up with the turns so he’d know when to unlatch. However, when he unlatched, the grey haired man was in front of him once more, this time grabbing both of his hands. Akaashi stiffened at the unfamiliar touch, stumbling when the man began to step them in a circle, guiding their hands up and down and back and forth in an energetic, strange dance. The man didn’t seem put off by Akaashi’s uncertainty, his grin never fading.
At one point, when they were meant to once again switch partner’s, the man let go of one of Akaashi’s hands and raised their linked ones high. “Here! Turn and go under my arm!”
Akaashi stood still. After a beat, the man shrugged and ducked under their bridged arms, twirling as he did. When he turned, he took a step back from Akaashi and extended his arm in a showy way before turning to face Akaashi once more. He grabbed Akaashi’s other hand back and continued their dance. The next time the man raised one of their arms, Akaashi twirled underneath and mimicked what the man did earlier.
“There you go! You are a natural!” The man laughed heartily and Akaashi’s heart pounded. He found himself smiling and chuckling in return, but it died when the music slowly cut out and the man pulled away. He tossed Akaashi a smile and wink which Akaashi returned with a growing smile, a blush dusting his cheeks. Without delay, the grey haired man headed back to the bar and waved his hands to get everyone's attention.
“It’s been nice to dance with you!” The crowd returned the sentiment, some still dancing without the music. Kuroo and Ken-Ken put their instruments down. The taller of the two took a long drink of a brew to rest his voice. Akaashi retreated back toward the wall, watching as everyone else looked amongst each other, clueless as to what to do with all their energy now that the strangers seemed wiped out.
To his surprise, a few citizens banded together with a rababa and ney. They set up near the front of the bar, briefly talking to the grey haired man before the man nodded frantically and moved his group away from the bar.
Though they didn’t climb on top of the bar, one of the men spoke up, “We would like to show the east-enders our performances here. Please, feel free to step in!”
Akaashi blinked with surprise as the music began. He glanced at the strangers with a puzzled look. East-enders was a term for the slums located on the far ends of Ceras. These people didn’t look that poor- one of them had gold on their ear! Then again, due to their strange songs and clothes, they didn’t look like they were from around here. Akaashi remembered how when he was standing and listening earlier that he’d hear some citizens talking as they clapped along to the beat.
“What did that man say? A hunting down a wail? And what’s a harpooned?”
“It’s made up words. Plenty of bards do that.”
Even more baffling about the performers' words though was that Akaashi’s never seen a Cerean dance that allowed bystanders to participate. Akaashi smiled as the dance started up and people joined in immediately without knowing all the steps. Perhaps the ‘east enders’ could remain ‘east enders’ so long as they stayed put and there were plenty of nights like this after today. He wanted this much life in the taverns every time he went.
Slipping off his shoulder garbs, he set them down on a nearby table. He tucked some of his white and blue ropes in the rope around his waist to uncover his ankles, then headed to the dance floor. After four years of sneaking off to festivals, he knew enough to dance along. Even if he didn’t, half of them were stumbling like drunk fools. He’d hardly be the silly looking one.
Tapping the tips of his toes against the ground, he slipped into the dance as best as he could, having come in late. He twisted and twirled along with the dancers, reminiscing the smiling stranger that twirled him earlier. He smiled as he moved his arms in open and languid motions. It was a song and dance meant to be used to beg the goddess for rain, but the meaning had long since slipped his mind, and when he locked eyes on bright gold ones from across the bar, a new meaning of the song crept into his mind. To enthrall. To keep those eyes on the dance, much like how the stranger’s dancing entranced Akaashi mere minutes ago. Energy spurred into his movements, invigorated with the newfound strength to perform his best, and he picked up his slack.
All the while as he bended and weaved around the other dancers with care, he found his eyes latching back on the gold-eyed man, who didn’t waver under his gaze, nor did he look away. Akaashi hoped the man felt the same excitement with the Cerean dance as he did the strange foreign one earlier, though the Cerean dress was a lot less jumpy.
As the music came to an end, Akaashi finished up the final movements, eyes catching as a man (it was either Kuroo or Ken-ken, he didn’t know which was which yet) nudging the gold-eyed man with raised eyebrows. The grey haired man returned the nudge with a nod and grin.
Akaashi took a moment to catch his breath, chest heaving up and down from the exertion. The barkeep was already pouring out drinks that dancers were taking gratefully, but Akaashi didn’t snag one. Instead, he walked over to his table and plucked his wrap up, folding it up in his hands. He spotted a pair of boots moving along the floor and stopping at his side.
“Was that your way of outshining me, little bird?” Someone behind him hummed in a deep voice. Akaashi felt his lips quirk, but he bit it down as he turned to face the gold-eyed man once more. “You didn’t know about a partner twirl, but you could do all that, sandbagger?”
“We don’t do your kinds of dances here; ours don’t have as much touch with others, if at all.” Akaashi answered with ease as he leaned back against the table. “Where are you from, sir?”
“The east end.”
“Mm.” Akaashi nodded along. He didn’t buy that for a second. If he knew the east enders would light up a tavern like this, he would have snuck off over there a long time ago. There wasn’t anything in the slums worth experiencing, and there wasn’t a chance men like these ones lived there. However, without proof of something like that, he wouldn’t be able to get a real answer. “That last song… What was it about?”
“Curious?” The man questioned. His lips quirked up. “I keep telling Kuroo to speak up so we can hear the words better. It’s about hunting whales.”
“Wails?” Akaashi’s eyebrows furrowed.
“They must not come to these parts often. It’s a hulking creature- bigger than any other!” As he spoke, the man held his arms out wide as if to give such a massive creature justice.
“Bigger than an elephant?” Akaashi shifted closer.
“Try ten,” The man scoffed, leaning in, “there are plenty of things at sea bigger than a measly elephant.”
Akaashi drew his eyebrows together, pressing his lips together in a thin line. There were plenty of red flags to be found in that one sentence. For one, as far as he knew- and he knew a lot- elephants were the largest creature out there. The man had to be lying, or- Akaashi cast a glance to the window. Though he was unable to see the docks, he could feel the cold gusts of wind rolling off the water- or he came from the sea. And, as all Cerean people knew, the sea was out of bounds. The man practically confessed to not being native in mere seconds.
“No Cerean is allowed to traverse the sea. You don’t need to lie. It was you and your friends who were causing a commotion at the docks earlier, wasn’t it?” Akaashi asked, turning back to face the man. The man’s expression didn’t change, though he did move a step away from Akaashi.
“Couldn’t have been. That ship turned right back around minutes after it tried to dock.”
“And dropped you and your friends off. Perhaps you were the only ones who passed the screening to get in.”
The man threw his head back with a roar of laughter. Akaashi’s eyes narrowed, cheeks turning pink at the other’s display. He felt as though he was a child trying to grasp a concept that an adult wouldn’t assist in, but this man was roughly his age and acted as if he knew all the more. “If you think that your country can only be accessed by being screened, you guys are gonna be in for a surprise if you're invaded one day. So what, going to try and call the Cerean guards on us?”
Akaashi frowned. “No. I don’t care that you are here.”
“Invaders don’t scare you?” He raised an eyebrow at Akaashi.
“As far as I can see,” Akaashi grumbled, pointing to the man with unruly black hair across the room, “only one of you is armed. That’s hardly a threat.”
The man paused, but then nodded. “Yeah, we thought it’d be fishy to carry weapons into a country known for being the most peaceful, pure, untouched thing in the west seas. Turns out we were right. Only the guards on the outskirts have weapons here.”
After a beat of silence, the man leaned against the table. Akaashi felt their shoulders brush and he curled into himself. “You are one of the few brave ones then, little bird- Or not. Everyone was so convinced we were east enders, maybe that’s just what they wanted themselves to believe.”
Akaashi already knew the possibility of that was high. At least the stranger also seemed to pick up on it, remaining wary even as he pranced around the bar top trying to get music and dancing started up. If it were anyone else sneaking into the country, they’d keep a low profile. This man didn’t seem to care for a second that everyone saw his face. In fact, now that Akaashi is dwelling on it… The man was still missing his hat.
“Why’d you come to Ceras? We aren’t exactly known for any major resources or being kind to strangers...” Akaashi stepped away from the table to search for the pointed hat. He spotted it near the end of the bar and stooped up to pick it up from the floor. When he turned back around, the man was standing behind him. He ducked down enough for Akaashi to place the hat back on his head after dusting the sides.
The man paused for a moment to adjust his cap in thought. When he finished, he glanced down at Akaashi with a new look in his eyes that he couldn’t quite place. “Now that I think of it, you may be able to help me.”
Akaashi quirked his brow, but before he could question the man’s motives, he reached forward and grabbed Akaashi’s wrist. He gently tugged him toward the tables in the back, “But that can wait till much later. First, let’s drink! You Cerean’s really know how to get loose when you want to, and I don’t care to waste this energy discussing trivial topics.”
The reason he snuck into Ceras was trivial? Akaashi only shook his head, knowing better than to accept the claim as fact. It couldn’t have been nothing, but it could indeed wait.
The man sat down at a rather full table, pulling Akaashi down into the seat beside him. His friends were all drinking and chatting amongst themselves. The black haired one glanced his way with a twisted smirk. It made Akaashi uncomfortable. “Bo, found a little friend?”
“He’s going to help us later with information,” ‘Bo’ said as he reached over for a cup. He pushed it to Akaashi, who pretended to have a sip to not seem rude. He wiped the liquid off his bottom lip after, then set the drink down. Bo glanced over, blinking as he noticed how much was still left. “Don’t worry, it’s on us. Drink to your heart's content. Ah, unless you're a lightweight I suppose…”
Akaashi gave him a smile, but he pushed the drink toward the center of the table. As much as he was enjoying the grey haired man’s company and the excitement buzzing in the air, he knew better than to be distracte for too long. He was expected to be somewhere else, and if he let the time slip through his fingers, he’d be in for a world of trouble. All good things come to an end, it’s a fact he’s learned long ago. “I must be heading off soon; I don’t wish to be too inebriated.”
Bo stared at him for a moment, eyebrows furrowed. The man across the table burst into laughter, pounding his fist against the table. Akaashi jolted at the thunderous noise, but no one else batted an eye. Did he say something funny? He didn’t stutter. Perhaps he didn’t heard someone else speaking when he did.
Bo leaned a little closer, head tilted like that of a confused dog. Akaashi wouldn’t have found such behavior endearing, but the man was so expressive and light that he couldn’t help but bite back a little smile. It felt like he genuinely wanted Akaashi to stay, and that made his heart pound with vigor. “The night is young… I thought you’d stay to entertain us for a spell. You were curious about whales before- I’ve got loads of stories of the sea to keep you rooted in your seat for ten years!”
“I keep forgetting these people don’t know anything about the ocean,” The one with the earring muttered, swishing his drink, “this one didn’t even know about whales? They are such a pain, believe me…”
Akaashi shuffled in his seat and pushed his beer a bit further away from him. “I… really should be returning soon, but I suppose I can stay to hear a little, if you are willing.”
Rubbing his hands together, Bokuto gave him a crooked grin. “Here, I’ve got just the story. It happened years and years ago, on a stormy night…”
Akaashi strained his ears to hear above the other sounds in the bar to hear Bo’s tale, which started without a hitch.
Supposedly, this was a night Bo was lost at sea. His crew ran around the ‘deck’ of the ship, pulling at masts and ropes, or whatever Bo was badly miming out. The captain was shouting commands, but it wasn’t heard over the sound of the roaring winds catching the sails. Bo was only a boy, not an ounce of ship knowledge or navigation skills in his head, yet he took the wheel when the ship began to teeter, and held on for dear life.
At some point, he stood during his tale, sweeping his arms around with vigor. Akaashi almost ducked, eyes glued to his figure as Bo described how the wood of the deck burrowed slivers into his bare feet as he tried to stop slipping. The sky grew darker, rain blocked his vision, a man got caught in the ropes and nearly fell overboard, all was lost, and then-
Bo saw a breach in the clouds. It was just a small streak, then it was gone. With newfound determination, he threw the wheel to the right and headed straight for the light that had long since disappeared. He muttered prayers under his breath, shaking violently due to the chills the winds brought, but he kept going. The first mate attempted to climb the stairs to him, but kept slipping from the wet steps.
It was a battle, and Bo can’t remember how it happened, but he opened his eyes seemingly seconds later and the sky was light blue once more. Water lapped calmly at the boat. The shipmates sat around the deck, catching their breaths. It was like they were teleported, but Bo could see his hands, now almost blue. His shaking stopped, body now ridgid as a hand came from behind him and clamped down on his shoulder.
“Rest, boy.” With that, he slumped forward and curled into himself, desperate for an ounce of warmth in his soaked clothes.
“It was my first trip out at sea,” Bo reflected, taking a long drink of his brew. Akaashi remained rooted at his side during the entire story, and now tried to make sense of all he heard. A few things hit him harder than others.
Akaashi gaped. “Your first trip?”
Bo grinned at the Cerean’s shock. “First of many.”
Akaashi floundered. “You nearly died.”
“I got better. I know better.” Bo took his seat back besides Akaashi. He didn’t look nearly as traumatized as Akaashi would have thought he’d be. Then again, he said it happened a long time ago. How long ago was that? How long was Bo going on adventures, defeating massive tidal waves while Akaashi remained in bed only reading about journeys across the lands and sea? A pit formed in his gut. He shook it off with a frown.
Before he could get more of his confusion and questions out about the story, he stiffened as he felt a hand come to rest near the small of his back. He glanced down to see it was Bo’s. It radiated more heat than Akaashi anticipated, and although the bar was warm due to how crowded it was, he couldn’t help but lean into it. Bo rubbed a small circle into his back.
“You don’t look like you believe me.”When he spoke, Akaashi realized his position and blushed.
Akaashi curled a bit closer into himself, but didn’t pull away completely. His cheeks heated up a little when he looked up to see Bo was closer than he originally assumed. His eyes darted to the side, hand reaching up in case he needed to push the other back. “I… don’t quite.”
It was bold of him to say when he knew nothing about ships or the whole world out there past Ceras, but Bo didn’t seem to consider that. “Alright. How about I take you back to our ship and we take a little ride. Don’t worry, we’ll stay near the shore and all. We have beer onboard too, so we can continue our merriment somewhere less crowded.”
Akaashi bit his lip. It wasn’t every day he saw a ship. In fact, he could count on one hand how many times he’s seen a ship, but they’ve all been in the distance. He’s never been on one, much less a little trip in one for a few hours. If he was honest, he was scared that the extra weight he added to any ship would make it teeter and fall.
That said… the offer was attractive. Free of charge, free of his father’s watchful gaze, being able to take a boat ride close to shore alongside a charming man with a wealth of stories of real journeys unlike the fake ones he’s read on scrolls. Sure, it was a little scary to think of being out on the water, but he was certain he could swim alright, if given the chance to try. Besides, these strangers weren’t unkind. He would be in good hands if he went along with them, and, as promised, Bo would take him to shore before too long. Perhaps he’d insist on walking him back through town. Perhaps he’d guide him through the crowd of civilians with his hand exactly where it is now.
… However, he knew that the longer he lingered out in the night, the closer he was to someone stumbling into his bedroom and finding him missing. He couldn’t risk it, at least not at this second. It wasn’t worth it to go on a little ride and risk losing all the freedom he’s had for four years and hopefully many more. “I… really shouldn’t be gone that long. I’m expected to be home by now.”
“C’mon, you look old enough to make your own decisions,” Bo cooed, “where’s your thirst for adventure?”
Akaashi slipped from his arm and stood beside the table. He offered them a light bow. “Not tonight. I’m sorry, Bo-san. Perhaps… if you will still be lingering in the area… I’d like to take you up on that offer. Tomorrow, or another day. Any day. Just for a while.”
Bo frowned a little, but nodded his head. He scratched his chin in thought, then snapped his fingers when something came to mind. “We will be staying until we’ve found what we’ve been lookin’ around for. If you’d like, go to the dock at sundown tomorrow. I suppose I can ask you our questions then. Don’t want to keep you any longer than I have to…”
Akaashi bit back his smile, bowing once more as he muttered, “Thank you. I shall see you tomorrow, Bo-san.”
He slipped through the bunches of people and tables, sparing one last glance at the table of strangers in the corner to see the black haired one laughing again, clapping a hand hard on Bo’s back. “What was that thing you said earlier, Bo? About making a little bird sing?”
When Akaashi reached his room, to his dread, the door was thrown open. He crept close to the door, peering in to view the scene inside. There were two guards sitting on the floor who flipped through books with bored looks on their faces. Upon entering, one looked up and bowed.
“Excuse us, your highness, we will keep quiet as you sleep.”
Akaashi stepped over the messy piles they created. He coughed as he passed, noting how their shoulder’s tensed. “I’m terribly sorry, but I need complete peace. I need the goddess to hear me, although my voice may waver like my declining health. I fret I may soon be unable to stand come tomorrow.”
Both of them rushed to their feet. “No, please, it is us who’ve stooped to low as to almost not allow you refuge in the Goddess. Please, call if you need anything. We will clear out this mess when you are feeling better.”
With that, they both left, and Akaashi collapsed onto his bed. He stared at his ceiling, then turned his gaze to the window. He could hardly see the sea from where he laid, but he still teasingly called out, “Goddess Ertha, mother of the land and all things thriving on it, allow me a moment away from the dull and bleak, and I’ll be satisfied.”
After all, a little trip around the shore would be enough. He didn’t need much more if he’s lived so far off books and disguised adventures to town. Akaashi sighed and closed his eyes, imagining cold air whipping against his face and the gentle rocking of waves.