Work Text:
"My apologies, I haven't seen Master Slaine all morning," he tells the concerned looking soldier. He has half a mind to tell him not to bother looking, but he keeps the thought to himself as the other man walks away.
Of course he knows where his master is, what kind of man servant would he be if he didn't. Although there is this unspoken rule between him and his master, where he pretends he doesn't know what's in the out-of-the-way backroom Master Slaine frequents, or that his master would disappear into that room for hours on end, come out weary and with a look of dejection behind his usual candor. And if Master Slaine does let slip some mention of the chamber room and the person they all know shouldn't even be there, he pretends not to hear and forgets immediately. If Slaine had taken any note of this, he doesn't say, and their business on the Lunar base would go as usual.
It doesn't change the fact that one time, while looking for his master upon the request of the engineers, he stumbles across him in the chamber as usual with screens projected all around of various Terran landscapes and creatures. It also happens to be the first time he actually sees his master in the chamber room. He catches a glimpse of his masters face, lit up by a soft blue hue, and sees how engaged he was in describing each image to the sleeping girl in the glass chamber.
Before he even catches himself, he had already stepped to one side to quietly listen to his master talk of the many wonders of the Terran world.
"Princess, I wonder if you've ever seen the ocean during your time on Terra," Slaine says as if he was sure there was a reply to follow. "Ah, but of course, since I believe you were staying on that old Versian ship back then."
Slaine smiles as he brings up several images of vast bodies of water, hues of blues and greens, still waters, raging waters, and those foaming with white froth. Harklight looks on, mesmerized by all the foreign images and sights, he had not planned on listening so intently to his master's private conversation, if one could call it that.
"Oceans are truly lovely, Princess. Can you believe that they're home to all manners of creatures and plants, and Terrans have barely even explored half of all the oceans there are." He switches images as quickly as he talks, bringing each up to the princess's eye level. "Beaches are also wonderful. One day, I will take you to one, if you want. We can walk on the sand and I'll show you seashells and crabs, colorful stones, and the sunset."
Harklight almost forgets that he's supposed to be hiding when a wayward screen drifts towards him as he nearly reaches out to touch the image of waves of blue water crashing against white sand. He looks up to see the gentle expression on his master's face as he presses a hand gently over the glass where the princess's is.
"I'm sure you would love it, Princess."
Unsure if it was his chest clenching, or his hand as he dismisses the screen in front of him, he turns away quickly and leaves the room. It's not until he is halfway to the docking bay that he catches his breath and tries to steady his heart, tries to forget that gentle tone and those eyes, tries not to replicate his name in that same voice that so lovingly calls the princess's. By the time he's composed himself, he's forgotten all about the engineers' request.
---
He knocks at the office door thrice. When he doesn't get a response, he cracks the door open and peeks in quietly. Seeing a dull blue glow, he concludes that Master Slaine must be using the observation platform again, he thinks it to safe enter. Closing the door behind him, Harklight turns to find that the office floor is projecting images, although none of those needed for any practical reason for their cause he could think of. Instead, he sees a vast blue ocean, with lights dancing and rippling on the surface, white foam swirling over each other. White birds fly across the scene with loud caws. He knows it must be stock video but he can't tear his eyes away from the images projected on the floor, the sounds of the water crashing quietly into itself.
Looking up towards the desk, he finds his master dozed off in his seat, his hand lightly holding a pen over his paperwork, a few pages strewn lazily across the dark wood. He walks over quietly and sees the gentle rise and fall of Slaine's chest. Harklight's expression softens when he realizes how exhausted his master must have been, dealing with all the duties of being a count, representative and protector of the princess, and overseeing all the work at the Lunar base. He's nearly forgotten how young his master is, and to have all these on his shoulders... he couldn't begin to imagine.
He wants nothing more but to reach out and touch those light yellow locks, but he stops himself and announces his presence.
"Milord," he says softly, slowly. "Master Slaine."
The younger man stirs, grunts, but doesn't startle awake. With sleep still clouding his expression, he looked up at Harklight. Slaine smiles gently at him, still not fully awake, and Harklight can feel something knot inside his chest when he breathes, "Harklight." His mouth dries as he watches the boy stretch in his seat, trying to get his bearings and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He tries to will away the feeling by putting on a stern expression but he doesn't last long when Slaine meets his eyes again.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Harklight. I didn't think looking over these reports would be enough to put me to sleep," he says laughing lightly, eyes brightening as he tidies up the desk. "Did you have something for me?"
Harklight remembers the folder in his hands and fumbles to place it on the desk. It's when Slaine's fingers brush his that he realizes his master didn't wear gloves in his office. The warmth barely lasts a second before he pulls away quickly, earning him a curious look from his master.
"These are the morning reports from the Tharsis' docking crew."
"Hmmn," was Slaine's only reply as he leafed through the sheets in the file.
Harklight finds himself staring at his master's face again, watching as the younger man's eyes dark swiftly across the page, his lips mouthing words as he read. He can feel his chest starting to pound again, alone with his face growing warm. He wants to look away but finding very little strength to do so.
Suddenly, a loud caw startles them both from the silence. It was the from a bird in the projection on the floor, swooping down to the water's surface.
Slaine looks down and smiles, and Harklight can't help but mirror him.
"It's lovely isn't it?"
He peeks up and watches his master's expression, soft again and smiling. "Yes, milord."
"Have you ever heard of the ocean, Harklight?" Slaine looks up at him, eyes bright.
Yes. "No, sir."
"They're very lovely," he says wistfully.
Harklight smiles at him. "Indeed, sir."
Slaine moves from his chair to stand next to Harklight, so that they were both standing in the middle of the vast blue ocean.
"Barely half of all the oceans on Earth have been explored by the Terrans," he continues, eyes locked onto the image on the floor.
Harklight doesn't say a word when Slain moves closer still beside him, their sides nearly touching. When Slaine looks up at him again, the tightness in his chest returns tenfold.
"Have you ever seen a beach, Harklight?" he says slowly, as if careful not to waver. He takes another step closer to the other.
"Only on records and documents, sir," he replies almost breathless. He feels the fabric of his master's coat brush against his own, but he cannot will himself to step back.
"They're wonderful as well," Slaine continues as he watches the images of gulls flit below his feet. "Maybe one day...."
Slaine pauses, and Harklight feels a lump rise to his throat. The younger man slowly moves his hand down Harklight's sleeve. When he finds his hand he gently twines their fingers together. His hold is gentle, and can be broken with the slightest movement. Harklight finds himself unable to move now, either to pull away to tighten his hold. But he listens.
"Maybe, when all this is over...."
When his master doesn't speak again, he finds his voice and tightens his hold on Slaine's hand slightly.
"Milord?"
Slaine looks up and Harklight sees then the conflicted expression on his eyes, both gentle and worried. But then he also feels him return the squeeze in his hand.
"When this is over," he finally continues, letting out a long breath. "Let's take a walk on a beach then."
Harklight feels him lean into him as he watches the swirl of blue waters beneath their feet. A long, heavy sigh escapes the boy's lips, and Harklight wants nothing but to dispel that expression from his young master's face.
Wistfulness, sadness, melancholy; they do not suit Master Slaine, he thinks. His master is strong, not just in battle, but also in heart. Because Slaine has already taken up an entire ocean in his heart, for his princess, and for Vers. And when Harklight thinks of that, he wonders how much of that ocean does he belong to, and how much of it can he hold in his own. He looks down at their hands and tightens his hold; smiles when Slaine looks up at him.
He thinks to himself, I'll take it on, however much uncharted waters Master Slaine wants me to.Because he'd been living on too much barren red for so long, and now with the promise of oceans of blue, how could he say no.
"I would like that very much, Master Slaine."