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rainbowfic2025-04-28 09:32 pm
thisbluespirit) wrote in rainbowfic2025-04-28 09:32 pm
Warm Heart #15; Azul #18; Beet Red #24 [Starfall]
Name: Boxed In
Story: Starfall
Colors: Warm Heart #15 (Anger); Azul #18 (Trust your own strength); Beet Red #24 (Try, try, try again)
Supplies and Styles: Canvas + Novelty Beads (October 2024 Challenge "hate.")
Word Count: 1781
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Fighting, swearing.
Notes: 1306, Portcallan; Leion Valerno, Tana Veldiner, Atino Barra, Donn Chiulder, Tam Jadinor. Carries on from Whispers in the Mind.
Summary: Leion and Tana attempt an escape.
Leion had been sitting, hunched up on one of the boxes, watching as the light faded around him in the attic and waiting for Tana to return. He clenched and unclenched a fist, heaved various different degrees of sighs, and tried to ignore the rumblings of his stomach. Where was Tana? What if something had happened to her, while he sat up here, uselessly?
What precisely he could do, though, was another matter. The trapdoor opened upwards, so he couldn't force it, not without something to slide down the crack between the boards and prize it up—but he had nothing that would work. He'd already scoured every corner of this little loft. He kicked at an old, curled and yellowed piece of packing paper and cursed under his breath.
"Leion."
He started, and then dropped to his knees beside the trapdoor as it was raised from beneath, leaning forward to help Tana up as she climbed in.
"Almost all of them have gone," she said, keeping her voice low. "We should try to leave now."
Leion nodded. "Atino and Chiulder?"
"Still here, unfortunately, but I don't think we're going to get a better chance."
"And Aima?"
"Locked upstairs. I'm going to sneak up and get her. The other two are in the main room, so you keep an eye on them for me."
Leion followed her down the ladder, more relieved than he cared to say to be out of that cursed attic. He jumped down lightly onto the scattering of hay on the stone floor of the outhouse below. "I don't want to sound heartless, but if the Guardians are probably on their way, maybe we should just go now—they'll help her."
"Aima is my friend, and it's my fault she's here. I'm not going without her." Tana's eyes darkened.
Leion cast a watchful look about him. Odd parts of old vehicles, more piles of boxes, and broken furniture made eerie shapes in the gloom around them. "Yes, but if she's still in a state, it'll be impossible to get her out quietly."
"I have to try," said Tana. "Who knows what they might do to her if they panic when the Guardians arrive?"
Leion drew in a breath. "All right. Go, then. I'll keep watch."
"You won't go after them, will you?" Tana asked, turning back. "I doubt I can get Aima out without being noticed, so I'll be counting on you."
Leion flexed his hand again. He grimaced. "Despite appearances, I'm not always that stupid."
Tana slipped out of the outhouse. Leion followed more slowly, with one last look around him before crossing to the door. He pulled it open and emerged into the tiny courtyard. There was only one dim light from the neighbouring house, and the stars were visible above. Leion lifted his head to look at them. "Send me luck," he whispered.
He walked slowly and quietly, heading for the back door of the main house. He pushed it up cautiously—and then yelled as someone pulled it open from the other side.
"Valerno!" said Atino, standing in front of him. He made a grab for Leion, but Leion stepped back hastily. "Stopped screaming now, have you?"
Leion held his ground, waiting for Atino's next move.
"I don't think you understood, you know," Atino said, more softly. He put his hand on Leion's arm.
Leion flinched, then turned and hit Atino, catching him right on the chin. He drew back, his hand hurting; breathing hard. He'd surprised himself perhaps even more than Atino, but he straightened unconsciously.
Atino choked, wiping his mouth. He laughed, then. "You really didn't understand, did you?"
"Don't. You're not Chiulder," said Leion. "Don't, for all souls' sake, go on about how you meant well and I only imagined him messing with our minds. At least he put some thought into his lies."
Atino rounded on him abruptly, shoving Leion up against the wall. Leion pushed back—but froze as the other raised a knife to his throat, its edge a cold, ghost-touch against his skin. He sobered instantly; any remaining triumph from his well-aimed punch evaporating.
"Is that so?" Atino scoffed, leaning forward. "Don't fool yourself, Valerno. You'd have followed me with or without Chiulder's efforts. I've seen you looking—I know what you wanted."
Leion pressed himself back against the wall as hard as he could. "I've changed my mind." The feel of the knife's blade was becoming the only reality left, while Atino was barely there in comparison. This stranger facing him with hate burning in his eyes was too unrecognisable to accept. Leion swallowed and tried to keep his voice steady. "Let go, Atino. You're not really going to kill me."
"Let you go?" said Atino. "Oh, yes. You'll run straight to Daddy, won't you? You could have been insurance—you could have been useful, but it's too late now."
"How would you even—you couldn't, you wouldn't, would you?" Leion's mouth dried. His mind raced ahead, supplying about six different answers to his half-formulated question. It was the last night of the Sea Festival. There would be any number of fights and injuries, plenty of drunken idiots collapsing along the sea front. One or two would wind up drowned. What was one more fight, one more accident, this year? What would it have to do with Atino Barra if Leion's body was thrown up somewhere by the tide tomorrow?
Leion gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. "What are you waiting for, then?"
"Just promise me you'll say nothing," said Atino. "Trust me. Aima is safe—we'll look after her. If you stay here, I'll explain everything. You've got it all back to front, I swear."
"Yes, you must stay. No more fighting. You don't want that." Chiulder arrived behind Atino. "None of us do."
Chiulder's voice instantly made the hairs rise on the back of Leion's neck, and a wash of nausea passed over him. He trembled against the wall; his skin clammy. Tana was right. Now that he had seen through Chiulder's tricks, he couldn't be fooled again. There was a weird vibration in his head as the man spoke; an unnerving sensation, as if Chiulder was running his fingers through Leion's mind.
"I've had enough of you telling me what I do and don't want." Leion balled his hands into fists. Sweat was in his eyes; he tasted salt on his tongue, and his heart was beating far too loud and fast in his ears. He turned as carefully as he could, mindful of the knife. "As for you," he told Atino, his voice strained, "don't give me that. You said it. I'm only insurance to you. You were never interested in me."
"Did you ever really think I could be?" Atino said, into his ear. "As if I'd ever sleep with a fucking Sola! Change the name all you like, but everyone knows what you are. You think I'd let someone like you touch me?"
Atino pulled back a fraction in his anger. Leion, all senses on high alert, instantly brought up his hand to grip Atino's; his fingers closing over the other's on the handle of the knife. Leion pushed back with all his strength, and then kicked him sharply. Atino stumbled back, leaving Leion thumping back against the wall with the blade now firmly in his hand.
Chiulder looked across at him and then backed away hastily. Leion barely even saw him leave. He threw himself onto Atino, shoving him down by the shoulders, and turned the tables, pressing the knife to the other's throat.
Atino froze. Then he laughed, suddenly. "Oh, come on, Valerno. You're not going to do it."
The rush of anger passed too soon. Leion swallowed. He didn't move yet. "If you ever come near me again, I will! Besides, the Guardians are already on their way. I don't need to. They'll make you pay for what you did." He pulled back and stood slowly, keeping his grip on the weapon. "So, run, if you like. They'll be able to find you, easy."
"So, you did tell Daddy! I should have known."
Leion wiped sweat from his face with his free hand. "I did nothing but make an idiot of myself over you," he said, his voice ragged. "Just—go!"
Atino nodded, but then turned, charging Leion and slamming him against the back door. Leion yelled out, the knife clattering somewhere across the floor of the corridor. His head caught against the handle and there was a moment of darkness and confusion, before he found himself on the floor, Atino gripping his wrists and pinning him down.
"You're the one who'll pay," Atino began, when they both froze in place at the sound of thundering footsteps from outside. Loud bangs and crashes ensued as someone outside started to batter their way in through the front door. The Guardians had arrived.
The back door opened behind Leion, hitting him; his body blocking the entrance. Atino hastily backed across the boards to get out of the way, and Leion, freed, sat up sharply and pulled back against the wall. The door slammed open and two of the Guardians burst in. Neither of them was Tam at least, but Leion's stepfather wasn't far behind, walking across the little yard. Leion turned his head to watch him getting nearer and saw the moment Tam caught sight of him; his face shifting into an all too familiar weary expression.
"Shit," muttered Leion under his breath and he got to his feet, shaking off the Guardian's proffered hand. "Burn it all."
Only a few minutes later, Leion found himself left outside in the yard, a stern warning about not moving from that spot on pain of dire punishment echoing in his ears.
He kicked at loose stones, but something kept building up within until he just could not wait there in one place for a moment longer. Chiulder's persuasive words, Leion's mind breaking, being trapped up in that attic all cursed day, and then Atino with a knife right out his throat, spitting out revulsion at the mere idea of them—it was too much to bear.
Leion looked at the back gate, hanging temptingly open. The only Guardian keeping watch in the yard was wandering in and out of the outhouse, barely even sparing a glance for Imor Jadinor's sulky stepson.
Leion took a breath, and then raced out of the yard, tearing down the steep road towards the water. If he could get to the sea, everything would be all right. He'd drown everything in the waves; wash all of Chiulder's words and his own folly away.
Story: Starfall
Colors: Warm Heart #15 (Anger); Azul #18 (Trust your own strength); Beet Red #24 (Try, try, try again)
Supplies and Styles: Canvas + Novelty Beads (October 2024 Challenge "hate.")
Word Count: 1781
Rating: Teen
Warnings: Fighting, swearing.
Notes: 1306, Portcallan; Leion Valerno, Tana Veldiner, Atino Barra, Donn Chiulder, Tam Jadinor. Carries on from Whispers in the Mind.
Summary: Leion and Tana attempt an escape.
Leion had been sitting, hunched up on one of the boxes, watching as the light faded around him in the attic and waiting for Tana to return. He clenched and unclenched a fist, heaved various different degrees of sighs, and tried to ignore the rumblings of his stomach. Where was Tana? What if something had happened to her, while he sat up here, uselessly?
What precisely he could do, though, was another matter. The trapdoor opened upwards, so he couldn't force it, not without something to slide down the crack between the boards and prize it up—but he had nothing that would work. He'd already scoured every corner of this little loft. He kicked at an old, curled and yellowed piece of packing paper and cursed under his breath.
"Leion."
He started, and then dropped to his knees beside the trapdoor as it was raised from beneath, leaning forward to help Tana up as she climbed in.
"Almost all of them have gone," she said, keeping her voice low. "We should try to leave now."
Leion nodded. "Atino and Chiulder?"
"Still here, unfortunately, but I don't think we're going to get a better chance."
"And Aima?"
"Locked upstairs. I'm going to sneak up and get her. The other two are in the main room, so you keep an eye on them for me."
Leion followed her down the ladder, more relieved than he cared to say to be out of that cursed attic. He jumped down lightly onto the scattering of hay on the stone floor of the outhouse below. "I don't want to sound heartless, but if the Guardians are probably on their way, maybe we should just go now—they'll help her."
"Aima is my friend, and it's my fault she's here. I'm not going without her." Tana's eyes darkened.
Leion cast a watchful look about him. Odd parts of old vehicles, more piles of boxes, and broken furniture made eerie shapes in the gloom around them. "Yes, but if she's still in a state, it'll be impossible to get her out quietly."
"I have to try," said Tana. "Who knows what they might do to her if they panic when the Guardians arrive?"
Leion drew in a breath. "All right. Go, then. I'll keep watch."
"You won't go after them, will you?" Tana asked, turning back. "I doubt I can get Aima out without being noticed, so I'll be counting on you."
Leion flexed his hand again. He grimaced. "Despite appearances, I'm not always that stupid."
Tana slipped out of the outhouse. Leion followed more slowly, with one last look around him before crossing to the door. He pulled it open and emerged into the tiny courtyard. There was only one dim light from the neighbouring house, and the stars were visible above. Leion lifted his head to look at them. "Send me luck," he whispered.
He walked slowly and quietly, heading for the back door of the main house. He pushed it up cautiously—and then yelled as someone pulled it open from the other side.
"Valerno!" said Atino, standing in front of him. He made a grab for Leion, but Leion stepped back hastily. "Stopped screaming now, have you?"
Leion held his ground, waiting for Atino's next move.
"I don't think you understood, you know," Atino said, more softly. He put his hand on Leion's arm.
Leion flinched, then turned and hit Atino, catching him right on the chin. He drew back, his hand hurting; breathing hard. He'd surprised himself perhaps even more than Atino, but he straightened unconsciously.
Atino choked, wiping his mouth. He laughed, then. "You really didn't understand, did you?"
"Don't. You're not Chiulder," said Leion. "Don't, for all souls' sake, go on about how you meant well and I only imagined him messing with our minds. At least he put some thought into his lies."
Atino rounded on him abruptly, shoving Leion up against the wall. Leion pushed back—but froze as the other raised a knife to his throat, its edge a cold, ghost-touch against his skin. He sobered instantly; any remaining triumph from his well-aimed punch evaporating.
"Is that so?" Atino scoffed, leaning forward. "Don't fool yourself, Valerno. You'd have followed me with or without Chiulder's efforts. I've seen you looking—I know what you wanted."
Leion pressed himself back against the wall as hard as he could. "I've changed my mind." The feel of the knife's blade was becoming the only reality left, while Atino was barely there in comparison. This stranger facing him with hate burning in his eyes was too unrecognisable to accept. Leion swallowed and tried to keep his voice steady. "Let go, Atino. You're not really going to kill me."
"Let you go?" said Atino. "Oh, yes. You'll run straight to Daddy, won't you? You could have been insurance—you could have been useful, but it's too late now."
"How would you even—you couldn't, you wouldn't, would you?" Leion's mouth dried. His mind raced ahead, supplying about six different answers to his half-formulated question. It was the last night of the Sea Festival. There would be any number of fights and injuries, plenty of drunken idiots collapsing along the sea front. One or two would wind up drowned. What was one more fight, one more accident, this year? What would it have to do with Atino Barra if Leion's body was thrown up somewhere by the tide tomorrow?
Leion gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. "What are you waiting for, then?"
"Just promise me you'll say nothing," said Atino. "Trust me. Aima is safe—we'll look after her. If you stay here, I'll explain everything. You've got it all back to front, I swear."
"Yes, you must stay. No more fighting. You don't want that." Chiulder arrived behind Atino. "None of us do."
Chiulder's voice instantly made the hairs rise on the back of Leion's neck, and a wash of nausea passed over him. He trembled against the wall; his skin clammy. Tana was right. Now that he had seen through Chiulder's tricks, he couldn't be fooled again. There was a weird vibration in his head as the man spoke; an unnerving sensation, as if Chiulder was running his fingers through Leion's mind.
"I've had enough of you telling me what I do and don't want." Leion balled his hands into fists. Sweat was in his eyes; he tasted salt on his tongue, and his heart was beating far too loud and fast in his ears. He turned as carefully as he could, mindful of the knife. "As for you," he told Atino, his voice strained, "don't give me that. You said it. I'm only insurance to you. You were never interested in me."
"Did you ever really think I could be?" Atino said, into his ear. "As if I'd ever sleep with a fucking Sola! Change the name all you like, but everyone knows what you are. You think I'd let someone like you touch me?"
Atino pulled back a fraction in his anger. Leion, all senses on high alert, instantly brought up his hand to grip Atino's; his fingers closing over the other's on the handle of the knife. Leion pushed back with all his strength, and then kicked him sharply. Atino stumbled back, leaving Leion thumping back against the wall with the blade now firmly in his hand.
Chiulder looked across at him and then backed away hastily. Leion barely even saw him leave. He threw himself onto Atino, shoving him down by the shoulders, and turned the tables, pressing the knife to the other's throat.
Atino froze. Then he laughed, suddenly. "Oh, come on, Valerno. You're not going to do it."
The rush of anger passed too soon. Leion swallowed. He didn't move yet. "If you ever come near me again, I will! Besides, the Guardians are already on their way. I don't need to. They'll make you pay for what you did." He pulled back and stood slowly, keeping his grip on the weapon. "So, run, if you like. They'll be able to find you, easy."
"So, you did tell Daddy! I should have known."
Leion wiped sweat from his face with his free hand. "I did nothing but make an idiot of myself over you," he said, his voice ragged. "Just—go!"
Atino nodded, but then turned, charging Leion and slamming him against the back door. Leion yelled out, the knife clattering somewhere across the floor of the corridor. His head caught against the handle and there was a moment of darkness and confusion, before he found himself on the floor, Atino gripping his wrists and pinning him down.
"You're the one who'll pay," Atino began, when they both froze in place at the sound of thundering footsteps from outside. Loud bangs and crashes ensued as someone outside started to batter their way in through the front door. The Guardians had arrived.
The back door opened behind Leion, hitting him; his body blocking the entrance. Atino hastily backed across the boards to get out of the way, and Leion, freed, sat up sharply and pulled back against the wall. The door slammed open and two of the Guardians burst in. Neither of them was Tam at least, but Leion's stepfather wasn't far behind, walking across the little yard. Leion turned his head to watch him getting nearer and saw the moment Tam caught sight of him; his face shifting into an all too familiar weary expression.
"Shit," muttered Leion under his breath and he got to his feet, shaking off the Guardian's proffered hand. "Burn it all."
Only a few minutes later, Leion found himself left outside in the yard, a stern warning about not moving from that spot on pain of dire punishment echoing in his ears.
He kicked at loose stones, but something kept building up within until he just could not wait there in one place for a moment longer. Chiulder's persuasive words, Leion's mind breaking, being trapped up in that attic all cursed day, and then Atino with a knife right out his throat, spitting out revulsion at the mere idea of them—it was too much to bear.
Leion looked at the back gate, hanging temptingly open. The only Guardian keeping watch in the yard was wandering in and out of the outhouse, barely even sparing a glance for Imor Jadinor's sulky stepson.
Leion took a breath, and then raced out of the yard, tearing down the steep road towards the water. If he could get to the sea, everything would be all right. He'd drown everything in the waves; wash all of Chiulder's words and his own folly away.
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Oh, poor Leion. I sort of have to wonder why Atino was letting him tag along, though, if he thought there was a chance Leion might tell his stepfather about what they were doing, and Leion didn't have any affinity that would have been useful to him. I guess maybe he was just enjoying stringing him along?
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I sort of have to wonder why Atino was letting him tag along, though, if he thought there was a chance Leion might tell his stepfather about what they were doing, and Leion didn't have any affinity that would have been useful to him. I guess maybe he was just enjoying stringing him along?
I've left a long gap between these - Atino does essentially say why he wanted Leion on board in the previous piece, which is for a mixture of reasons - he thinks he can use Leion to spy on Tam, or at least as a sort of insurance or hostage if he needs to, but as he feels he's untouchable by the Guardians anyway, he mostly thinks it's funny & does indeed enjoy stringing Leion along, enough that that's why he's so angry with him here; he wouldn't be if he didn't also like Leion himself.
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Ahh, yeah, I probably forgot some stuff from the previous installments of this plotline. I had initially interpreted from the earlier pieces that this was a pretty one-sided thing, but maybe I was trusting Leion's POV too much, or I'm just kind of oblivious, haha. But I see what you were going for here, now. It kind of makes the whole Chiulder mind control and locking him in the attic thing worse, tbh.
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And, yeah, I haven't written much Atino yet or anything, so it's not even really relevant (yet, or at all), but I, the omniscient narrator who never actually omnisciently narrates, happen to know it and I talk too much in comments. Textwise, it's just Atino's more extreme reaction here that's the only giveaway, so it's not like you missed anything glaring. (Atino thought it was one-sided too, probably still would say it was, but there's that "you made me like you" hate for someone he intended to despise coming out in their fight.)
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Oh, good, haha, I was worried because I do sometimes miss stuff like that (more often in TV/movies than writing, though).