dappledleaves | THE WORLD: PSL LIFE

[Sinclair leans in to kiss Oria's cheeks]

Thanks... there's no way I can be bored on the boat now.

[ Oria grins. Ahhh nice kisses from Sinclair. ]

But still, go look around for what books you want so that we can find them to put into the Kindle! I'll go get the device itself.

[ And Oria nyooms. ]

[ Bye Oria... Sinclair watches him run off in surprise. Ah. So much energy again??

He'll pick out some books and wait with them for Oria to get for the kindle]

[ Oria comes back with the Kindle in his hands. ]

Let's go! We need some time to fill it up with books when we get home too.

[ Oria is so full of energy because he's buying stuff for Sinclair! That he actually wants without a doubt! Also because he knows how much Sinclair loves to read, so helping him with that makes his heart feel a little fuller. ]

[ Oria please... Sinclair can't help but smile though]

Then lets see if we can get these titles at least.

[ Kushiel's legacy, Twilight series, Ursula K. Le Guin are definitely on the list here ]

Got it!

[ He looks through the list on his phone that he pulled up just now. ]

Okay, they're there. Let's go pay for it and go!

[ This is so fast?? But Sinclair is happily hugging that kindle to his chest when they're done paying, reaching out to take Oria's hand again]

I don't know where you found the energy again after you said no to going out earlier ...but thank you, really.

[ Maybe Sinclair is just bad at picking places and Oria knows it? Hm..]

What? I thought you were trying to make me feel better as in "taking me away from this place and running away with just the two of us".

[ Yeah.

Yeah...

Oria holds Sinclair's hand and walks him to the car. ]

[...

Sinclair turns his words over in his head] Ah. Did it really sound like that?

[ He doesn't have that power...]

I know you'd never run away. I was just thinking... getting some fresh air. Or--

[ ...you know what he wont mention that now, he's embarrassed. Also his stomach growls loudly. aaaaaaah]

I know, but it was very tempting either way at the time.

[ Cute... Oria is very endeared. ]

Wanna go get something to eat? Though, by now there's only fast food stuff open.

[ Sinclair covers his face with his free hand to hide his blush. It's not like he hasn't thought about it...but there's this and then there's that...]

Fast food is fine. You didn't eat anything either right?

Yeah. I'm starving!

[ Now that they're inside the car... ]

Anything you won't eat?

[ Mister picky eater. ]

Oh um...squid.

[so no fried calamari for him]

Squid in fast food...

[ Oria looks at Sinclair. ]

Did you have a bad experience with one?

[ But off they go. ]

I had it in a pizza one time...it was really rubbery and hard to eat.

[unpleasantly squishy too. no thanks]

Squid pizza?

[ Sounds like a delicacy. ]

But it's fine. We're just gonna get burgers or chicken nuggets—that sort of thing. I imagine you'll be eating a bunch of seafood if you're gonna be out there for weeks.

[ Here's hoping Sinclair doesn't get scurvy from lack of fruits. ]

Either of those sound good.

[ Sinclair brightens, relaxing. The squid pizza was supposed to be some gourmet thing... but no.

And there will be fruit hush]

[ Oria pulls up in a drive-thru because he doesn't feel like dealing with more people than he has to. He orders two burgers and a strawberry shake himself and whatever Sinclair wants to eat.

After that, he doesn't park in the fast food lot. Instead, Oria drives around until they get to a place under a big bridge. It's very tall, so there's a lot of space. The stars are hard to see with the light pollution, but it's a peaceful area.

Then Oria finally eats his food after parking here. ]

[Sinclair gets himself a burger and small fries. For the drink, he gets a vanilla shake. The place under the bridge is peaceful and Sinclair eats quietly, wondering a little at Oria only getting two burgers.

... ]

It's quiet out here...

Edited 2024-01-17 22:20 (UTC)

Yeah.

[ His minimum sustenance... though Sinclair notices well. Even now, Oria eats slowly, which is translated to the average person's eating speed. Sinclair can actually see when the food is bitten off and goes into Oria's mouth, followed up with chewing. The car windows are down too, so that they can enjoy the outside air. He eats in silence for a while. ]

It's sometimes nice... to take in the comfortable silence where I feel so insignificant compared to everything.

[ The river before them, the cars passing on the bridge above, the occasional bystander walking to and from on the bridge and the road way off in the distance... the vast night sky. ]

On some days, I wish I can be unimportant as a whole, but only important to the people who matter to me.

[ Sinclair nods, sitting back to watch and take it all in too. He watches a couple walk their dog across the bridge, the dog bounding away. The feeling of insignificance had never troubled him; it was a relief really to know there were always bigger and more important things. That everyone had their own lives and ways of colouring it. When they're both done eating their burgers, Sinclair reaches over the console to take Oria's hand]

You'll always be important to me. No matter what. [ Sinclair says softly, studying the night sky. Then...]

You know...I never asked before...why do you do it? All of it?

[ Business, going head to head with such a cutthroat world. In Sinclair's eyes, Oria was talented and driven. He could be anything, make his mark on the world in any way he desired...]

[ It's quite the generous thought to think Oria could be anything, because in the end, he says this: ]

It's what I was made for.

[ What he was born for--altered to make him fit the mold of what he should have been. ]

My entire life: what I was taught, what I experienced, what I learned, the way I do things... was for this. And by the time I realized I wanted to do something different, it was already too late. I was already in so deep in that my entire life became a sunk cost fallacy if I were to do anything else.

[ He momentarily squeezes Sinclair's hand. ]

So, since I already have a lot of things laid out for me, it's just a matter of getting them done and when they'll be done. Everything else, I'll cling onto whatever agency I have left.

[ Sinclair is quiet for a moment, letting the words sink in. He's known that Oria has constantly been told what he had to be...but it hurts to hear that there was also no other choice for Oria. Not anymore. He squeezes Oria's hand in turn, his expression softening]

... then I'll be with you all the way, supporting you.

I know you will.

[ As much as his circumstances would allow, anyway. If Sinclair can't be with him for whatever reason, Oria can't blame him because he knows that Sinclair would want to be with him. ]

That's why I can relax, knowing that I'll always have something to come back to. Honestly, I should just kidnap you so that you can live with me forever.

[ He's joking, right? Probably. Maybe. ]

Yes, even if you're going away for weeks on your boat trip.

You could. I'll make sure you always have something to look forward to.

[ Sinclair laughs and then groans when he remembers. Aaaah boar trip]

I hope it doesn't take too long or I really will lose my mind out there.

[ ]

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