10/04: Keep(sake)

A/N:

miir - honorific used to refer to a teacher/mentor.

saen- most formal honorific used to refer to someone who's at the top of the social hierarchy; i.e. president, leader, shaman (in Ery's tribe), etc.

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As Ery and I wrestle in the Zephyr Bay waters, I notice that he's still wearing that old pendant--the one he said his Shaman gave him before he left for Vesuvia with Az. I know Ery's always made those thorny-sage-trinkets, but despite the abundance of jewelry a Count like myself has, I don't really have something with as much memory behind it; a keepsake, you could say.

Both of our heads breach the surface of the water, with Ery gracefully taking his bangs and wringing them out a like a towel while I shake my head to dry off--what can I say, the poochies rub off on me a little. As we manage to re-orient the boat, I see Ery using his magic to retrieve the clay piece he'd been working on.

Immediately, I feel bad, "Ah, hey, I could have-"

"Do not worry, Lushiyo," he reassures me, "I put a hydration spell on it for a reason. I do not mean this with ill, but I knew to be a little prepared."

I hoist myself onto the boat first, then offering my hand to get Ery and sculpture back on board, too.

As I'm drying my hair with the towel, I ask, "Ery, do you know how to make a pendant, like the one you have from your tribe guy?"

"Ah, well," he fixes his hair up as it's become disheveled from the towel, "I do not think I can make an exact replication, as the kind of magic Ras'karr-saen used was more advanced than what I can muster right now."

"Um, well..." I clear my throat," Well, not that I settle for less or anything, but that's fine. I just want ... something to keep ... from you."

Ery seems a bit surprised at this, his eyes widening at me for a moment before he replies, "Ah, Lushiyo, that's awfully sweet of you! I did not think you'd appreciate little things like that."

I stretch my back, trying to play it cool and hide my embarrassment, "Well, I just ... it's because it's you, you know? It's not like I'd feel it from anyone else..."

A soft chuckle escapes Ery as he places his hand on my shoulder, "Lushiyo, I keep things people have given to me from the past too, even those who aren't my family like from Asra-miir or Pasha-kos. It is okay to want to have a gift like that, it doesn't make you weak or 'not cool.'"

"R-right, yeah," I stammer a bit, "Just not used to it being okay to be, uh, nice ... still; um, it just, uh, I'm not fully okay with the fuzzy stuff ... yet. But, right, it's okay; it's okay."

After we got back to the shop and washed up, I watch Ery make the pendant for me and realize something Mama shouted at me a lot on my birthday finally makes sense now.

It's never about the gift, Montie, but the person who gave it.