Hardened (A Yogscast Fanfiction)

Epilogue

2 years later

Sjin lounged back on the grassy slope, his feet just above the line where dirt turned to sand and water from the river lapped at the edges. The sun shone bright and hot on another of many seemingly endless clear, summer days; combined with the cool breeze that came of the water, it was enough to put him to sleep. He could feel the scratchy, parched grass under the arm that his head rested back on, and the smell of the cherry tree orchard mixed with the scent of grass around him and made a dizzying aroma. Since the farm was finally 100% automated, every day felt like today for him and they were starting to blur together.

A series of clucks and splashing woke him from his trance, and as he looked to see what was making the noise the bright sun forced his eyes shut again. "You're not going to catch him you know," he called out, throwing his free arm over his face to block out the light and give his eyes a break.

He chuckled as he heard his partner grumble under her breath, and outright laughed as another set of splashing was followed be a harsh swear. "Come here Mr. Chicken," Kirby huffed, knee deep in the river and trying to keep her clothes and hair dry as the fowl swam farther out of her reach. "Do you have any seeds on you?" she asked Sjin.

"Not on me, no," he mused, enjoying her attempts at animal wrangling. Sjin used his hand to provide some shade as he picked up his head to watch Kirby give up and make her way back to shore. Shaking the water off purposefully next to him so that he'd get wet, she came up and laid down next to him with a chuckle. 

Ever since she had been revived by the testifcates at Ridge's base and their eventual return to the farm after much arguing and discussion, Kirby seems to have been much quieter and more even tempered. It took a while for her to trust Sjin, but once she did she blossomed again. Her months away had taught her a lot, and now she had a mine set up that supplied them with generous materials, enough not to need any trading partners. After all that excitement, they both seemed to prefer it that way as well. She also had been practicing her fighting again, and Sjin thought she had progressed so far that she had surpassed him. 

They had eventually settled into a comfortable relationship as the years past. Sjin still lost his temper now and again, but he felt much happier and less volatile; his outward hostility had been replaced by a friendly demeanor, even if he seemed a bit reserved. Most importantly, Kirby had manged to get through to him and acted as much as a confidant and partner as a girlfriend to him. They had become a respected and palpable team, like Xephos and Honeydew or Strippin and Benji, and no one would dare break that up. Ridge had yet to pay a visit to them either, but the enderbane sword still hung on their unused weapons rack just in case.

Sjin gave a content sigh, and Kirby rolled over onto her stomach so she could look up at him. "What's wrong?" she asked playfully, laying a hand on his arm.

"Nothing..." he muttered, opening his eyes as a set of puffy white clouds gave them a couple minutes of respite, "I've just been thinking a lot lately."

"Uh oh," he laughed, "That can't be good." She sat up and maneuvered so that she was sitting cross-legged above Sjin, and he instinctively shifted upwards so that his head rested in her lap.

"It's just... we've had so much time on our hands now that everything's being done for us," he muttered, closing his eyes as Kirby stroked his forehead and brushed away his scruffy hair out of his face.

"Poor you, a workaholic without work," she teased lightheartedly, her long brown hair tickling his face as she bowed her head and put her hands on his beard cheeks. "It's not a sin to relax sweetheart," she added seriously when he didn't go along with her playing like he normally did.