Big Book Of Sjips One Shots

I'm So Sorry But I Love You (S)

TW: Some Angst

Sips is a wandering lumberjack. A free man with nothing but a chequered flannel shirt and a song on his lips.

A man with nothing but a leather thong and a smile sits comfortably on the side of the road, his legs spread wide and completely unselfconscious.

"Hey," Sips challenges him after a pause, wary but intrigued.

"Hey there," the naked man replies, "You look like you could use a friend."

Sips wants to disagree because he is young and brash and dammit if he doesn't need anyone else.

...But then again, he's never had a friend. Maybe he could use one after all.

"Alright then," he gruffly puts out his hand after another brief pause, "I'm Sips."

"Sjin."

They shake.

~~~~

 Sips is surprised when Sjin gathers enough brush for one bed as they make camp in a tiny cave.

"It's for warmth, Sips," Sjin explains simply, "What you gonna do when you wake up with your butt frozen off from the cold?"

"Hey! I'll have you know, my ass is smokin'."

"Don't I know it!"

They laugh and Sjin pats the space next to him. Sips tries to hide his nervousness by climbing in.

~~~~

There is silence and darkness and Sips pretends to be asleep.

"Sips," Sjin whispers like a sigh, "Are you awake?"

He doesn't reply and hopes the man will leave well enough alone. Without warning, Sjin shifts onto Sips' side of the bed and snuggles into his back. Sips is about to jump up with a shrill yelp and harsh demands, but freezes when Sjin puts his arm around Sips' waist and buries his face into the back of Sips' neck. He breathes deep and lets out his breath slowly like it's his last one on earth.

"What happens in the hovel, stays in the hovel," Sjin lilts softly like butterfly wings. Sips thinks that he can feel the gravity of galaxies in the heavy tone of that voice. It lays about his wildly pumping heart, and he tries to ignore the feeling of tears soaking the pillow underneath them.

  ~~~~ 

Sips soon learns that very little surprises Sjin.

"Oh no!" Sjin would cry, his concern dripping the sort of fake sincerity you use on your aunt, "The house is on fire! Quickly Sips! Get the buckets!"

Sips laughs and laughs and laughs while Sjin scrambles around with buckets and there's water everywhere but on the fire.

They sit together in a puddle, wet and watching the fire burn itself out, as if didn't really mean anything.

  ~~~~  

"How do you build so fast, Sjin?"

"It's pretty easy Sips. You could do it too, you know."

"Yeah, I can build like, four walls and a door. But you, Sjin. It's like you already know what the house is supposed to look like and all I gotta do is get you some wood."

"Are you offering me your wood Sips?"

  ~~~~ 

Very little surprises Sjin, but Sips succeeds sometimes.

"Sips. Did you just kill Aloysius."

His voice is quietly astonished and his questions are statements like he can't take in the reality of the dead cow at their feet and the bloody sword in Sips' hands.