Short-ish Stories

Sweater Weather

Lyrics edited from Sweater Weather by The Neighborhood

~~•~~

"All I am is a man(?)

I want the world in my hands

I hate the sea

But I stand in West Alternia with my toes in the sand"

I am standing near the ocean My toes curl in the sand as I wait for someone. He should be arriving any moment now... but he isn't. I blink my sightless eyes and tilt my head towards the sky, catching a few rays of sun on my face, basking in the warmth. I am one of the few trolls who can do this, for I cannot see the sunlight. The worst that will happen is that my dark skin will get darker or more freckles will be added to the mess on my face. As the time passes, I grow impatient. Where is he? I will not be surprised if he doesn't show up at all. He is a fickle one, especially when it comes to blood color. The higher castes are always more important. I sigh and lower my head, tucking my chin into my turtleneck. I will most likely leave soon if he does not appear soon.

"Use the sleeves of my sweater

Let's have an adventure

Head in the clouds but my gravity's centered

Touch my neck and I'll touch yours

Me in those little high waisted shorts, oh"

I pull my turtleneck higher on my face and rub the medallion hanging around my neck. I have waited long enough. Turning my back to the sea, I begin to step across the sand, away from the water, when I hear something. Someone. The sloshing of water and the squelching of wet feet on sand. I know who it is as he approached me, apologizing for his lateness, saying he had "other business" to deal with first. Part of me wants to punch him in the gut. The other part wants to forgive him and continue with the evening. I listen to the first part, whirling around and landing a solid hit in what I believe to be his stomach while berating him for being late. He doesn't stop me, although if I was anyone else, my arm would most likely have been ripped out of its socket. He simply sighs softly. I feel him place his hand on my shoulder and slide my turtleneck off of my face and neck so he can caress the side of my neck with his thumb. Something that calms him because of my smooth skin and something I have grown quite fond of myself. He asks if I am finished and if we can go. I lower my arm and nod slowly.

"He knows what I think about

And what I think about

One love, two mouths

One love, one house

No shirt, no blouse

Just us, you find out

Nothing that I wouldn't wanna tell you about no"

At times like this, I like to pretend I am flying. He carries me on his back while I sit up, arms outstretched as he runs. We must be an strange sight. It is rare for a seadweller and a lowblood to enjoy each other's company, and rarer still for a seadweller and a lowblood to be in a quadrant together. We are an oddity. But we are special.

I can tell we are there when he starts to slow down. I lower my arms as he sets me on the ground. I step forward and reach out my arm, feeling the familiar material used to create most hives. But this one is different. Weathered. Damp from the sea spray. It is his hive. I hear the soft click of the door opening and I follow him inside.

"And If I may just take your breath away

I don't mind if there's not much to say

Sometimes the silence guides our minds to

So move to a place so far away"

We head upstairs to his respite block. I do not say anything as we walk past his lusus, a creature with an easily recognizable scent. I do not speak as I almost trip on the stairs and he catches me. I do not say anything until we are perching on the loveseat in his block. I hear a click as the television is turned on, playing one of his favorite shows. I may not be able to see the screen, but I still understand what's going on. I can hear the characters speaking, I can hear the sounds of a fight. I hear something else, the rustling of fabric, as he takes off his cloak and shirt. I lean against his chest. He places his hand on my head, in between my horns, his fingers curled in my hair. I feel at ease.

"The goosebumps start to raise

The minute your left hand meets my waist

And then I touch your face

Put your finger on my tongue

'Cause I like the taste"

I blink my sightless eyes open into darkness. I must have fallen asleep, for he is gently shaking my shoulder. I tend to appear dead in my sleep, accounting for the concern in his voice. I slowly sit up and groan softly. I hear a sigh of relief and feel his hand brush against my waist. A show of affection that makes my skin feel tingly. The good kind of tingly, the happy kind of tingly. I smile softly in his general direction and reach up towards him. I feel him rest his head on my hand as I stroke his cheek with my thumb. His face twitches a bit, which I have come to learn is a smile. The soft whisper of "I love you" is followed by the brush of a calloused hand over my face, my nose, my mouth, my ears, my chin. I can smell him, faintly taste him, saltwater and sorrow, barnacles and blood, fish and fear.

"These hearts adore

Every other beat the other beats for

Inside this hive is warm

Outside it starts to pour"

I lean my head against his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart. Or, if I want to be technical, his collapsing and expanding bladder based aquatic vascular system. But I very much prefer the term "heart", it sounds kinder, nicer. I feel his heart thud and mine slows down to match it. It calms me down. I simply lie there and take in his scent, the sound of his heartbeat, the feeling of his chest rising and falling as he breathes. There is a sudden boom. I leap up, startled and scared. He stands up next to me and places a hand on my shoulder, whispering calming words into my ear. He reassured me that it is simply a storm, nothing more. We will be safe inside his hive, for it was built for weather like this. I feel my feet leave the floor, but not because of my levitation. He has swept me off my feet quite literally. I make that joke and he laughs, a rough hearty sound. A sound that never fails to make me smile.

"Coming down

One love, two mouths

One love, one house

No shirt, no blouse

Just us, you find out

Nothing that I wouldn't wanna tell you about, no, no"

I feel him sit down on the couch and place me next to him. I feel my legs on his lap as he twines his fingers with mine. I hear his soothing words as he tells me to relax, to listen to the sound of the rain, to let go of my worries and let my mind feel at ease. All too soon, there is another boom of thunder and I panic again. He simply chuckles, a breathy laugh, and murmurs more calming words. I feel myself drifting off again. The last thing I hear is the sound of the rain, and I fall deep into the clutches of sleep.

"'Cause it's to cold

For you here and now

So let me hold

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater"

I wake up on what I can assume the beach, on what feels and sounds like a soft patch of grass far away from the water's edge. I sit up and rub my forehead as a memories come flooding back. The date. The storm. Me, half-asleep, in his arms as he carries me to this patch of grass. Whispering something about an "uprising" and "duties". Business as usual. I sigh and stand up and let the sun warm my face. With a soft smile, I turn away from the sound of crashing waves, water against sand. I can almost hear his voice whispering... "I love you".

"It's too cold

It's too cold

The holes of my sweater..."