By Your Side || Cain & Jasim
Cain suppressed a laugh at the gagging noise that the fox had made at Jasim’s sentimentalities, but he couldn’t stop his shoulders shaking or the wry smile that twisted across his lips at the noise. It seemed like only Jasim himself and the wind chime coiled around Cain’s neck appreciated or could stand his words. “If that’s all you were to me I wouldn’t still be here, would I?” His laughter subsided a little, surprising himself with what he’d just said. But for the most part, it was true. It just remained to be seen as to what Jasim really was to him that compelled him to stick around.
Troubled slightly by this thought, Cain turned away from Jasim again, pulling at his scarf to cover more of his face. He could feel Crystals glare resting on him from his loss of temper earlier, and their momentary unity against Jasim’s sweetness was gone again. Any guilt he might feel was minimal, what he’d said was true, but there was still a bit all the same. He sighed, dispelling his emotions in the hot mist that escaped with his breath. “Don’t.” He chided softly, “There isn’t anything to forgive.”
He didn’t have to carry any of their belongings, something he didn’t bother to fight Jasim on unlike his mothering fox. He instead just shoved his hands sulkily into his pockets out of a combination of not knowing quite what to do with them and them being quite cold, he didn’t need to be reminded of that. He might have said so had Jasim not taken that moment to sweep his hand through Cain’s hair. He froze at Jasim’s touch, and suddenly the back of his neck was contrastingly hot to the rest of his body as anger and mortification swept over him.
Yet even as his head jerked upwards to snap at the offending party, he stopped. The bell around his neck had contracted her tail in sudden realization, and he had heard it as well. He moved all at once closer to Jasim, not out of a desire for protection, he’d swear to himself later, but more-so that he could whisper softly with little chance of being potentially overheard. “Did you hear something? You don’t think you were followed back here, do you?”
Silence settles for a moment after Cain spoke, for once managing to catch Jasim off guard. The words were so unlike the bitter boy he had come to know, even if he was certain Cain meant nothing good by them, as he rarely intended anything he said to be pleasant. He chose to brush aside the comment, much to Crystal’s confusion, but she was thankful for it. He wasn’t going to tread where he didn’t belong, even if he did have a habit of teasing the boy. Cain appeared to be in a surprisingly good mood, at least as far as Jasim was concerned. Through a stranger would have questioned the man as to why he stuck around the grumpy boy.
He retreated his hand to his side when Cain jerked upwards, not at all surprised by his anger. He really had taken a chance there with that, and he wouldn’t be upset if Cain gave him the tongue-lashing he deserved for invading his personal space. But when he prepared himself for the boy’s protests, he found himself surprised when they never came. Instead he crept closer, and began to whisper to him. Thankful for whatever had distracted the boy from digging into him, his attention turned briefly to Crystal. The fox’s fur on edge, as growls shook her body.
Even so, he doubted they had been followed. Not with Crystal around. Her senses were far too keen for that. She would never allow a threat to find them. “No, I don’t think so.” Or at least, it was highly unlikely given Crystal’s extremely protective and distrustful nature. But, he leaned away from Cain for a moment, extending his hand to toy with the pack on his back while his other went rub Crystal’s ear. “Keep walking.”
He fished through the bag for a blanket, and draped it over the fox’s back. “Go on now, I’m sure they’re cold from waiting for us so long.” He tapped the creature’s back, and with a huff, she turned around, and ran off. She hated the idea of leaving Jasim and Cain, but if something was out there, she would find it and kill it before it came after he beloved master.
With Crystal off, Jasim kept walking in the direction they had been going. Crystal may not have realized his reasoning for sending her off, but it was easier this way. He doubted they would attack willingly with her around, and he wanted to ensure Cain’s safety as quickly as possible. And removing her from the situation was the best way to handle it. With a sigh, a soft, silent, prayer left his lips. Though only a fool would believe God would forgive him for all that he had done, and planned to do. “Stay close to me okay,” He stated, a gentle smile crossing over his features when he glanced over to Cain.
