#tlouxcaiden

[ddxminseok]

Two People Walk Into a Barn || Caiden & Min

Today was not Min’s day.  Nope.  Not one bit.  Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong and if she had known had badly her day was going to spiral out of control she would have never stepped foot out of her place.  

In fact, if she had known the shitshow her life was about to become she would have never accepted a job somewhere in the middle of nowhere of the Free District.

And she wouldn't have struck a deal with a bandit without making sure he was legit.

And she certainly wouldn't have gone all by herself to the meeting place just to get ambushed by a couple of bandits and she sure as hell wouldn't have lost a bag full of ammo in the resulting scuffle.

And she probably wouldn't have lost her favorite hunting knife that was now jammed in some guy's throat (she didn't regret that too much) and she definitely wouldn't have gotten lost in this overgrown forest trying to make her escape (she seriously regretted that).

But surprisingly she could have lived with all of that.  Hell, it’s not like none of this had never happened to her before… just not all in one day but still, she was used to this crap.  What she wasn’t used to was fighting off a hoard of stalkers with a tree branch.

She should have known better than to go crashing through the forest like an idiot not paying any attention to where she was going.  If she hadn’t been so caught up in trying to outrun the pissed off bandits on her tail, she would have probably noticed the low croaking that was getting louder and louder sooner. But by the time she did it was too late and now 15 rounds later, she was completely out of bullets and the stalkers were closing in on her.

Clutching her aching side as she ran desperately through the undergrowth, she chanced a glance over her shoulder and swore loudly.  Fuck… they were gaining on her and she wasn’t sure for how much longer she could keep on running when it felt like her whole body was on fire.  Waving her tree branch wildly behind her trying to keep the stalkers at bay, she stumbled over a tree root, landing hard on her knee.  Biting back her cry of pain, she scrambled to her feet, swinging the branch in a wide arc as she went.

“Get back,” she grit out, feeling the panic bubble in her stomach as the stalkers got closer and closer.  “Get back,” she yelled out as her battle cry, slamming the tree branch against the closest stalker’s head and watching in horror as it uselessly snapped in two -barely fazing the stalker that simply staggered a bit to the side.

No.

No, no, no.  

It couldn’t end like this.

But all she could do now was clutch the jagged end of her broken tree branch as the croaking sound drowned out everything else.

[seungritlou-blog]

we're just passing by like we've done for years

      The occupation of a gatherer is relatively mundane (if it can really be called an occupation in the equivalent of no man's land, where one's job is primarily survival and murder), but it is also intriguing. While simple and such, it can lead to the finding or small treasures, and something like respect and wealth if you're known for having supplies when it is needed and by those who pay well-- the same thing can put you in danger, though, at the end of a lot of barrels and knives and a couple of scars to take with you. Though, the wealth bit is a bit much for Seungri, who prefers to collect some things for trading and mostly trinkets that fascinate him-- stuff from the old days, before his time. They dazzle him, quite truthfully, as if they were from a time altogether no too long ago but so different it may be another world. 

      Often times he takes things like paper and pencil-- old books, pieces of broken jewelry, even old photos. It makes him feel more human, more real... even though this all the life he's known, it's terrifying and alone. It feels much better to go back to your crumbling stow away home with photos of families and lovers looking happy than to stare at the wall and count your weapon stock or whatever. It makes the pain, the loneliness, makes it a little easier. 

      Such humble traders and gathers find each other in passing sometimes, become something like business partners or whatever equivalent to friends this world has. Seungri has only known a few, only enough to count on one hand. One of which is a woman he's known for some time now, a girl by the name of Mao-- he doesn't know much about her, but when he runs into her by change and exchanges a wave as he snoots around in rubble does make him feel quite happy. Again, they are small things that make him feel human, make him feel as if the his struggling desire to remain kind and happy is not mundane. It's probably a bit foolish of him, but it's something like strength, too. 

      Seungri has not seen Caiden for six months now; he sees him about a few times a year, once every few months, but a lot can happen in six months-- in a week, really. He grows worried, in the back of his mind; hi is a  somewhat normal occurrence in his small chaotic and turbulent life, so for him to possibly leave is a little painful (all must part eventually, but it is always sad nonetheless). 

      Perhaps, today, he will be able to wave to him once again. 

      That would be pleasant.