[The Amphitheater] The Price You Pay (Rinya)

by **Jorin Ertihan** on August 15th, 2013, 7:02 pm

Season of Summer, Day 64, 513 AV

She'd yelled at him. It was something Jorin had never experienced in all the time they'd known each other. Well, that wasn't such a very long time, to be fair, but still, he never thought she'd yell at him. He stood there, statue-like, as she explained that the bond had nothing to do with the material. That the bond did not depend upon his possessions, or what he did in life.

He saw her go from angry to frustrated to tired.

"Look just ... forget I said anything about it okay? I’ll ... deal with it," she had said, as though it would just go away if they stopped talking about it. But it won't just go away, will it, he thought.

Then, a sudden thought occured to him. Without thinking, he blurted that thought out.

"We're already bonded, aren't we."

It wasn't a question. Jorin stood stock-still, his mind reaching back, for once his memory not failing him. He remembered the first words he ever said to her.

"My, my, little osprey, even you are a better actor than I."

How had he known? He didn't even know she was a Kelvic back then. As far as he knew she was just some random osprey that had landed on the railing across from him. Yet he said that to her. The question echoed in his mind.

How did I know?

Because he had known. Had to have. Why else would he have composed a poem for her? He'd not done the same for the gulls that screeched overhead, or for the ocean stretched before him. He'd recognized a fellow actor immediately. He had, in that moment, seen in her, a reflection of part of himself.

If that was true, if they were already bonded ... Jorin felt light, as though a thousand rocks that had been pressing down on him were suddenly lifted. It would mean that he didn't have to worry about being good enough. The past was the past; he'd only need to think of the future. And the future was bright...

"The bond, it's not like some contract, is it. It's not something we can just shake hands, and say 'yes, we are now bonded.' If what you're describing is true, and I have no reason to doubt it, then we'd already be bonded. Have to be."

Jorin knew he was being rude, but he had to know. Everything depended on it. So even though Rinya had turned from him, he grabbed her by the shoulders and looked directly, pleadingly into her eyes.

"Am I wrong?"

by **Rinya** on August 15th, 2013, 10:50 pm

"We're already bonded, aren't we."

Rinya froze. How did he...? She could feel fear curl down her spine, leaving her cold despite the temperature around them. And following the fear was panic—and instinct. She wanted nothing more than to run from this... but she felt rooted to the stage. Unable to catch her breath, there were no words, not when he’d figured it out.

"The bond isn't some contract, is it. Not something we can just shake hands, and say 'yes, we are now bonded.' If what you're describing is true, and I have no reason to doubt it, then we'd already be bonded. Have to be."

Have to be. Rinya actually flinched. He didn’t sound mad, just... certain. Jorin discovered a secret she wasn’t quite ready to admit to. He wasn’t even taking into account that he hadn’t consciously made the choice.

He just... was suddenly was bonded to her. It wasn’t uncommon for it to happen, but she felt like she hadn’t given him a choice. While he was certainly capable of breaking the bond, she felt almost as though she had trapped him in it. It probably didn’t help that she hadn’t openly admitted to knowing that they were bonded. Rinya had hoped to bring him around to the idea before he realized it was already too late. But now... he would have to break them, to get out of it. He was too kind hearted to do that kind of damage to her. Trapped.

There was no fight in her when he pulled her around to face him. Taking one look at his face—his eyes and she couldn’t help but wince. A pained looked crossed her face and she couldn’t look at him again. The look on her face probably told him everything, but needing to get the words out... her chest felt oddly constricted.

”You are not wrong.” Rinya breathed out. She was shaking slightly, and she could feel the tell tale sign that she wanted to cry. There was nothing worse than crying in front of someone. Forcing air into her lungs, she turned her gaze back to Jorin.

”I’m sorry.” Rinya meant it. She was sorry she lied to him, sorry that she didn’t trust him with the truth, despite the fact she had just told him that she did trust him. She didn’t trust herself with saying it really. But she wouldn’t blame him if he was mad at her. It was obvious she had been hiding it from him. Much less, the fact she had scolded him like it was his fault.

Shifting slightly beneath his hands, she let her eyes drop to his shirt and she shook her head again. Her fingers flexed underneath his cloak, slightly torn between grabbing his shirt or running away. That was still the main instinct ruling her mind right now, despite all the emotions, she just wanted to run.

”It was my fault. I should have seen it coming. But it was so different than what I felt before. I didn’t even realize it myself until it was too late. I just.... You were...” There was nothing left to say... no excuse was going to fix it.

by **Jorin Ertihan** on August 16th, 2013, 1:09 am

Season of Summer, Day 64, 513 AV

Jorin didn't know what to do. Rinya seemed on the verge of tears, and she was apologizing, saying it was her fault, for not telling him sooner. Jorin couldn't really find it in him to be angry at her. He knew he probably should be; she had lied to him, after all. But, really, was it all so bad? How was she going to tell him anyway? If he were in her position, despite his skill with words, Jorin admitted even he would have tremendous difficulty broaching the subject.

Jorin decided to take an enormous gamble. If this didn't pay off, if Rinya responded poorly, it would make everything a hundred times worse. But if it did, something wonderful might come out of it. Reaching around, Jorin drew her into an embrace, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. Squeezing his eyes shut, he murmured, "It was both our faults, Rinya. Yours and mine."

Jorin sighed softly. "I shouldn't have pressured you, even unconsciously. Giving all those vague signals ... I didn't even realize I was doing it! I'm not nearly as smart as you think I am, Rinya."

Jorin paused for a moment to collect his thoughts, then continued.

"But you said it yourself. We couldn't have bonded if I wasn't willing, even at an unconscious level. The fact that we are, means that I was. So you were right to yell at me. All those things I said, about me not being able to offer anything, they're irrelevant. What matters isn't the past. What matters is the future."

Jorin pulled away, walking three steps, to give Rinya the space he was sure she needed to think things through. As she had done for him, he decided to do for her. He would not pressure her by being so close.

"I said earlier that nothing would make me happier than to be bonded to you. And I don't say things I don't mean. The only concern I ever had, was whether you wanted it too. I once told you I would never ask you to give something you were not willing to give. So tell me, Rinya, do you want this?"

by **Rinya** on August 16th, 2013, 3:19 am

It took enormous effort not to break down in his arms. With her arms pinned between them she wasn’t able to return the hug, but he probably didn’t realize how much relief the single gesture made. She just took the comfort, breathing in his scent and letting her muscles relax. If nothing else, in this moment everything was fine.

And leave it to Jorin to try and take some of the blame. Pressuring and signals… Rinya sighed against his neck and shook her head. He wasn’t concerned in the least that they were bonded, just that they moved forward. Biting lip as Jorin pulled away, Rinya folded her arms around her chest.

”So tell me, Rinya, do you want this?" Letting out a heavy breath, Rinya rolled her eyes and shot a glare at him. Not an angry glare, more of a weak playful one.

”I already told you I wouldn’t change it Jorin. I’ve been so afraid of who would be willing to bond with me, that I never considered that—that it would be a good thing for me. And you are… good for me that is, regardless of what you may think. It's going to take time getting used to that idea though.” Smirking at him, Rinya closed the distance between them. Reaching out slowly, she pressed her hand over his heart much like she had done earlier, only this time she spread her fingers wide and pressed firmly. She could feel his heartbeat beneath the muscle and bone. Their bond wasn’t strong yet, but it was building, she could feel it. It wouldn’t be long before either of them could start picking up on transferred emotions. Looking up at his face, Rinya tilted her head a little.

”Everything is new from this point. I don’t know what to expect entirely from a bond. I know basics but… every bond is unique. We will just have to figure ours as we go along. I… I am sorry I yelled at you. You didn’t deserve it. In the long run it doesn’t even matter whose fault it could be. It doesn’t change the fact that we are bonded, and we accepted it before either of us really realized it. If you are alright with this, then I am.” Before she could entirely lose her gall, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Vaguely she realized that it meant pressing her exposed front against him, but chances were now that they were bonded he was going to see it far more often than either of them was comfortable with at the moment. Pressing her cheek against his neck, she simply held on.

”Oh!” Pulling away just far enough to look at his face, she shot him a troublesome grin. ”You realize that in the eyes of the Akalak I’m now your pet right? You’re just going to have to get used to that title.” It was obvious by her tone that it didn’t bother her. ”If I cause trouble, you are the first one they’re going to come find.”

by **Jorin Ertihan** on August 16th, 2013, 8:23 pm

Season of Summer, Day 64, 513 AV

Jorin was very glad that his embrace was well-received. He'd been afraid that she would pull back, as though scalded, maybe even fly away. When she wrapped her arms around his neck, he was vaguely aware of her chest pressing against him, but he was more interested in the fact that she seemed to have finally calmed down, and was no longer afraid or upset. Smiling, he completed the embrace, hugging her closer to himself.

"Oh! You realize that in the eyes of the Akalak I’m now your pet right? You’re just going to have to get used to that title. If I cause trouble, you are the first one they’re going to come find."

Jorin just grinned back at her. "You know I could never see you that way, Rinya," he replied, smiling. "And if you get into any trouble, we'll get through it. Together. And you're right, these next few steps are going to be new ground for the two of us. But I'm sure it'll be the best adventure that either of us has ever been on."

Looking around, Jorin started to laugh, his body almost vibrating with mirth. "You know," he explained as he caught his breath a bit, "We probably just concluded a pretty good drama, here on this stage, Rinya. Too bad only the gulls saw it." He grinned as he kissed her forehead once again. "I'm glad, though, that we did. It's a new day! For both of us..."

Fin

by **Magpie** on September 9th, 2013, 1:49 am

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Rinya :

Jorin :

Notes :

If you have any questions or concerns about what was awarded, please don't hesitate to PM me.
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Completed [The Amphitheater] The Price You Pay (Rinya)