Fin

[petty_dabbler]

Fawn had given John the pass code so he could come inside without Fawn needing to be there to give permission. And so, naturally, John took advantage of it. He had his feet up, watching a video, when he heard the door.

"I brought some beer, love. And some chocolate. Come see, this is the newest bit of your sho-" he said, slowly turning to look at Fawn.

But it wasn't Fawn.

John sat bolt upright and scrambled to his feet.

"Fin," he said, his throat tight.

Comments

[petty_dabbler]

"I would give my life for your brother," John said, quite seriously. "He's my best friend."

And Fawn had declared him his and that was all John needed to be happy. To have him in his life.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin considered that, then nodded.

"Just know if you harm him, I will harm you worse," he promised. "But fine. Carry on, I guess. ...It's not like I can stop him from doing whatever he wants," he sighed, flopping back onto the bed.

He looked tired. Not sleepy, just... Tired.

[petty_dabbler]

"Are you alright?" he asked, half his brain preoccupied with when he could smoke.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"No," Fin said, since he had no reason to lie to a man who had no real sway over his fate aboard the ship.

"I thought my work would bring in enough money to remain here, but it's looking more and more like I'll have to take them up on their offer to be an ambassador for my kind."

[petty_dabbler]

"And that's...bad?" John asked gently.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I would be asked to cease my work, and discouraged from entangling myself with others on the ship. Especially staff," Fin explained.

[petty_dabbler]

John thought about that for a moment.

"And Hex is staff," he clarified.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"...Medical," Fin said with a small nod.

[petty_dabbler]

"You'll regret it," John said. "If you're anything like the man I knew. You'll be unhappy with the work, even if you're happy with Hex, and you'll resent him."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"You mean if I become an ambassador?" Fin asked.

[petty_dabbler]

"Yes," he nodded. "Not a doubt in my head."

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin sighed, then shrugged.

"If I don't take it, I can't stay. I can't afford it. Hex suggested marriage, which is sweet, but utter madness. He hardly knows me. Surely they'd expect us to live together... And wouldn't he be bothered when I had to work late?"

He wasn't sure why he was sharing this with John. ...It all just sort of poured out.

[petty_dabbler]

"I cannot imagine any dimension where Hex isn't absolutely mad about you, Fin," John said. "He's the reason I backed off from you. Well, and Fawn. But I knew you'd never leave him for me."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"I am bound to no soul," Fin said.

Except that was a lie. He was literally bound to Hex in some cosmic way and he knew it.

"You chose my brother over me? May I ask why?"

[petty_dabbler]

"Because. Because...I love him. He takes care of me and I take...took. took care of him," he said, slowly sinking to the corner of the bed as the weight of it finally, finally hit him. All that was behind him. The mornings in bed. The fish and chips. Snogging in the car.

You knew it was coming, John. At least he's probably not dead.

Not helping, Chas, he thought.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin couldn't believe he actually felt bad for him. ...But he did.

Sitting up, he moved so he was beside him.

"If what you say is true- There is a chance he's your... Or, rather, you're his- There isn't a word for it in your language. Soul mate? That is close I guess. ...If he were to use his gift with you, he might feel it. It could unlock something."

[petty_dabbler]

"I'm not asking him for anything he's not ready to give, Fin. It took a while to build trust. I can do it again...unless he decides to be done with me."

It'd be nice to think they were soul mates. That was a nice thought, too sweet for the likes of him, though.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin just hummed, still not sure how he felt about any of this.

"You said there was beer?"

[petty_dabbler]

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Over there," he said, then rose and walked out to get one, slightly dazed still with his realization.

They were strangers, the twins. John wasn't sure what he was thinking. He couldn't expect to just slot himself into Fawn's life. Just bluster his way in and upturn everything.

"Here you go," he said as he returned with a bottle.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Thank you," Fin said with a polite nod, opening it with care and sipping.

"The first time I tried beer I hated it," he confessed. "One of the humans in the colony on my planet gave it to me, and I hated it, but drained the bottle so they wouldn't think I was rude. ...I don't mind it now."

[petty_dabbler]

"You know, I don't think I know anyone who actually likes it," he chuckled. "But it does the job."

He opened the one he'd brought for himself and sipped it.

"This is just...awful," he laughed.

[prince_of_nymphs]

Fin couldn't help himself, he laughed as well.

"On my planet I would brew us tea to make the soul lighter. ...It's banned on the ship though," Fin admitted.

[petty_dabbler]

"Probably because it's not synthetic. Everything on this bloody ship is synthetic," he scowled.

[prince_of_nymphs]

"Does that bother you?" Fin asked. It bothered him sometimes, but he didn't like to complain.

[petty_dabbler]

"Like you wouldn't believe," John said. "The booze, the smokes, I'd assume the medicine, too. Some of the things on this ship are so amazing. And there's the beer."

He shook his head.

"Tragic."