[open]

[bachjones]

 "The salty sea sighs
the wind leaves its edges of salt
Everyone - unwittingly - says
goodbye
to the promise of the Summer-"

Bach stopped stringing his guitar. The ocean had been calling, it was clear that there was a story waiting, but right now his mind couldn't catch up with his fingers. The guitar already knew, while he was struggling to get the pieces together. 

"Fuck." He punched the sand next to him before getting up from his beach chair for a stretch. Corry was sweet, but he couldn't have sex with his half-sister wasn't possible in his book. And he had kind of looked forward to sex, the last time had been too long. Maybe he should find Essie ..

"Where the fuck did I come up with unwittingly anyway? That's not a story-word .." 

Comments

[risesandthefalls]

"Something like that," he says, nodding. "The middle of nowhere."

[louise_abasi]

She looks up at him. "Only if you want to talk about it, of course. I only left Siren Cove for university, so I always enjoy stories of other worlds."

[risesandthefalls]

"Not sure there's a lot to tell," he says, feeling a flicker of guilt even though he's not dodging a direct question. "A lot of wandering."

[louise_abasi]

"Oh."

Her hand is still in his like this is completely ordinary. "Love and loss during that wandering? If I may ask?"

[risesandthefalls]

He weighs to up for a moment and then he nods.

"Some," he admits. "I've got a daughter."

[louise_abasi]

Louise drops his hand without even realizing it, inhaling through her teeth.

"A daughter. How old? I guess this means you and the mother aren't ..together anymore?"

[risesandthefalls]

"Old enough," he says, raising his eyebrow when she drops his hand. "I haven't seen her mother in years."

[louise_abasi]

"You continue to be super mysterious."

She wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry, of course you don't have to tell me everything. I just - men in my life seem to have secrets for a reason and those reasons somehow always end up seriously hurting me. So I'm a bit easy to prickle. It's not your fault, Rhodri."

[risesandthefalls]

"It's one of my more endearing qualities," he says, and extends his hand to her again. "I'm so used to hiding things I don't even know I'm doing it anymore."

[louise_abasi]

She narrows her eyes at him again, but it's all in play and she takes his hand. "You're doing it right now. Do you need me as some kind of secret-guide-dog? Warn you when you're plugging up?"

[risesandthefalls]

He threads his fingers through hers again, tugging her a little closer.

"You might as well earn your keep," he teases. "Are you sure you're not happier thinking of me as a mysterious stranger, sweetheart?"

[louise_abasi]

Louise swallows and bites her lip because this is maybe the worst planned thrill, but it's just too exciting to experience such a thing without having to worry about anything.

"Is knowing the truth that bad?", she smiles. "Did you only save me to bring me into a worse place?"

[risesandthefalls]

"It's my storm," he says, smiling at her. They're not far from where they're going now. "No need to pull someone else out in the rain. We don't all have to be wet."

[louise_abasi]

"I'm pretty soaked right now, if you want to f-"

She blushes and is grateful to her skin tone right now. "While we are talking about your metaphor. Maybe I want to be in the eye of the storm instead of being thrown around by the weather."

[risesandthefalls]

To his credit, Rhodri just twitches one eyebrow but doesn't comment.

"A moment of calm," he says, smile twitching the corner of his mouth.

[louise_abasi]

"Or possible several."

Osha takes this moment to show her disagreement with all this talk about silence, barking loudly at something invisible before jumping up at Louise, pushing her into Rhodri.

"Opposed to this." She rights herself again. "Sorry."

[risesandthefalls]

Her body feels good against his and he curls his arm around her waist, briefly, before she pulls away.

"Did you hear me complain?"

[louise_abasi]

"Maybe you don't complain but simply turn your magic in my direction one day and I will wake up with a curse again."

She looks up at him. "You don't seem the complaining type."

[risesandthefalls]

"Not my style, sweetheart," he says, and he means it, utterly. "And I'm not. I got it out of my system a long, long time ago."

[louise_abasi]

".. you would warn me beforehand?"

She squeezes his hand. "I'm flattered."

[risesandthefalls]

"You should be," he says. They come to a door in the wall. "This is me."

[louise_abasi]

"Because you won't hurt me?"

She looks at the door. "Okay. I guess I should - continue walking Osha. It was nice to see you again, Rhodri."

[risesandthefalls]

"You could always come in," he says, eyebrow raised. "I've got tea. And a few half-finished pieces you could look at. I could finish something for you."

[louise_abasi]

"Pieces of what?"

She lingers at the door. "If you don't mind a dog pawing through your place, I can't leave her outside. Sorry."

[risesandthefalls]

"Art pieces. Jewellery." He opens the door. "Bring her in."