Fenris

[just_hex]

Hex had set himself up in the galley to peel the potatoes for Hannibal, out of the way. He knew how the cook liked it done and was quick and precise.

He took the last root out of the water to remove the skin when Fenris walked in. Hex flashed him a warm smile.

"The water isn't hot enough for tea," he apologized. "You'll have to put it on."

Comments

[just_hex]

Hex watched him, waiting expectantly for him to continue.

When Fenris didn't, Hex smiled.

"Bet there's a tale there, yeah?" he prompted.

[stolenlife]

"Sure," said Fenris, not unkindly, but his voice was a bit flat. "I'm an elf from Tevinter. I was a slave. But my main task was being my former master's bodyguard."

[just_hex]

Hex's face only fell when he realized no more was coming. He sighed and returned his attention to the more interesting potato.

"What's that on your skin?" he asked after a moment, shamelessly nosy.

[stolenlife]

"Lyrium," said Fenris. "Burned into my skin without my consent." Well, he assumed without his consent. He didn't actually remember.

The man kept seeming to expect him to say more, so finally he said, "It will not be pleasant to hear about my life."

[just_hex]

Hex chuckled lightly.

"Mate, no one comes to this ship with pleasant stories."

[stolenlife]

"Well that's the highlights," Fenris said. "And now I'm here. An escaped slave."

[just_hex]

"I was press ganged into the navy," he confessed. "Bond sunk our ship my first week out and I been here since. He hauled me out of the water. Saved me life."

[stolenlife]

Interesting, though Fenris of the first part.

"Perhaps that is good karma," said Fenris absently. "I saved his life."

[just_hex]

Hex nodded, but went quiet for a moment. He'd been making sure Aaron was getting his food and medicine, listening to him talk.

"You should have killed him, yeah? Aaron," he finally said. "Would have been a mercy..."

[stolenlife]

"Yes," said Fenris. "I should have. I would have, if I were not immediately attacked from behind, and after I dealt with that... it was over, and I would have been killing a defenseless, passed out man. Perhaps I should have anyway."

[just_hex]

Hex nodded, then gave a shrug.

"House has him fixed up. He'll be alright, but you took his hand, mate. May as well have cut out his heart," he said. "He'll heal, though, and he aint useless. He's got a good hand, a strong back, and he'll have a clear mind when the pain is gone. He'll be alright."

[stolenlife]

"I didn't do it to be cruel," Fenris said. "It was the most certain move. Even if I'd struck a killing blow he might have finished the strike to the captain."

He nodded to the potatoes. "May I help you?"

[just_hex]

"If you'd like, you can dry the peels," he said, taking a moment to explain how nothing went to waste and that Hannibal was genius who made even scraps delicious.

[stolenlife]

"You think very highly of Hannibal," Fenris said, though honestly, so did he. He'd been kind to him immediately, and Fenris had found kindness to be few and far between.

[just_hex]

"Hannibal has always been kind to me," he said.

"He's always happy to listen, too. You can tell him anything."

[stolenlife]

Fenris realized then that he didn't know anything at all about the man, including his name. Despite all the questions, Fenris hadn't asked any of his own. Which wasn't unusual for him, but now that they were sitting here peeling potatoes, it felt a bit awkward.

Though in response to that he said, "He does have a way of encouraging disclosure." He'd told Hannibal about the men he'd slaughtered just before running away from Denarius, and he'd certainly had no intention of talking about that.

[just_hex]

"He's good for advice, too. I'm always coming to him to ask and he always says 'Hex, I think you know what to do'. And he's always right," he chatted along, finishing up and beginning to clean up.

[stolenlife]

"And what did he tell you to do?" Fenris asked, mostly curious if he would just tell him.

[just_hex]

Hex went just a little blank. He tried to remember, but for all that he tried, he couldn't remember at all.

It was odd how often that happened when it came to Hannibal.

"It don't matter,' he shrugged. "Trust me heart, mostly, yeah?"

[stolenlife]

"That is fairly useless advice," Fenris said bluntly.

[just_hex]

"You think?" he asked.

[stolenlife]

"Hearts don't talk," Fenris said flatly. "And if it did, then you wouldn't need advice."

[just_hex]

Hex thought of Nyx and the way his heart told him all kinds of things when the nymph was safe in his arms in their bed and he smiled.

"It's working alright," he confessed.

[stolenlife]

"Let me guess, you're blissfully in love," Fenris muttered.

He practically had no frame of reference, but everything he'd seen of it made love seem positively idiotic.

[just_hex]

Hex blushed.

"No," he replied, but it was a lie and he was the worst at lying.