Chapter 10 - Stone

Iris

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Soft singing light. Peaceful silence, the relaxed fluttering of dust motes in the thick air.
Iris blinked, blank gray eyes watching the swirl of air in the shaft of sunlight from the small window. The boy lay where he was, allowing himself to quietly wake to the morning.
He didn't need to look around to know that he was alone. It didn't worry him, and the boy watched the gold-dusted air drifting around him absentmindedly, as if unaware of the passing of time and all-too human need to struggle forward towards an unseen goal.
Iris blinked as he focused his gaze on the floorboards, where a small spider was scurrying across soundlessly, round body lifted above the ground by its thin, bent-wire legs.
The boy reached out a hand, let a finger press against the ground before the small arachnid. The spider skirted around the obstacle immediately, then circled around and stopped, almost invisible sets of beady eyes set in its dark body studying the new object through faceted vision.
Iris blinked duly as the spider skittered closer, then proceeded to climb the finger, thin whispers of legs spiriting it up his hand with a feeling like the brush of air from a butterfly's wings on his skin, almost intangible.
He sat up slowly, twisting around his hand as the spider slipped around the landscape of his skin, pausing every now and then, legs twitching as if itching for action, the need to move.
Iris brought his other hand close slowly, and brushed the spider's leg gently, in an almost soft, petting way. The tiny creature jerked, skittered off a distance, then stopped abruptly again. It never occurred to him to crush the animal beneath his fingertips- it was another living thing he welcomed, respected.
There were footsteps, and Iris looked up as Valkyre entered the room, a small knapsack slung over his shoulder. The hunter raised an eyebrow, seeing the boy awake and up. Iris looked away again as the spider skidded back along his hand, then dropped from one of his fingers on an invisible thread, sliding down steadily on its lifeline. The boy held out his arm and let the small arachnid hit the ground, where it detached, then skimmed over the floorboards, out of sight.
Valkyre sighed as he dropped the knapsack next to him, then sat down.
"You're feeling okay then?"
The question came out of the angel uneasily, and he averted his eyes, frowning. Iris nodded, folding his hands over his drawn-up knees.
Valkyre sighed under his breath, then pulled the bag before him open, pulling out a few small bottles of water, along with some bread and dried meats wrapped up in white plastic. He handed out a share for the boy, who took it without a word.
They ate in silence, neither attempting to speak, both caught up in their own thoughts. The bread was far from fresh, but it was a staple that would be guaranteed to last, and the meat, though tough and stringy, was affordable and enough to get them through.
After the hunter hed bunched the wrappings together afterward and thrown them out, he sat down in front of Iris again and pulled something out of his jacket pocket.
"Here, I picked this up while I was gone," he muttered, holding something that glinted softly in the fading morning light.
Iris took it, studying the object in his hands carefully. A long chain of silvery steel, with links so fine it was hard to discern them, threaded itself through a loop of soft, burnished metal that enclosed a simple, faceted stone that was like a murky, cracked piece of glass, mist-like white inside crystal clear through the unblemished parts of the stone.
"Tearstone," Valkyre supplied, remaining where he sat, patient.
Iris didn't reply, only sat there rubbing the smooth piece between his fingers, the clear, glass-like faces catching and flashing sparks of the soft sunlight it caught.
"It's a natural moderator, and should help to hide your aura," Valkyre added. He'd used the term 'moderator' for a type of material that would dullen and calm any magical presences within one's body. Though perfect for Iris, it wasn't usually used by others. Personal seals were more fine-tuned to an individual's needs, and so proved more effective, but if there were none in demand, then tearstones were often used as momentary replacements.
The boy looked up at the other, then pulled the necklace slowly over his head. It hung over his colorless shirt, taking on the dull white, glinting facets changing to catch the light.
Valkyre paused, studying him quietly. "...How is it?"
Iris touched the stone gently, movements slow and deliberate. "...It helps." He looked up, dull gray eyes almost warm, almost emotional. "...Thank you."
Valkyre turned his head, shrugging.
"It... It'll hide your aura and all, so we can get around without being noticed..." he trailed off, then stood up abruptly. Whatever had happened last night was forgotten now, and he could feel the gaping, yawning abyss between them. ...Or was it just from him?
"Come on, we're going now," he muttered. He pulled up the knapsack, then, after a pause, rummaged around inside and handed the boy a dark, rough brown cloak, made of cheap wool but long enough to run down to the boy's ankles.
Iris took the piece of clothing wordlessly, then stood up as well and pulled it on.
"I'm not sure how many hunters actually saw you, but we'd better stay safe."
Valkyre stepped into the adacent room and packed away the knapsack and the contents into the larger bag he'd left in the building since yesterday, then pulled out a pair of soft, worn sandals.
"These won't last long, but you can't go barefoot. It'll be safer if we don't risk being recognized by taking any rides, so we're going to be walking for a while."
The hunter glanced up at the boy, who was simply watching him, standing still. It unnerved him, Iris' complete lack of reaction and movement, like he lacked energy, lacked life.
"Well?"
The sandals made a swirl of dust rise up with a sigh as they were dropped to the ground, and the boy pulled them on wordlessly.
Valkyre paused again as he stood, swinging the large bag over his back. He'd adjusted the strap so it would be carried easier, and he hefted it up on his shoulder. He'd gotten himself a new dark, long-sleeved shirt that hid the tattoos along his arms again, and a dark brown cloak was thrown over his other shoulder.
The angel paused, then stepped forward and touched the tearstone around Iris' neck, gloved fingers rubbing softly against the cool, hard stone surface.
Valkyre blinked, then quickly slipped the seal under the boy's shirt.
"It's better not to let people know," he muttered, as he stepped away. The hunter didn't look back as he walked out of the broken-down house, but he knew that Iris was following.

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AN: I know, I don't update for half a week [or something of the sort] and I give you a completely nothingness chapter with 1/3 dedicated to a spider, and the rest to small talk and excess descriptions! Don't you all just love me??
...Ahahaha. Just kidding. ^^;
Well, I've got a few small things to take care of, some more explaining and character BONDING time! XD [Well, it's necessary for any long-term story, right??]
But sooner or later I want to get around to the new characters! Though, jeez, it occurred to me now, I don't even know which character to introduce, or how! o_O
Oh, well, I'll figure it out. But meh favvy will have to wait, I guess.
Just remember- though most of what I write seems like nonsense, some of it's there for a good purpose!
...I hope. ^^;
Wow, my ramblings make another 1/4 of the chapter!! XD Hopefully not. Hehe.
Ooh, and, yay, we got to the double-digits! Chapter 10! This has gone rather fast, I have to say, and I am sorry about the shorter chapters... Well, I'm working on it, really! X3 Next goal- reach 20!
Thanks a lot for reading, promise I'll try to make the next chappie interesting! See ya later. :)

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