#originally marya was gonna gave a spouse and kids but that'd take away from intellis

[redwayfarers]

continuously denying others who think they are together - for intellis <3

ooh, an ask! tysm for dropping by! a nice surprise. also, intellis have been on my mind recently so :> also, huge thanks to @melusinedreams for giving me the idea for this a while back. it finally got written down.

-- Dareia, somewhere on the Rhesainian ocean

Marya has always been told Wayfarers on a ship bring bad luck. Her parents were rather insistent on it. She had no way of testing these claims, of course, as in all her years of sailing, there haven't been any Wayfarers on board until now. Two elf-shaped magical voids roaming along the deck.

She has to admit she's curious. Who wouldn't be? She prays every night the ship doesn't suddenly sink of course, but the skies have been clear, seas calm and after two weeks, she gets used to seeing them around. Her anxieties soothed, she can now observe from a busy distance.

She hears them before she sees them. One of them, the taller one, always seems to be involved in some kind of conversation. Not that he really needs announcing that way; it's hard to miss him even when he's quiet, even when he covers that red hair of his under scarfs. Between the freckles and the height, it's difficult to not see him from the corner of your eye. He sings often, not caring for the quality, he laughs even more so, expressive, mocking, contagious.

She asked for his name, once. The question seemed to surprise him.

"Cassander Inteus," he said, a bit more softly than usual. When she went back to her work, she swore she saw him look back with prying, careful eyes.

One of Marya's friends corrected his singing, once. Cassander shook his head. "I'm Vestran, you know," he replied. "We don't sing it like that in Vestra, where we obviously sing it better. Take notes." Captain had to shoo them back to work with residue laughter on their lips.

More often than not, however, he spends time with his Wayfarer friend. They have their little spot safely out of the way yet still beneath the sun's merciless shine, though Marya's always wondered how they fit there when they're both so tall. Somehow, she doesn't think they mind the closeness.

The evening slowly descends on the Dareia. Day's work has long since given way to tiredness made worse by the scorching heat of the sun. Conversations are quiet and the sea joins in on them, waves splashing rhythmically against dark wood. She likes it. It's peaceful in a way so few things are.

Even the Wayfarers don't want to ruin it. Cuddled in their little corner, they seem to have exhausted most of their conversation topics for the day and are now content to just enjoy each other's presence. Cassander reaches out behind his friend's back, hand hovering over the dark, creased shirt.

"Can I?" he asks, far gentler than she's ever heard him speak before. It'd almost look like a different man, if it wasn't for the long, thick braid that trails down his back.

"Do you even have to ask, Songweaver?" His friend replies, equally softly. Songweaver. What a fitting nickname.

"I don't know, Aeran. Seems.. Appropriate to ask. Maybe you're not feeling touchy. Maybe you and your personal space are making out right now and don't need a third. I don't know."

Aeran chortles. "If I was making out with my personal space, I'd have left you here and gone to the cabin. And besides-" he leans in, whispering something in Cassander's ear. The redhaired elf pulls him close with a laugh and kisses his head.

"Beat me to it, Kellis, beat me to it," he says fondly. Marya smiles to herself. Young love's always brought a smile to her face.

When she sees Cassander emerge from the cabin next morning, she says with all the fervor of Erenvor's court gossip: "You and your boyfriend really defy the bad luck you Wayfarers bring to a ship, you know?"

Cassander stares. "My what?"

"Boyfriend. Are you married? Husband, then. Lover?"

"I... I have none of those things," he says slowly. "Aeran's my friend. My partner - not in that sense - and a very good friend." He huffs. "Got an issue with friends hugging each other?"

Marya bursts out laughing. He has no idea. "Nashira take me, of course not. But you weren't behaving like friends."

"Stars and hellfire, woman, what's wrong with you? We're friends. Friends!" He crosses his arms. "Back to work, you. Husband, she says. Do I look like the type to have a husband, of all things? Pfft."

Marya's always been told Wayfarers on a ship bring bad luck, but sometimes, they bring a little entertainment too.