I'll Put My Armour On, Show You How Strong I Am

[fracturedbeauty]

Who: Atem, Curufin, and Yukari
What: A special gift for a special King.
Where: Outside Rage's Temple
When: 11/21
Warnings: Should be clear.


If Atem sees Yukari at all this day, he might notice something... off about the mercenary. Not that he's behaving particularly out of the ordinary - he's still his restored, quirky self; he still prepares meals for himself and Atem with an air of cockiness; he still throws a playfully sarcastic quip here and there.

But something about the edges of his smile are warmer; something more sincere. Admittedly, Yukari is filled with excitement, but he's trying not to betray that there is anything special about today. Not yet, at least.

Yukari heads out in the early evening, just before he was supposed to prepare supper, with a playful, "I'll see you later~."

Within an hour from that, Atem will receive a text message: Meet me at Rage's Temple. Attendance is mandatory. And he leaves it at that.

Near the front doors of Rage's Temple stand a mercenary and an Elf, waiting for a King to arrive.

Comments

[puzzlingly]

There is something definitely fishy going on. Not particularly off but different. After all this time, Atem could take pride in knowing his friends good enough; either the so called gods were up to something, or if something good happened to Yukari for a change. It's a little sad to mistrust even their own feelings now, but this is their reality now.

Still, Atem watches him leave with a warm smile, it's really nice to see his friend happy for a change.

The message is confusing though, he sends back a message asking if everything is okay, but he makes his way towards the temple anyway.

It only takes him so long to get there, sending confused and a little worried glances to the other two. He clearly was not expecting Curufin to be there, but his presence is not unwelcomed, of course. He scans them from head to toes, they seem fine... There is only one thing he can think that might be happening here.

"What's going on? Are you guys finally moving in together?" Fingerguns.

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin stands beside Yukari in his formal clothes, a red jacket and everything else black velvet, with a few gleams of silver from a ring and a bracelet. At his side, he is unobtrusively holding a sword in a scabbard. He smiles. "No, we have a gift for you. An important one."

And he lifts the sheath, which is made of wood and dyed leather with symbols of the sun and the hawk etched on it. He holds this scabbard on his outstretched, upturned palms. He bows and offers it to Atem.

The sword blade is bright mithral steel, beautifully curved and razor-sharp. The guard is made in an unusual manner (unusual for an Elven-smith's blade, that is): it has the form of a sun-rayed crown. The hilt is partially moulded in shapes like a sweep of hawk or falcon feathers, and the metal of both the guard and the pommel glow with bronze inlays.

[fracturedbeauty]

Yukari instantly stammers at the question, before giving a very flustered and abrupt, "NO WE ARE NOT!!"

It takes him another moment to regain his composure, but by the time Curufin kneels to offer Atem the sword, he's somehow managed to do so, and clears his throat. An chuff of a chuckle, and Yukari smirks again.

"Yes. You've been practicing long and hard, Atem-sama. I've watched you grow in your skills every single day. You no longer require my expertise in combat. I had commissioned this especially for you, handcrafted by Curufin himself. Consider it a personal gift from sensei to student; the mark of your graduation from my training class."

Yukari waits for Atem to unsheathe the blade and look it over. Waits for him to see the very symbols that Yukari asked to be imbued to the blade, with the strongest metal he could get from the Gods. The Mithril itself is lightweight, yet still as strong as iron, making it perhaps ideal for the small King.

"Congratulations. I'm proud of you."

[puzzlingly]

Atem keeps his cool, even giving Yukari a small knowing smirk—he likes teasing him about it, but only a little bit, and then, the smirk fades.

He had seen the gesture coming from Yukari before, but to have Curufin kneeling down before him, it has Atem widening his eyes as his whole posture seems a little unsure. It's so odd from people to do that to him, and yet, nostalgic in a way.

For the longest time he had been questioning himself and his abilities, he's never felt that he's good enough at anything he does in here. What does this mean? Graduation? Atem missed his high school graduation, and as king, well, he never had to go through any of those ordeals.

This has to be a joke, he's not ready! He doesn't feel he is at any rate!

Hesitantly as he is, he takes the sword as if were made of glass—it is much more light than he'd thought it be—unsheathing it and staring at it in solemn awe. The symbols are telling, even if they are not the ones he's used to, their meaning is clear. The hilt feels as if it really has been made for him, his grip around it feels natural, welcoming, even. This is a sword made for a king...

"I..." He clears his throat, "Curufin... it is beautiful, your handwork always is but this is the most beautiful so far... Yukari, your words warm my heart but, I'm not worthy of you praise."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin has a hard time keeping his own smile from turning into a smirk, because Yukari is so easily embarrassed by these matters of the heart. But it is for that reason that he restrains himself; he was once very free with his teasing, until it became clear to him that he was actually causing Yukari distress, and then he resolved not to do so. Not very often, anyway!

Curufn had gone down on one knee to offer the sword formally, partly because Elves are very formal at times, and partly because he remembered the Dream Walk of the year before, in which he had had occasion to be dragged shouting and cursing brought before the throne of the Pharaoh as a criminal. Atem had turned out to be a kind judge, and had forgiven the thief and murderer Curufin his sins in exchange for service to the Pharaoh's kingdom as a smith and a warrior. The dream had ended, but Curufin remembered it, remembered the formality of Atem's court and the meaning of what he had witnessed there. Both the gift sword and the manner of presenting it are meant to be his way of saying that he honors Atem and believes in him as well as considers him a good friend.

He nods in thanks for the compliment to his handiwork, and replies softly to Atem's denial of his own worth.

"I think that you are worthy of Yukari's praise. Yukari-sensei is an excellent teacher and a very good judge of a student's level of skill and achievement. Take this sword, therefore, and bear it to victory and honor." And thus he expresses his faith and his good wishes for his friend.

[fracturedbeauty]

"Well, if you weren't worthy of such praise, rest assured I would not be giving it to you."

Yukari doesn't play that way. Still, it surprises him to no end to be in this role - the teacher giving the student their very own sword. He trained so long under Ichigen, and was told to train Kuro as well. Back then, he didn't feel up to it very much at all, and actually begrudged the duty. Yukari wanted to improve, too. But Ichigen had nothing more to teach him in way of combat. And yet, he doesn't suspect that Atem is the type to turn on him, begging for more from combat lessons to fill a void. This is different, even if it is similar in so many ways.

A chuckle.

"Don't worry. You're still welcome to come and combat me as much as you like. To try and defeat me, if you can. I'm sure that sword will aid you well."

A beat.

"In my country, it is tradition for swords to be named after their deeds. Use that sword as you will, Atem-sama; name it well, and it will serve you well almost certainly."

[puzzlingly]

Ain't that true... All of what they say, is, but somehow it's hard to accept it, even for someone as prideful as Atem. This place has really mellowed him down, he trusts his friends, he shouldn't doubt them.

"To victory and honor..." He mutters as a smile takes shape, he needs to think of a suitable name for such precious weapon, but it's not only about that, clearly Curufin and Yukari think highly of him.

"I will name it well, I won't let you down." He says to both of them. In truth, he hopes he doesn't ever have to use it, but if he has to, he will do his best to make both of them proud.

[so_dark_a_road]

Atem is a gifted young man, wherever his gifts come from. He has intelligence and ingenuity and he's going to be a formidable swordsman. Is now, really! His friends wouldn't lie to him about that.

Curufiin unsheaths and lifts his own sword briefly, in salute to the King. "To victory and honor, yes! And we will fight beside you, if it comes to that." His sword is then sheathed again with a soft metallic snick.

"Your sword will bear a name of distinction, I'm certain of this." And he looks upon this young friend of his with affection and confidence. He's already proud of Atem.

[fracturedbeauty]

Yukari smiles to Atem.

"Good. I look forward to seeing all that you can do. And, as Curufin says, we are here to fight beside you as well."

He moves past Curufin, reaching out to set his hand on Atem's shoulder.

"I have the utmost faith in you, your majesty, to shine as brightly as that blade from now on."

[puzzlingly]

It might probably be the first time that Yukari has reached for him like this, it's a little strange and yet... It has his young king's cheeks changing into a dim rosy coloration, but it also fill him with a pride he hasn't felt in his heart in a long time. That life, he actually misses it... But there is something going on here that needs some recognition as well.

"I never thought you'd come to care this much, Yukari." He allows the silence of a pause to settle before he adds, "Thank you." For caring, for listening, for allowing him to make him care about something at all.

[so_dark_a_road]

And Curufiin listens in silence, glancing back and forth between the two of them -- the sword-master and the graduate of the master's school, now friends, where once the possibility of friendship had been nil. There is love and kindness in his dark eyes for both of them, and he, too, recognizes that the mercenary has accomplished something praiseworthy that goes far beyond the excellent teaching. Yukari has been a true friend to Atem.