Yakusoku.

Title: Yakusoku (promise)
Fandom: Tales of Phantasia
Pairing: Chester/Cless
Genre: Yaoi
Rating: PG13 for now.

Feedback would be great! This is my first Tales fic ever.

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A lone youth stepped into sun from his house in Totus village. As he walked the wind twisted around him baring his scent fresh as spring. His blue hair, the color of bright sky, flowed to his waist in a long graceful ponytail. A breeze crept under his silky tresses tied back lifting them on a mystic air. At the same time, it blew back a few wispy strands revealing his wide forehead, small nose, and smooth angular face sculpted to perfection. His dark narrow eyes gazed out onto the world, harboring deep-seated feelings, never spoken nor acknowledged, even in his waking mind. He focused on daily activities such as archery practice, caring for his sister or hunting with Cless.

He could hardly wait to meet Cless today, running from his house on the cobblestone path along the stream that ran through Totus, heading to the Alvein fencing school due north. Around it high mortar brick wall enclosed its lovely grounds welcoming visitors inside through its arched brick underpass.

The youth stopped beneath there to catch his breath, shouting, “Cless, hurry up!”

“Coming, Chester!” his friend cried back, from a vaulted window in the school near the main door.

For a moment the door’s rusty hinges creaked, then it swung wide open where Cless was framed in its entrance. His crimson cape wavering behind brought out his fine slender form that stood against it. The cape hung from curved metal plates of armor around the shoulders, jointed to a fitted breastplate in front and back of his upper torso. Its silvery-white surface reflected some light giving off a subtle glow.

Chester ran his eye over Cless’s armor, admiring its finery. “Reading to hunt today?” he asked.

A wide grin crossed Cless’s round face. His large gray eyes peered out from beneath a few brown bangs, excitement sparkling in their depths. “Yeah. Got your bow, Chester?”

“Right here, Cless.” Chester’s visage dropped down to the compact bow brandished in his right hand and he glanced back at the quiver slung over his back. “Let’s go then!”

Today couldn’t be a better day. Birds flew overhead from house to house and tree to tree swinging sweet songs, melodies of love to seduce their mates in spring. Not a cloud filled the sky that reached into the vast expanse of heaven. A delicious breeze blew about just good enough to soothe and relax the body.

Chester’s keen sight followed the rise and fall of Cless’s red bandana, its folds wavering in the wind, as they treaded down the stone path towards the underpass leading outside the school.

“You know, Cless,” Chester began casually, when they neared the underpass. “I’ve been thinking. Is there some rule that Alvein swordsmen have to wear bandanas?”

A hearty laugh escaped Cless and he paused, looking over at Chester. “Not really. I guess the students at the school wear ‘em cause my dad and I do. Well, everyone except for Master Tristan.”

“Maybe its because…” A grin broke out on Chester’s face. “He doesn’t look so good with one.” As Chester said that he took a step closer to Cless, with his visage bearing down on the young swordsman like the sun in midday, possessing a deep almost meditative expression yearning to know more.

“And I do?” Cless replied playfully. He eyes locked onto Chester’s, wanting to fulfill his friend’s desire to know him.

The intimacy with which Cless responded startled Chester making him uncomfortable. He tore his gaze away, the action swift and brief in a single turn of his head. He stared at down angry with himself for not understanding the feelings, which surfaced without warning.

“Chester?” Cless frowned in confusion, placing a gloved on Chester’s sunken shoulder.

As childhood friends they spent all their time together growing as close as best friends could. They become more like brothers joined by a bond that transcended the physical. If one of them shed tears or laughed the somehow knew from an inner knowing within. In this moment Cless sensed the turmoil consuming poor Chester.

“I…I’m sorry,” he apologized in a soft compassionate tone.

“You’d better be. That wasn’t funny, Cless,” Chester hissed, throwing off Cless’s hand.

The archer stormed off uneventfully through the underpass leaving Cless in disarray. Flustered, Cless sprinted after, heavy boots echoing off the ground.

“Hey Chester! Wait up,” Cless yelled, his voice splitting the very air.

Chester halted in his tracks right outside the high mortar wall and his slender body froze.
“What!?” Chester shot an angry glare that burned Cless from head to toe licking at every inch of skin, clothing and armor and even underneath.

Cless refused to be hurt by the friend he loved without knowing why. His aching heart pounded through every limb and sinew as he grabbed Chester with the raw strength that wielded a solid iron sword in the heat of battle.

“Why are you acting like this?” Cless whispered over into Chester’s ear.

Sized and unable to move, Chester thought. His mind finally slowed from the rapid barrage of thoughts racing without rhyme or reason. “Cless…I…” he hesitated in a tremulous voice, its cadence shaky and low. “I’m a jerk. I shouldn’t treat you like this.”

“Well…” No more words escaped Cless’s warm lips. He blinked, releasing his hold on Chester, questioning him deeply.

“I don’t know what’s with wrong me.” Chester sighed, pulling away. “It might be hard for me to concentrate, so maybe today isn’t the day to hunt.”

“But we promised Amy and my mom we’d bring something home,” Cless insisted, approaching Chester mindfully.

“You’re right, let’s go anyway,” Chester agreed, heaving another sigh. “I’ll just have to…” His voice drifted off. “…Concentrate.” Then a silence penetrated the space about him cutting off any sense of sound.

Cless broke it by saying his name just above a whisper from the back in his throat trembling. “Chester,” sliding a tender arm around his friend. “Just try your best. And don’t worry, okay?” he reassured gently, wearing the last vestiges of a smile on his face.

He finally gave in. “Alright.” Chester inclined his head giving a long drawn out nod.

The two said no more heading past the Alvein fencing school wall and its surrounding trees. After a few minutes of walking they approached the main stone bridge that spanned Totus’s stream. Crystal clear water flowed beneath from its source high in the nearby mountains. The warm spring sun recently melted winter store frozen allowing for the stream’s fresh constant flow. Abundant fish filled it, their occasional jump breaking its smooth mirror surface. A couple gazed down at them in the water from the bridge above.

Arm and arm around each other were Jen and Pennington, an engaged couple neighbors spoke frequently of concerning their upcoming marriage. Pennington, the soon to be groom, hurried over to Cless. Chester waited behind a couple of paces from Cless.

“Cless, its you, long time no see!” Pennington cried out in a jovial manner. “Did you know we’re getting married?”

“Yes,” Cless acknowledged, forcing a pleasant smile after the incident with Chester. “Just don’t make me an usher,” he added tiredly.

Pennington drew Cless closer, away from Jen and Chester to the railing on the other side of the bridge. “I won’t make ya if ya tell me something,” he teased, his speaking now hushed. “Have you found a girlfriend yet?”

“Wh-what?” Cless stammered, falling back on one leg about to loose his balance out of utter shock to the question.

“Hey, not so loud,” Pennington scowled, grabbing Cless by his wrist. He took a deep breath, his tense expression softened somewhat as did his grip. “I…I apologize. It’s just that I’m concerned, Cless. You never seem to spend time with anyone, besides Chester.”

Besides Chester, the spite in that tone made Cless’s countenance stiffen. An uneasy silence settled in over the running water, the rustling of leaves, and chirping of birds threatening to scream. Chester watched Pennington with the fixation reserved for and aimed only at his targets receiving an arrow.

“I understand your concern,” Cless replied coolly, going white with apparent anger.

Not confusion, but rage boiled in Chester’s blood, an insult to his moral character that defined him as a man. His fingers instantly tightened. Desiring to reach into his quiver. Drawing back an arrow in his bowstring. He swallowed rage subjugated by self-control deep down in his throat attacking within. His jaw clenched, fists tightened, eyelids squeezed shut, the fluids in his ducts forced their way out, and he burst in tears bolting off.

“DAMMIT, Chester! Not again!!” Cless raced after him like no tomorrow.

TBC