Knight on the Reefs: A Tale of Junayd's heroism

[Suji]

Suji got her laughter under control, though it was clear when she was trying not to grin, and making a conscious effort to control her facial expression. Of course, trying not to smile and laugh just made it harder. Junayd was actually beginning to look pretty mad, and she shook her head.

"We should toast to Junayd," she said with an easy smile. At the beginning of the night she wouldn't have dreamed of speaking so directly about Junayd, but it definitely wasn't the beginning of the night anymore. Besides, she didn't want him going home upset. "He's the one that kept an eye out for us, after all." And it was very true. If it weren't for him, things might have ended up a lot differently. It was hard to tell; she still wasn't sure the shark was hunting them, though its behavior had made it a strong possibility. In any case, she was glad to have had him spot the tiger shark when he did.

"So, to Junayd, the um, shark-spotter? No, that's terrible." She looked over at Alain. "Any ideas?"

[Alain]

"Hmm," Alain said, letting his cup fall back to his side while he looked at Junayd and tried to think of a fitting title. Junayd was looking back and forth between him and Suji. He looked like he was waiting for one of them to make a joke but there was also a carefully hopeful look about him that spoke volumes.

Alain's mind flashed back to the teacher's lounge and a large grin grew on his face as he held his cup back up. "Yeah, I've got one. To J-man," he said clearly, holding his cup towards Junayd, "the knight of the reefs. Live long and prosper J-man," Alain said before downing the rest of his cup.

[Suji]

Suji toasted, and was still halfway laughing when she tried to drink her beer. It was definitely warmer now, which made it less appetizing, but that was fine. Junayd was smiling broadly at them now that he decided they weren't really making fun of him -- or if they were, it was the good kind -- and he drank too. It was clear that he adored the nick-name, and especially that it came from Alain.

"Oh," Junayd said quickly, attempting humility though he was beaming with pride. "It was nothing really. I mean, I'm just glad no one got hurt."

"Ah, don't be so modest," Suji told him. "You're a hero."

- - - - - -

Suji's foot had been wrapped, their beer had been drunk, and they had docked Junayd's boat. Alain and Suji lived slightly further inland than Junayd, and parted ways with him not long after leaving the dock area. He seemed incredibly happy, and not a little drunk, and swayed as he made his way back to his home. They all lived in structures that were built like low-rise apartment buildings, or what a university dorm might be like in a tropical South American city. All the adults had their own rooms with private entrances, but they were small and sparsely furnished. Suji's was on the third floor, and there was both an indoor staircase and an outdoor one on stilts -- the landing of which made for a tiny porch area.

"There's my stop," Suji said when she saw the little electric lamp on above her landing. There were a couple floors above hers, but the fifth floor was mostly storage as far as she knew.

[Alain]

Alain had pulled on his shirt a while ago. It wasn't much of a barrier from the chill but it was better than nothing. He'd even stopped dripping on the walk over to the dorms though his jeans were still more than damp.

He hadn't talked much on the walk over. Only injecting a line here or there to keep whatever joke they were throwing around between them at the time going. He had laughed plenty though, more than he had since coming here, more than he had in years. Already he knew that this night would stick in his memory as one of his best and he even had a bit of hope that it wouldn't be the only one of its kind. Since coming here he'd felt like a fugitive but maybe he could build a life here, actually settle down and be happy.

Junayd broke off and headed toward's his place, happily swaying down the dirt path. Alain watched him go for a bit to make sure he wasn't going to fall over but he seemed ok to make it home so he kept walking. As they walked towards the squat buildings that Alain still found amazing whenever he saw them, wondering just who had had the skill to build them, a quiet fell between him and Suji. It was a difference from the chatter and the jokes of moments before but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"There's my stop," Suji said and Alain glanced towards the landing.

For a second he wondered if there was something he should do or say but he wasn't quite brave enough to risk ruining the night so he just smiled and said, "I guess it is." That same silence fell for a second as they both just stood there but it was Alain who broke it this time. "Well thank you for coming tonight. I really enjoyed it and I don't think Junayd will ever forget it," Alain said with a small laugh.

[Suji]

Suji looked up at him, and smiled. Both of their hair was disheveled and tangled, half-dried with salt water and in desperate need of combing. She'd pushed it away from her face, but other than that, hadn't bothered with it. It would have been a futile attempt anyway.

"Of course," Suji said, eyes searching his. "And thanks for the beer." She looked back to her place. "And you're probably right about Junayd, but I doubt I'll be forgetting it any time soon either." There was another pause, and Suji struggled to place her emotions. It wasn't just that she felt happy, which had happened on occasion (though hardly since the fall of Dallas). What was less familiar was the absence of fear. And maybe that's what Cassie knew about the free human camps that so many people trapped in the war didn't; fear warped a person, but when you took that fear away, people could start to heal.

Suji looked back towards Alain and smiled again. "All right. Good night, Alain." Though she felt like maybe there was more she was supposed to say (though she hardly knew what), Suji walked away. When she got to the wooden staircase, she took the stairs quickly, as was a habit. The flip flops she was wearing snapped her heels all the way up; she still couldn't bring herself to wear any proper footwear.

When she got to her door and unlocked it, she turned and waved to Alain again, lingering maybe a little longer than normal. Then she went inside.

[Alain]

Alain watched until she made it to her door and waved back as she disappeared inside the room. He turned and looked up at the sliver of the moon still visible in the sky. For a moment he just stood there, savoring the buzzing and chirping of the night time wild life, the feel of the small breeze still coming in off the ocean and the sound of waves lapping gently against the shore.

Then he stuffed his hands in his still wet pockets and walking back towards his own building.