[SF] Art of Queuing

It was the music that had lured him towards the forest, or more the curiosity that came with it. Once there Kryos quickly decided that it was too much and way too loud. So many people walked around, laughing, screaming and singing. Most of them were extremely bad at it too and he felt like he might go deaf if he stayed too long. How he wished they would all soon leave and bring peace back to this otherwise beautiful place.

For now he had a goal in mind, which was getting something to drink. It was a hot day and this amount of people crammed together made it even worse.

There was a line of people standing in his way, so naturally Kryos walked past all of them until he could speak to the one keeping all the drinks to himself, handing them out only when people asked for it. He ignored all the murmurs behind him, some even sounding angry and irritated.

“I need water,” he told the man standing at the other side, staring him down. Behind him the talking of people grew louder, but he ignored it still. ”There is a line, kid.” That there was indeed and it was highly irrelevant. “Yes, I see, and I require water,” he repeated, growing impatient with each passing second.

With the burning hot sun shining down on him he could only curse the ice coursing through his veins. It felt like he could melt at any point, becoming nothing more than the one thing he desired now. The long sleeves covering most of the scales on his arms made it worse, but he needed them. People did not pay attention to the ones covered by his hair, or the few on the back of his hands. Without the sleeves it would be difficult.

Kryos narrowed his eyes when he was refused his water, all while someone else asked for two and got it. He glared at the tall man, opening his mouth to say something. Only he was forced to swallow his words as the man handed him one of them, accompanied by the strangest question.

He snagged the bottle out of his hands, welcoming its cool touch. “I do believe these bottles are very much real.” What a strange thing to ask, given that he was the one holding both bottles. While his people skills were very much lacking, even he knew it was a strange thing to ask.

Yet there was something in the way the other looked at him. “Thank you.” No matter, he got what he needed, now he could go and leave this— wherever was going on here.

There was a coldness that spread over his face when the stranger confirmed the doubts that grew within. The question had been too odd, he should’ve known that was not what he meant. Kryos thought he had been careful enough, but not to the watchful eye of the man.

Uncomfortably he shifted his posture, moving his weight from one leg to the other while straightening his back. The man remained taller than he was. Kryos quickly pulled his hands back, trying to hold them in a position that shielded the back while still holding the bottle of water. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question.” He was starting to wonder if this man knew more than he did, which was hardly difficult given the fact that he knew barely anything himself. Did something happen for him to look like he did?

Slowly, as if every move he made was deliberate, he too drank from his water. As he did his eyes never left the stranger, not even to follow his finger to where he was pointing. “It is awfully loud here,” Kryos agreed. It was difficult to even hold the conversation they were having now. “But I’m afraid there is nothing to talk about, if that is what you are after.” All he did was step out of the way for the people standing behind them. Unconsciously he pulled his hair further over his shoulders, making sure it covered his neck.