In His Name

Chapter 73 - Not actually gardening

Barren had brought him to the lake for his first magic lesson. Rosco practically ran to the end of the dock, called by the water. The dock is warm from the sun, and permanently damp from the lake under his hands, the slight dampness soaking through his clothes. He'd pulled off his shoes and socks, rolled up the ends of his pants and sat to dip his feet in the cool water. The warm sun falls over him, bathing his curls in heat, his head tilts back, eyes fluttering closed to bask in the bliss of sunlight. A kick of his foot sends a spray of drops out into the water.

"Don't get so comfortable," Barren scolds without any actual anger when he catches up, "We're here to work not play."

Rosco lets a lazy hum climb his throat, "yes sir," he pulls his legs up to cross them and trains his eyes on his teacher. He'd only woken up a few hours ago but the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the water beckons him towards a nap. The little soul apparently feels the same, coming to rest on Rosco's shoulder when it normally floats around him.

Barren nods, relaxing into teacher mode now that he has Rosco's attention, "What I am going to teach you is control." The older man begins, "The ability is already there, you just don't know how to use it yet. Like an infant, your arms and legs wiggle but you have no say in how they move. What I want you to practice first is just using some magic, calling forth the power at will." Directing him to the lake, "Just move the water, nothing fancy, lift a ball of it, pull in a wave, anything. Water is easier to command than wind because it has no mind of its own," Putting a hand on Rosco's shoulder, "A lot of this is about confidence." He adds softly before taking a step back.

Rosco looks back at him over his shoulder, but Barren immediately shoos his eyes away. Reluctantly fixing his gaze back on the little lake, Rosco shifts his position, peering down over the edge of the dock into the murky liquid. The pull that Rosco recognizes as Hayden suddenly saps at his attention. Glancing over, Rosco spots his god watching from the shore. Hayden hadn't bothered to come down for breakfast and their eyes meet for the first time today over the water. He's startlingly handsome, like in the few hours since Rosco had seen him yesterday his god had grown more mesmerizing, thoroughly distracting him from the task at hand. Hayden's stance softens, even from this distance Rosco can make out the corners of his eyes crinkling in a smile. Hayden's gaze flicks from his own to the water and back, gently reminding the boy to focus. Rosco's head snaps back towards the lake, a red-hot blush stains his cheeks. The desire to impress the man he loves sizzling in his chest, burning around his edges. He wants so badly to do well, or at least not fail horribly. The heat of determination immediately smothered by doubt. When has he ever not failed horribly? The last time he'd done magic he'd cursed a sweet little girl to a fate of hiding and pain. He'd been working since he was ten years old and has never managed to hold a job for more than six months. He can't even focus long enough to sing a song all the way though. His shoulders roll forward, trying to hide in himself, knowing he's about to disappoint.

"Um, Flynn?" Rosco begins, pulling another weed from the herb garden.

Flynn pauses, eyes flicking up from his work to meet Rosco's. Rosco had asked a thousand questions since the two had begun their chore of weeding, but this is the first one Rosco is nervous about, and Flynn doesn't fail to notice the small change.

"Um," breaking the eye contact to smooth his fingers though the dirt, "How long did it take you to learn magic?"

A soft sympathetic smile works its way onto the brown-haired boy's features, "First lesson didn't go well?"

"I couldn't do anything. Nothing. Not even a ripple." Rosco groans, dejectedly yanking an unwanted sprot from the earth. "If I hadn't already seen it, I wouldn't believe I have magic at all."