JRWI tings :P

No. 79

//Fated Campaign.

I'll be so real I forgot I had this-

anyways I miss writing for these loser brothers and cannot get them out of my head-

Sylnan wants to read Ugarth's journal. He remembers he's illiterate. Gets sad. Br'aad sees an opportunity to help out his big brother and becomes the genuine embodiment of that 'yippee' sound- this is short but I just wanted to write out the idea. Plus I really need to stop being focused on word count lmao-

Spoilers for end of Act 1?? idk if I need to do tw's for this campaign, but I'll do em anyways <3

TW// none they are happy and sweet :)) winter low mood has kicked my ass and I'm coping :D
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Ugarth's journal sat in Sylnan's lap. The only illumination being that of a small lantern the rogue had in his tent, interrupting the darkness of the night.

Sylnan wasn't oblivious to the irony that his only real keepsake he had left of Ugarth, his close friend, was that of a journal. Something he'd never be able to read. At least, not with the skillset he had. Which... was severely lacking.

It was late, and Sylnan had assumed that everyone was asleep. So with that assumption came the idea to try and start learning how to read using Ugarth's journal.

Sylnan scooted closer to the small lantern in his tent, using its light as a way to better see the pages. He had remembered Br'aad mentioning more optimistic entries towards the beginning of the diary, and so he flipped to the first entry.

Black lines decorated the tanned pages. There were some smudges and signs of age across the journal itself, and definitely within the journal.

Sylnan let his thumb run across what he assumed to be the words that Ugarth had written years ago, as if hoping that by doing so, comprehension would come to him faster.

But the black lines stayed just that; black lines. Unreadable. But maybe he was going about it the wrong way? So instead, Sylnan hunched closer to the book, his finger settling just under what he was attempting to read.

His brows knitted together, his digit trying to feel the ink, hoping it'd give him a clue. Though being illiterate, that proved useless given the fact he didn't know what letters really looked like. At least in the way that one would look at a letter and understand what it was and where it fit in a word.

Something else Sylnan hadn't accounted for, other than being illiterate, was that he was impossibly impatient. But he was reminded of the fact when he felt a wave of frustration and annoyance run through his veins, a small fire burning in his chest.

Before he could curse at nothing in particular, or grumble his annoyances under his breath to himself, he was interrupted by the soft sound of footsteps passing by his tent.

"Syl? You're still awake?" It was Br'aad. His hair was messy, his hand covering his mouth as he masked a small yawn.

Sylnan sighs heavily, putting the small journal to one side. He rubs at his face, an attempt to try and ignore his impatient-born frustrations.

"Yeah, m'awake. Couldn't sleep." He grumbles out, his voice affected by his sleepless night so far. "Same for you?" He asks groggily.

Br'aad watched Sylnan for a few moments. He saw the signs of frustration. He saw Ugarth's journal.

The blonde lets out a soft sigh before ducking and walking into the tent, sitting down beside his older brother.

"... do y'wanna talk about it?" Br'aad asks quietly, ignoring Sylnan's question of his own seemingly sleepless night as he tilts his head a little. "Or... I-I don't mind readin' a few pages for you, I-"

"No. No, I..." Sylnan sighs and rolls his eyes, "I... I miss being able to read, y'know? I know that the gem was dangerous and stupid. I don't... I just wanna be able to read what he wrote. It's great you reading to me- and I really appreciate it, man, I really do. I... I just-"

Br'aad puts a hand up, as if to silently pause Sylnan's ramble.

"It's okay, I get it." he says softly, nodding.

Sylnan nods in return and sighs.

A few moments pass of silence. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It just... was.

And then, Br'aad gets up and seemingly leaves the tent, leaving a puzzled Sylnan in his wake. A few seconds later, and Br'aad returns with a small book, the same one he uses to scribble small doodles and the like into. Without much explanation, Br'aad scoots closer to Sylnan, opening the book to the first page.

The sound of scribbling sounds between the two before Br'aad smiles and points at the page.

"This letter is an 'A'." Br'aad starts, looking at Sylnan.

Sylnan just looks from the book to Br'aad, his expression softening a little as he realises what Br'aad was doing.

"... Br'aad-"

"Shut up, I'm teaching. You're distracting my lesson. It's a new character, I'm a teacher now."

"... Since when did you make up a teacher persona? I'm not dealing with a new version of Huntdude Beardman-"

"Uh?? First of all, it was Beardman Huntsguy. And yes, this is exactly the same thing. C'mon. Just a few minutes." Br'aad grins a little, clearly very passionate about this.

Any excuse to help out his older brother, and Br'aad will jump at it. It was a proven fact, one that had much evidence to support it. His brother had sacrificed and given a lot to care for him, and Br'aad wouldn't waste an opportunity to try and pay that back.

And so, Sylnan sighs and gives in. He looks down at the page and nods, a small noise of acknowledgement to show Br'aad he had his attention.

Br'aad shifts excitedly, getting to writing out the next letter. And the next. And the next one after that.

The two brothers stay like this, Br'aad writing out the alphabet on the top of the page, before letting Sylnan try to do the same.

It wasn't a fast process, and it takes some patience on Sylnan's end for himself.

But after some attempts, Sylnan manages to copy the 'A' Br'aad had written pretty well. Which of course earns a grin and a nudge from Br'aad.

And that's enough motivation for Sylnan to keep trying for the next letter, and the next.

Not much sleep is gained, but Sylnan doesn't care much. Not when he finally feels even the tiniest step closer to being able to read Ugarth's words for himself. There's still a ways to go, he knows, but for now, the motivation given by Br'aad's help is enough.