What you Want Most [Pthalorarity]

It was just after nightfall when the Reed’s ship docked from a day of fishing. Typhon’s grandfather had gotten ill recently with the changing of the seasons and thus Typhon had to help even more than usual with his dad’s fishery business. He looked at the small clock near the boat’s wheel and cursed to himself. He was supposed to meet Avery nearly an hour and a half ago now, but he and his father had run into a few issues with some fishing nets and were much later getting back than intended. This was going to be the night Typhon told Avery how he felt. He had planned a picnic on the beach and had even spent what little extra money he had from the month on a few flowers. Typhon toyed with the blue threads woven together as a bracelet around his wrist. It had been a small gift of friendship the day before the Reaping this year. As terrible as it was to even think about it, he had no question that this would be his token if he were to ever enter the Games.

After he finished knotting the boat’s ropes to the dock, he hopped back on board to quickly try and unload today’s haul with his father. He was hoping if he was lucky, maybe Avery would still be there, or at least swimming around nearby their usual spot. About halfway through the task though Typhon began to lose steam. What could it matter any more? He had wanted this night to be special, but it was too late to go home and wash up; he would smell of fish and saltwater as always. The picnic would even be ruined by now, there was no time to prepare anything properly, and the flowers he had bought were now looking rather sad and pathetic after being wind whipped on the boat all day.

Tieron Reed, Typhon’s father, noticed his sons melancholy and came over to pat him on the shoulder.

“Go ahead son, you’ve done enough today. I’ll finish up.”

“But, Dad, I—“ Typhon interjected.

“No, I said go on, and good luck,” he said, adding a little wink as he turned to finish unloading the fish.

Typhon took a deep breathe; he hated when his father pulled this stunt. The man overworked himself as it was, but the Reeds were a good family and Tieron didn’t want his son to entirely waste away his youth working.

After he accepted his father excusing him, Typhon grabbed the flowers and bolted down the dock and in the direction of his and Avery’s favorite beach. It was where the two had met nearly two years prior when Avery rescued Typhon from drowning during an accident in the midst of a large storm. He had abandoned the hope of the picnic or washing up at this point.