Summaries:
So ... What has happened in V&L so far? This is where you can get the story refreshed or simply read up so you can start at a later chapter. :-) Needless to say, this page contains major SPOILERS.
I don't think I want to read this ... Not because they're spoilers for me, but ...
I know
what you mean. There are some things you don't want to read
about yourself ... Let's go somewhere else, ok?
Trapped (part 1):
Laren, the longhaired
bard, is out running along the beach. Suddenly he sees a
dolphin lying on the shore, bleeding badly. He doesn't
really want to help it, but nevertheless he dashes back
towards the town he came from. On the way he meets a
sorcerer-in-training, Val, who tries to save the dolphin.
However, while the two young men are out there a storm
approaches. The dolphin dies despite Val's efforts. Laren
(reluctantly) saves them both from the thunderstorm by
finding a cave.
So, there they are, stucked for an unknown length of time.
Val is shocked and testy because of his bad luck with the
dolphin, and Laren happens to dislike sorcerers. They have
an argument ,which could have developed into a fist fight if
Laren hadn't stopped it. Trying to get along (not because he
really cares about Val, but they have to survive each
other's company), Laren offers to massage Val's sore back.
Val agrees because he's afraid they will be enemies if he
doesn't ...
Trapped (part 2):
... And just when
everything looks all right to Val, Laren starts kissing him!
Val stands up and goes to put wood on the fire Laren has
made in the cave. Laren wonders why he kissed Val, and
concludes that he's just after physical pleasure and nothing
else. He kisses Val again, and then decides to seduce him
with words, telling the sorcerer about himself. Val asks
(blushingly) if he likes guys, but Laren answers that really
doesn't like girls or guys. Even though Laren uses
his best tricks Val still claims it feels wrong to "do
things" when they hardly know each other. Laren can't
understand the sudden rejection before it occurs to him: "Is
it because I'm a guy?" Surprisingly (to both of them) Val is
ticked off at that question and kisses Laren - just to prove
... What?
Laren says that he really doesn't hate Val anymore. Val is
still reluctant though, and now it's Laren's turn to get
ticked off. He starts dashing out of the cave - into the
thunder storm - but Val stops him and admits that he can't
bear losing Laren. So, Laren stays and they make friends.
They tell each other about themselves. Val wonders why Laren
suddenly is so nice to him, and Laren stares at Val with
slight symptons of being in love. In the end Laren asks Val
to go with him home when the storm and high tide are over,
and Val agrees rather happily.
Omake: The Problem with YAOI-Phobics!
Really, this is just a
joke. A four pages long joke in which yours truly
guest-stars. Could V&L possible be a romance without any
shounen-ai elements? After dressing both Val and Laren up as
gals it is clear that YAOI-Phobics (people who don't like to
see two guys together) have to learn to accept it or read a
different story, because our two heroes do not look great in
skirts ...
Lovesick Puppy:
Val and Laren finally
reach Laren's room, and when Laren leaves to go ask for some
food to be taken there, Val falls asleep. When Laren comes
back, he startles the young sorcerer, but they agree to take
a bath before they eat and go to sleep. Everything is oh so
wonderful and they kiss ...
But the next morning, Laren wakes up and finds Val gone. He
tries not to care, but is very angry. Later that day they
run into each other, but Laren doesn't want to talk to Val,
and Val (who had to leave early for a class) thinks he was
being used.
To make things even worse, Laren's father, Aleran, visits
and observes that his son has "the lovesick look of a puppy"
and advises him to buy the girl he likes something nice.
Laren denies it, and Aleran leaves again, with the promise
to return and see if Laren is in a better mood another
day.
Confrontations:
Val meets his friend
Regena at the beach and tells her about his feelings. That
he isn't sure if Laren likes him and and doesn't know what
to do. However, Regena doesn't get the chance to reply
before Laren, who likes running at the beach, spots them.
Furiously, he knocks Val over and starts yelling at him and
blaming him for being with Regena. Val gets mad because he
doesn't want his friend to be involved. They are close to a
fight, but Laren kisses Val and then declares that he hates
him. Regena sees that Laren does care about Val and leaves
the two of them.
Once alone, the two boys talk about their relationship and
about how hard it will be for them to keep it secret (they
are aware that the people in the town won't accept them as a
couple). Suddenly Val hears someone approaching and starts
yelling at Laren - it is the first test of their strategy,
never to let anyone know what they are really doing. A very
annoying guy, Garry, enters and bugs the two for a while.
They leave and decide to meet later.
Laren arrives first, and is annoyed that Val isn't there.
However, Val soon turns up (he had a magic class). Laren
blurts out how happy he is with Val, and Val (surprise,
surprise) blushes. Laren laughs at him, and Val takes
revenge by pushing Laren into the water. Laren worries about
his looks, but everything ends well.
Changes:
It's a bright day at
the market place in the town. Laren walks around, spending
money. He comes across a necklace with two silver dolphins
and likes it so much that he buys it for Val.
Not-so-accidently, he (literarily) runs into Val and
hurriedly gives him the necklace under pretence of scolding
him for not watching where he's going.
Later, the two boys meet outside the town, but their kisses
and embraces are cut short when Aleran arrives at the scene.
He is shocked and very angry to see his son with another
man, and Laren hotheadedly argues with him. He leaves his
stunned father with a bewildered Val following him.
Once again alone, Laren is in shock at what he has just
done. Val is upset and crying and blames himself for what
happened.
by Helen Leonard & Marie "M-chan" Mortensen