Big Book Of Sjips One Shots

Culture Clash (N)

TW: Some smut near the end, Alien!Sjin

Sjin did not know where this obsession of his had come from. This did not feel too strange to him – everything earlier than a few years ago seemed a blur. He remembered explosions, an affinity for building and the large vast emptiness of the stars, but beyond that, it hurt to try and remember. If he really strained his memory, he could remember gnawing his own arm after a nightmare, but he could not even remember what the nightmare was, now. It just felt like too much effort to remember. These days, he did not try to remember.

He had known Sips as long as he could remember. Which, granted, was not all that long, but he still counted as his oldest friend. Given the circumstances, only friend. Lately, though, with the new secret base and spending so much time with Sips, Sjin thought that friend might be too weak a term to describe them. Kin, perhaps. With all the private jokes and harmless flirting that transpired, kin seemed the closest term. Yet sometimes, Sjin was all too aware that Sips did not seem to share that view.

They were outfitting their secret base; a small escape from the wars that had sprung up around them; when Sjin excitedly bounced towards the bedroom.

"Check out this bling, Sips. Boom, mahogany doors," he said, placing down his newly crafted décor.

"Oh, wow," Sips muttered, not having even looked up.

Sjin frowned – maybe Sips had not heard him properly. After all, these were mahogany doors. He had to know the significance of that!

"Mahogany doors, mahogany doors, mahogany doors," Sjin repeated, in a trance, opening and closing the door.

This caught Sips' attention, finally. "What?"

"Mahogany doors, mahogany doors, mahogany doors, mahogany doors." Sjin was utterly lost to the excitement of his new creation. Sure, Sips may be a little distracted now, but when he deigned to pay attention, Sjin knew he would appreciate the new addition and what it meant for them.

"Huh?"

"Mahogany doors," Sjin stated.

Sips laughed, a full-bodied chuckle that Sjin only heard when something was truly funny. "That's not mahogany! The fuck're you talking about, that's just normal wood!"

Sjin's face fell a little. Mahogany doors were not funny. They were important, and Sips not only seemed to be finding the whole thing hilarious but also accused Sjin of lying – as though he would ever lie about mahogany!

"It is!" Sjin protested.

"That is not mahogany."

"Fuck you!" Sjin dismissed, still playing with the door.

He could not believe Sips was throwing this back in his face. How did Sips not realise how significant this was? He tried one last time to get through to him. "It's mahogany wood, Sips."

But the moment was already over, and Sjin dejectedly let the matter lie. Perhaps he was wrong about him and Sips. But he clung to hope. He could not help but feel that Sips simply was not listening to what he was trying to say.

============================

"Ooo, mahogany doors..." Sjin breathed.

Sips was distracted by the plans for their new base of operations. Sjin tried once again, hopeful that this time, Sips would take notice. He was still a little resentful of the last time, but he after everything they had gone through, Sips deserved another chance.

"Is...is this door mahogany?"

"They're not mahogany," Sips said calmly.

"No?" Sjin's tone was forcibly mild and even, but he felt sick. Sips still was not taking this seriously!