Supply and Demand

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

The ferry arrived at the island in the early morning, the sun's rays shining upon the ocean water. The warm tropical weather was gentle on his lungs, making it easier for him to breathe, and for that he was grateful. It looks like he could really enjoy this vacation after all.


He had been hesitant to go at first when his parents had told him about the "family reunion" happening on the island. He hadn't been seeing his parents much since he moved out and preferred to keep it that way, but they had been incredibly insistent and eventually relented, saying that he would meet them there -- although he had debated for a time whether or not he should just not go anyways and take on some extra shifts at the bar.


The young man's conscience got the better of him though and he placed a few vacation days at work before getting a plane ticket. The island, it turned out was fairly remote and there wasn't an actual airport on the island itself but on the mainland several hours away. He had to take a ferry from the mainland to here, but finally, it looked like they were arriving.


Isaac stepped off the ship, a bit disorientated as he got used to walking on steady ground again. He glanced at the address his parents had given him, and looked around at the unfamiliar place and sighing. One would think that anyone would be overjoyed at being on such a beautiful island, but the idea of seeing his overbearing parents after such a long time made him uneasy. And right now, Isaac wanted nothing more than to go back home to his cheap little studio apartment and take a nice nap.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson grinned as he trotted off the ferry, stretching his arms high over his head. "Oh yeah! Adventure, here I come!" he laughed, glancing around the island that he had been told was his family's reunion location. He hadn't ever met any of his family, and so, was excited for this new chapter in his life. He had left his game shop in the hands of his head manager for the time being while he was on vacation. He pulled out a recorder from his pocket, and held it up to his lips.


"Day one. Year... We'll go with 200. I like 200." he laughed into the recorder. "Okay, Day one, year two hundred. Dice arrives at the island of mystery. Upon first inspection, it appears peaceful enough." he said softly, his eyes darting around. "So far, no hostiles in sight, and the humans don't seem to notice the elf in their..." he snickered, "Okay. So I can't pull that part off without laughing. I'll stick with being human." he chuckled. He sighed, "Anyway. I'll continue my report after further investigation of this mysterious island where my long lost family seems to reside. Dice, over and out." he said, and turned the recorder off, tucking it back into his pocket. A small rattle came from his pocket as the recorder hit against the small bag that held his dice.


He stretched once again, "So. Family. Where is the family?" he asked himself, moving further into the port. He paused, and thought for a moment, "Damn! I forgot to ask mom who I was supposed to meet up with! I don't know any of these people!" he groaned, hanging his head for a moment. He pulled a cell phone from his pocket, and clicked a button, "Damn it to hell! Of course there wouldn't be any cell service here!" He complained, turning the phone off. "I can at least conserve it's battery life." he sighed, shoving it back into his pocket. "Okay. No cell phones. Is there a pay phone or something around here?" he muttered, looking around.


A small group of people stood near the end of the dock, holding two signs. On one side, a man, woman, and two children held a sign that read Isaac. On the other, two men stood holding a sign that read Dyson. The blonde man smiled, and walked over. "Hey. I take it you're waiting for me? I'm Dyson Delafontaine." he greeted the man lightly. They laughed, and shook Dyson's hand each, "Welcome to the Island, Dyson." The darker haired male said lightly, "You're parents told us a bunch about you. Did they tell you anything about where you came from?" he asked curiously. To which, Dyson shook his head, and the men frowned. "Oh well, no matter. You'll learn the story tonight when the town gathers for the festival banquet." the lighter haired male laughed, and together the three moved off into town, chatting lightly about the trip Dyson had to the island.

 

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

Isaac looked around aimlessly, wondering where he should go before his eyes landed on a sign with his name on it. Oh, he thought, that was easy. He made his way over to where his parents were, mixed feelings churning in his stomach at the sight of them. On the one hand, he had missed his parents and he really didn't contact them often enough. On the other hand, he hated the way his mom and dad were hovering over him like this.


"I'm still in one piece guys, don't worry," he said, waving off their concerns. His mother smiled sheepishly before wrapping him up in a hug and scolding him for not staying in contact to which he hummed in acknowledgment and hastily changed the subject. "So what's this about a banquet?" he asked and for a moment he could have seen a flash of concern flash in his father's eyes before it quickly vanished under the man's usual smile.


"It's great, son! They have loads of food and music. The whole town gathers there. Actually," the man trailed off, glancing at his watch. "We should probably head back to the house and catch up a little before the banquet starts." With that, his father slung his arm around his shoulder and hefted Isaac's bag up to carry as their mom lead them forward.


---


The hours went by fairly quickly as Isaac and his family caught up and he got settled into the guest room at his parents' house. It was odd, being here. He recalled going to the island a few times when he was a child, but he barely remembered most of it. Now his parents lived there permanently and he had to admit, it was a nice little house they have here.


Before long, the sun was setting and the town was gathered in the square for the banquet. Isaac wandered through the crowd, grabbing finger foods off of the trays and looking around, feeling a bit excited by all of the events that seemed to be happening tonight. "This is so much better than being back at the bar," he murmured to himself.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson had settled into the guest room of his uncle's home, and got to know them a little bit before the festival banquet. As the sun was setting, everyone gathered and music filled the air. Dyson was happy to find that it wasn't some cheesy kind of folk music, but actual music he knew and recognized much of. That was certainly a relief. He laughed as he wandered through the streets, watching the different people moving about. A group of small children ran about, and Dyson had been sucked into one of their games for a short while before he moved on to continue looking around at all the different things that was there.


As he wandered, he picked at the small finger foods that traveled around for the crowd, slightly amazed that all the food and drink was free. "This place is amazing!" He laughed, feeling as though he were on a sugar high. "Oh man! I'm so excited. Why didn't my folks tell me about this place sooner?" he gasped in awe to himself. He jumped slightly as he bumped into someone, and turned abruptly. "Oh! I'm so sorry! Sorry! I guess I got over excited." He said quickly, scratching the back of his head. He laughed slightly, almost a bit nervously, as he peered at the dark haired man he had bumped into. He looked to be about the same age as Dyson, but something about his pale skin said he was a bit sickly. "Are you okay?" he asked curiously.

 

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

Isaac was enjoying the festivities, getting lost in the partying, helping himself to one or two drinks that the servers were handing out and otherwise just having a good time. He had seen his parents wandering around somewhere but they luckily gave him his space as he went around and socialized.


It was beginning to get a lot more crowded now as the festival went on, and Isaac found himself accidentally bumping into someone. "No worries," Isaac assured as the blonde man apologized to him profusely. "It's getting a little crowded."


He fidgeted slightly under the man's gaze and kept his face carefully neutral if the man asked if he was alright. "Yeah, just jet lag," he lied smoothly. "I just got here today, and I'm not from here." And that part was true at least. "The name's Isaac," he introduced, holding a hand out and offering a cheeky smile to the man. He seemed a decent enough guy.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson grinned, and shook Isaac's hand warmly. "Oh! That's awesome! Me, too." he laughed lightly, "The whole not from around here thing. Name's Dyson, but most just call me Dice." he chuckled as he retracted his hand. He snagged a drink as a tray passed by, sipping at it and smiling. "How are you liking this place? I find it rather amazing!" he said, looking around the crowd. "You're right, though. It is getting pretty crowded. Do you have family here?" he asked, looking back at Isaac.

 

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

"Dice, huh?" He said, his eyes flicking to the d20 hanging from the man's neck and trying not to grin at the irony. This man, Dice, was certainly quite the character.


"My parent's live here," Isaac answered, taking another sip of his drink. "It's surprisingly... nice. I thought it'd be filled with old retirees or something, but I was pleasantly proven wrong," he grinned, trying to keep his footing as people pushed past him. Good god, there were a lot of people here tonight. He wondered why they were all gathered. Was it some island tradition or some holiday he didn't know about? He can't recall any big events that his parents had mentioned, only that they would be a huge festival and celebration. Was it common to just have a festival for no reason?


Isaac shook his head. Who am I to question a party? He thought to himself as he pushed his doubts to the back of his mind and focused on just trying to have a good time.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson smiled, "Ah. That's cool. I'm visiting my uncle and his partner." he said lightly, sipping at his drink. He looked around, "They certainly know how to throw a party, huh? Anyone tell you why they're having this bash?" he asked curiously. "From what I managed to learn off my uncle is that it's got something to do with the island's history." he sighed, shrugging.


---


It was then that an announcement to gather in the banquet hall was made, and people started filing toward a large hall that almost seemed like a church. Inside this large building were numerous long tables, enough to house the whole of the village town that was present. Two seats were marked special, and Isaac's and Dyson's families were sitting on either side of the two chairs. Dyson's uncle waved as he spotted him, and Dyson smiled. "I see my uncle. It was nice to meet you, Isaac." he said lightly, and trotted away toward where his uncle was.

 

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

"Huh," Isaac murmured as he thought about what Dice had said about the island's history. Well, at least he hadn't forgotten an important holiday, but it seemed that whatever it was that was the cause of this banquet, he was about to find it as the town was gathered into a large hall. Isaac followed behind Dice in the crowd and somehow managed to spot his parents at the head of the table and a seat he assumed was reserved for him.


"Nice to meet you too," he said absentmindedly as the other man wandered off. Isaac quickly lost him in the large crowd, but he had no time to linger, as it seemed that his head was beginning to spin and it was getting a little harder to breathe. Dammit, Isaac swore internally as he felt lightheaded, and I thought this island would be good for my health too. It seemed that it had been too much to hope for, however, as it clearly seemed like he would only get worse as the night wore on.


Isaac shook himself. Fuck this, he thought. He was here on vacation and he'd be damned if he let a little wooziness get in the way of him enjoying himself. With a newfound determination, Isaac made his way to where his parents were seated and quickly sat down.


"What's this all about?" he asked his mother, who smiled nervously at him before standing up on the chair and tapping on the wine glass to get everyone's attention. The banquet hall was soon filled with silence.


"If I may have your attention," his mother's loud, authoritative voice carried across the room. "Today, indeed we are here to celebrate a special night for both my son, Isaac Wyatt, and Dyson Delafontaine." Isaac tensed up in his seat and glanced over at Dyson sitting next to him. What the fuck was all this about?

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson blinked, clearly just as surprised as Isaac when his name was spoken aloud to the crowd. They were celebrating a special night for them? What for? He looked over at Isaac, something in the back of his mind telling him that the dark haired man wasn't well. He frowned, and looked back at Isaac's mom.


Then his uncle stood up, smiling. "Tonight is very special indeed." He said lightly, nodding toward Isaac's mother. "My sister couldn't be here for health reasons, so I will be standing in on Dyson's behalf." He explained to the surrounding people. "Shall we tell our story?" He asked with a smile.

 

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

Isaac watched as his mom nervously cleared her throat. "Yes, well," she began turning to her son. "This is all going to sound a bit outlandish, but I know that once you come to understand what this is all about -- a lot of things will finally make sense." He tensed at the cryptic way in which his mom spoke. He had no idea what was happening, but he did not like where this was going.


As if sensing his weariness, his mother smiled, voice taking on a softer tone. "Isaac, you've always been a very sickly child," she spoke, causing his face to turn red as she revealed that to practically the whole town. "It's not your fault!" She quickly added. "It's genetic, sort of. Many people on this island suffer from this as well. However, it is treated in a... unique way. Your symptoms, and even your very illness can go away with physical contact with a specific person. And we believe that Dyson is that specific person," she finished, waiting hesitantly for her son's reaction.


Isaac blinked, taking a second to process what his mother was saying. This was... She was kidding right? This was just some fucking joke on her part. "This is bullshit," he looked up, eyes narrowing. "What the fuck are you getting at?"

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson gaped for a moment, trying to process what the woman had just said. The entire room was silent as they waited on the two men's reactions. The blonde looked at his uncle, "You're all kidding. Right? This is just some sick joke. It's got to be." He laughed, though his voice shook slightly. He flipped his gaze back to Isaac's mother, searching her face. Then, he searched the faces of those closest to them. There was no amusement on anyone's faces.


Dyson's uncle frowned, "I know it's hard to swallow at first. Had you been raised here, it wouldn't seem so odd, and we may have found a supplier for Isaac sooner than now." He said, rushing into his words. "Isaac. Tell me, if you will. How has your health been as the evening has worn on?" He asked, looking at the dark haired boy. "Have you been feeling ill? Tired?" He asked, and then glanced at Dyson. "And you, Dice. You've been super hyper, and bouncy, haven't you?" He asked. Dyson blinked, thinking, and nodded. He had been abnormally hyper, and bouncey. Far more than he normally was.

 

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

Isaac stilled at the words of Dyson's uncle. He wanted to deny it, claim he felt fine and that what they were saying was complete nonsense. And yet, he found himself unable to speak at all. After all, he had been feeling ill, even though he had been fine mere hours ago. It had been sudden and unexpected and almost.. unnatural. But he shook his head. No. He refused to believe this crap. They were all probably just pulling some elaborate prank for whatever reason.


At that point, his mother spoke up again. "Physical contact helps," she repeated. "The more intimate.. well, the stronger the effects, and you'll feel better after. Your father went through the same thing and if we are not near each other for long, he falls ill just like you do." Isaac tensed in his seat. If what she was implying was true..


"I'm not going to be... intimate with this guy!" He sputtered, cheeks burning red. "I barely know him! And besides! This is such bullshit anyways!"

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson felt his own face turn red as Isaac's mom spoke, "Wait. What?" He asked, somewhat dumbfounded. Dyson's uncle sighed, smiling apologetically at them. "I can tell you don't believe us, but there is not one person here who will deny our existence as suppliers and receivers. If you want proof, just kiss. It's that easy." He said, and glanced over at the man who was his partner. They smiled at each other for a moment before their attention returned to Dyson and Isaac. "Go on. You don't have to, but take your health into account." He said gently.

 

[SplendaWeReGoingDown]

Isaac wanted to bite back at them and storm out of the building. Honestly, that's what he should do. But looking at his parents' faces and that of Dyson's he knew that they would not let this go until he caved. The man rolled his eyes. "Ah fuck it, if it'll get you guys to shut up I'll kiss you," he said, turning to Dyson. His face was burning red and he wanted to look away, but forced himself to keep the gaze of the other man across from him.

 

[InactiveCoffee]

Dyson flushed and ran a hand through his hair, nervous. He looked around at his own and Isaac's family, each with their own expectant expressions. He looked at Isaac, and gulped, sighing. "Fine. Let's get this over with and prove them wrong." He muttered before blinking at Isaac. He waited, his palms slightly sweaty, wondering if he should move in first or wait for him to. He didn't want to seem like he wanted to kiss the other male afterall.


((There we go ^-^ @SplendaWeReGoingDown))