Kent/Feldspar

[videointhenoise]

"Just once more," they had said when Ellie's team petitioned for it. She was busy with Palmer, falling in love with science while he fell in love with God, and Kent was left to pick up the pieces. He wanted another damn go at it. The Machine had a pricetag in the billions; it was begging to be used again.

But they wouldn't let Ellie go. They wouldn't let just anyone go. They wanted someone who knew how it worked, who had been there from the beginning, but someone who isn't completely taken in by Ellie's words.

That leads them to a dozen people and they end up with Kent. He's blind, but that's not what decides it. They claim that he wouldn't hallucinate the way Ellie did. That he has a unique perspective.

And, he's already proven himself steady and loyal.

He experiences it all the way that Ellie does, but something goes wrong on the other end. Maybe another terrorist attack. Maybe not. All he knows is that he's in the sphere and then, suddenly, he's floating, unable to find his footing until a great crash and he slams into the bottom of the machine.

He groans, pulling his helmet on with a grunt and a wince.

"Fuck this," he mutters, finding the edge of the sphere with his hands. There was a door there somewhere. He just - has to find it.

Comments

[getfeldsparred]

They grumble quietly, kicking some rocks down the path. "Rutile...they told me..."

Feldspar trails off, annoyed and a little ashamed now to even be talking about it.

"They didn't tell me anything. They lectured me about taking care of you, not breaking your heart because of some stupid stunt. They said I should think about choosing, either you or Outer Wilds."

[videointhenoise]

Kent immediately jerks their hand back and reaches out for them with his other. "Hey. Stop," he says and his voice is firm but soft. "You do not have to choose. If you choose me over Outer Wilds, I will throw you in a geyser myself. You can have both. You can have the stars and you can have me."

[getfeldsparred]

“That’s what I said!” They step into Kent, taking both of his hands and holding tight. “That’s what I told them! I said that you would never make choose, because you get me. No one else has ever gotten me before, but you do, and you wouldn’t ask me to do that.”

They step closer, clearly still heated, but in a different way. “You’re the only one who’s ever understood. The others…they kind of get it, in their own way, but they never got that yearn, y’know? But you do. You…you always have.”

[videointhenoise]

"I know," he says smugly, kissing their hand. "It's alright. I want you here, but it want you happy. I want you to tell me everything. Explore and learn."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar takes Kent’s face in between their hands and presses a kiss to his lips. It’s soft and sweet - different from their usual kisses.

“I’m not going to abandon you for space either. I don’t know what Rutile was thinking - I’d never hurt you on purpose.”

[videointhenoise]

"I know."

He leans against them and moment, then steps back to lead them up to his cabin again.

"I trust you, Felds."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar gets back in step with Kent, swinging their hands slightly as they walk together. “And now that the entire village knows we’ll never be left alone ever again.”

[videointhenoise]

He shrugs one shoulder. "Maybe!" he laughs. "But were they going to leave us alone anyway?"

[getfeldsparred]

“They might have,” Feldspar argues, taking their hand away to slide their arm around his waist. “Maybe.”

[videointhenoise]

He opens the door once they get to the cabin and drags Feldspar inside, slipping out of his shoes. "They wouldn't."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar trips over themselves to take off their boots, not wanting to inadvertently ruin any of the careful placement of his carpets or furniture. “They wouldn’t, but they’re even more invested now. I think they like you better than me.”

[videointhenoise]

"That's because I'm handsome and charming and you light the village in fire," he teases, stepping back, finding his carpet by his cabinets so he can pour a cup of tart juice for both of them.

[getfeldsparred]

“Only accidentally,” they argue, sitting down at Kent’s table. “But it’s true, you are handsome and charming. I was never going to be the village’s darling.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent brings the cups over and sits down. "You could have been, had you tried," he points out. "But that doesn't seem like your gig. And - that's fine. Means I'm the only one who knows how handsome and charming you are."

[getfeldsparred]

“That’s fine,” they grin, taking a sip of the juice. “I don’t need anyone else to enjoy that Feldspar charm but you.”

[videointhenoise]

"Exactly."

He leans forward. "So how long do I have you before you fly again?"

[getfeldsparred]

“A few days. I’m going on a long trip next time, takes a while to restock and prepare for something like that.”

They look across the table and outstretched their hand to cover his.

[videointhenoise]

Kent turns his hand up towards them, linking their fingers. "Stay with me, then," he tells them. "You don"t have to go back to your cabin. Stay with me."

[getfeldsparred]

It’s not unheard of for one Hearthian to stay with another, but even in their most serious relationships there’s still wiggle room for independence. Staying with Kent seems…that seems like a big thing. A really big thing, something that others would take note of.

But it feels right. Feldspar only wants to spend their hours here on Hearth with him.

They nod and squeezes his hand. “Yeah. Yeah, alright.”

[videointhenoise]

That's what Kent wants, too. Feldspar is gone so often, gone so long, that Kent wants time with him.

He squeezes their hand. "I don't want to - force you into it," he tells them. "But it will keep Rutile off your ass."

[getfeldsparred]

“You wouldn’t be forcing me to do anything.” They smile a little bashfully. “I want this. I really like being with you.”

And keeping Rutile off their ass is always a bonus, but they don’t really care as much about that.

“I’ve just never done it before. And we don’t typically live together like that - it happens, sure, but it’s not the norm.”

[videointhenoise]

"Yeah, well, I'm an alien. And humans are pack animals. We instinctively seek out others. We are - generally monogamous, too. Depending on the person."

He shrugs. "Maybe I want a little piece of familiarity," he says, taking a drink.

[getfeldsparred]

“Maybe you do.”

Or maybe Kent just loves them, and it has nothing to do with wanting something familiar just for the sake of it.

They set their cup onto the table and gets up, coming around to the other side and slipping onto Kent’s lap.

“Maybe you just miss me too much when I’m gone.”

[videointhenoise]

He blinks in surprise, nearly knocking over his cup as he slips an arm around them. "Maybe I will," he says with a grin. "Maybe I want to enjoy every damn second I can."

[getfeldsparred]

“And maybe I miss you too, and get a little jealous when you’re hanging out with other people who aren’t me. Maybe I want to be around you as much as possible.”

And maybe they kinda like the idea of being Kent’s one and only.