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

[videointhenoise]

Kent stands up and stretches. "I did. Mostly for Lapis, though. You're good for stew, though."

He puts a hand on Feldspar's shoulder as he walks by and squeezes it.

[getfeldsparred]

“Just for stew, Lapis, you heard him,” Feldspar chuckles, leaning their head against Kent’s arm.

“There’s food on the stove for you.@

[videointhenoise]

"Thank you." He presses a kiss to the top of Feldspar's head.

"Did Gneiss or Gossan come in here to take them?" he wonders, finding his way to the counter and the stove.

[getfeldsparred]

“They tried to, but I wouldn’t let them. I’m still bonding with the little pebble. They can always have their time later, when I’m back up in space.”

[videointhenoise]

"I haven't let them take them," Kent says with a little sheepish chuckle. "I know that it's - the way that things are here, but I think the human in me is rebelling."

[getfeldsparred]

“You can’t fight who you are,” Feldspar shrugs. “You wouldn’t be you. I think they’re just so used to offering the help, they’re worried about you doing it on your own.

“But you really love this little hatchling, huh?”

[videointhenoise]

"Yeah, I do."

He leans on the counter, eating the stew, but ventures carefully into this. "Gneiss told me about - what happened. The last time a hatchling was born small."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar stiffens at the mention of the last time a hatchling had been born this small. They look into Kent’s face searchingly, holding Lapis all the more tightly.

“Yeah? About how it ended for them? It was a sad time.”

[videointhenoise]

"It was. I was determined to not let it happen again. I told - I told Riebeck this, but I was born small, too. And I almost didn't make it. It was only because of science that I made it."

[getfeldsparred]

“You?”

That’s a little funny. Kent is so…huge as an adult.

Feldspar absently brings Lapis up to their face, tucking their little head under their chin.

“We named the little one that didn’t make it. Breccia.”

[videointhenoise]

"Me. It's why I'm blind," he says softly. "And I like that name. Breccia," he repeats fondly.

[getfeldsparred]

It’s why he’s blind. He was so small that they had to save him, but he lost his sight. Feldspar feels their throat become thick at the thought, and rubs their face gentle against Lapis’ head.

“What did they do to save you? Do we need to…for Lapis?”

[videointhenoise]

"No. Lapis will be fine, I think. I just - wasn't finished growing. I wasn't supposed to be small; I- hatched too early. Lapis is string and small and fully formed, or so Gneiss told me."

He sets the bowl down and walks over, sliding his hand along the little one's back.

[getfeldsparred]

They lift Lapis up to place into Kent's waiting hands. "I'll trust Gneiss then," they say quietly. "For someone who hatched too early, I can't believe how big you grew. Maybe Lapis will grow big, like Slate or Porphy."

[videointhenoise]

"Maybe," he laughs, pulling them close and pressing a kiss to their head. "But they're not going to grow at all if we keep them up. Time for bed," he coos softly, taking them into another room and placing them in the little crib. "And it's time for you to sleep in your own bed. Daddy and Feldspar get to have the bed together now."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar grins to themselves as Kent wanders away with little Lapis in his arms. They follow so they can watch him put Lapis down for the evening in the rough-hewn crib, spying their little hands as they reach for Kent as they set back down. "Oh, they're asking for you. They're really attached to you, Kent. What did you call yourself again?"

[videointhenoise]

"Uh - shit, you heard that?" he asks, sticking a hand in the crib to let them wrap their little fingers around his.

"It's Daddy. Dad. Uh - the male part of the two-parent unit."

[getfeldsparred]

Lapis holds tightly onto Kent's hand, but thankfully start to close all four eyes once they've got a good grip.

"Dad. Cute."

A little nickname for the role. They like it; it suits Kent and their new nurturing role.

"Here, let's rock the crib a bit, they'll fall asleep soon."

[videointhenoise]

"You rock, I hold," he suggests. "And - don't tell anyone yet, alright?"

It's one thing to be protective of the little one; it's quite another to be possessive.

[getfeldsparred]

"Don't tell anyone about what? You calling yourself that?" Feldspar cocks their head and starts rocking the crib rhythmically and gently. "Why not?"

[videointhenoise]

"I - tried to integrate the best I can," he explains. "But this is something I can't do."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar falls silent for a moment, clearly taking some time to think through their response. It's important that they get this right - Kent doesn't need to feel defensive about how he's caring for the little one.

"You don't need to always do things the Hearthian way, you know," they decide. "And it's not unheard of, Hearthians taking ownership of raising one or two of the hatchlings. Do you know what we care about? That the hatchling is loved and cared-for. That's it."

[videointhenoise]

Feldspar will see it. The way that his shoulders droop. The way that he calms. The way that he breathes out.

"I just don't want to - make life harder for them. But I love them, Felds. I love them and I want to give them the best life. And if that means a community, then so be it. But - if it means that I can do this more like how I was raised, how I'm familiar, then - I'm alright with that."

[getfeldsparred]

Oh. It was really weighing on him heavily. Feldspar inches closer, knocking their knees into his.

"You're more than alright with that, if what I'm seeing is right. You look really happy, Kent. I don't think anyone would deny that this suits you."

[videointhenoise]

"I am happy. I'm happy here with Lapis and with you." He reaches over and places his free hand on their wrist.