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]

"Very," Kent says softly because no amount of deep sleep will make him unaware that his child and his love are coming into bed with him.

"It's a good thing these creatures are big or we'd never fit."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar snorts a soft laugh through their nose. So much for being quiet so Kent can sleep.

They turn so they can put their head on Lapis’ shoulder - affectionate, but not too much, just in case Lapis wasn’t ready.

[videointhenoise]

Lapis doesn't move away. They just reach over for Feldspar's hand and hold it tightly, squeezing it just once.

"Get settled," Kent mutters and pulls the blankets over them all, feeling something unknot a little in his chest.

[getfeldsparred]

“We won’t wiggle,” Feldspar mumbles, keeping Lapis’ hand in theirs as Kent tucks them both into the bed.

They missed so many years, but in the moment it feels like no time has passed at all. Their little Lapis is looking for snuggles or trying to hide away from a storm, and Feldspar and Kent are going to take care of them.

Feldspar dozes off in the nice warm bed, falling into a deep and peaceful sleep.

[videointhenoise]

Kent and Lapis both sleep soundly, but Kent is the first one awake. He sleeps well for the first time in a while, and gets up to get dressed so that he can sneak out and find breakfast. He's walked the halls enough that he can find where the smell of cooking fish is coming from.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar wakes a little after Kent rises. They leave Lapis to their slumber - they doubt they’d gotten a good night’s rest in a long while - and quickly follow after Kent to also find the source of the good smell.

“Hey, wait up!”

[videointhenoise]

Kent hears their voice and pauses, grinning as he turns back around. "Oh? I thought you'd be sleeping longer than that." He reaches back, hoping for Feldspar's hand in his.

[getfeldsparred]

“I slept pretty good last night,” they explain, taking Kent’s hand in theirs. They’d nearly forgotten how warm Kent always felt. “Used to never sleep when I was in space though, remember?”

[videointhenoise]

He brings the hand up to kiss it. "Yeah, I know. You always slept better with me." He pauses, a hesitation as he decides if he wants to continue. "Mostly because I made sure you were always very tired."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar nearly trips over their own feet, a deep purple rising to their cheeks. “Yeah,” they mutter, both from the kiss to their hand to the sharp recollection of all the ways Kent used to exhaust them before bed.

“You always took care of me, huh? Pretty selfless of you.”

[videointhenoise]

"Was it? Or was I being selfish with the only thing that really mattered to me for so long?"

Before Lapis came around, of course.

[getfeldsparred]

“The only thing?” Normally they’d ask it with a little cheek, but it’s all sincerity that escapes them now. The only thing that really mattered to him, not the stars and the thrill of exploration or the people he’d left back home?

[videointhenoise]

"Yeah, Felds," he says as if it's obvious. "Of course. What else would I have?"

[getfeldsparred]

It’s seems silly when he says it like that. Feldspar frowns and looks down at their hands. “Not some alien astronaut,” they reply, trying to put a little more humor back into their tone.

[videointhenoise]

"I'm the alien," he reminds them. "And - you are my world, Feldspar." He stops with them, unsure of what they're pausing for. "My universe. Where is this doubt coming from?"

[getfeldsparred]

It’s a good question, and not one Feldspar can answer straight away. They look down at their clasped hands again before taking a tentative step forward.

“I don’t know if I’m the same Hearthian you met all those years ago and fell in love with. I might not be deserving of all that devotion, y’know?”

[videointhenoise]

"Maybe. But here's the funny thing. You don't get to decide that. I do," he says.

[getfeldsparred]

Well. He has a point. Feldspar smirks softly and squeezes his hand.

“Can’t really argue with you there.”

[videointhenoise]

"Exactly." He starts walking again. "Do you see where they have the campfire?" he wonders. "Or the food?"

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar waits until they’re a little closer to the Hearthian-made wooden path before pausing to look for the telltale signs of a roaring morning campfire. “Yeah, I think someone’s cooking down this way.”

They tug his hand as they start down the path.

[videointhenoise]

Kent notices the lack of hesitation and, for a moment, he feels like maybe things might be okay. He follows happily. "Who's cooking?" That will tell him the quality of the food.

[getfeldsparred]

“Not entirely sure yet, looks like a few people.”

They’re not thinking that this is the first time going to a campfire, just that Kent’s looking for something to eat and they need to help. They approach the small cluster of buildings, still smelling like freshly-chopped wood, and see Rutile and Spinel at the fire cooking something in a skillet.

“Morning!” Spinel calls out, alerting the mayor to the two approaching. “Got breakfast going.”

“Morning,” Feldspar says, and Rutile quickly whips around.

[videointhenoise]

"That smells delicious," Kent says as they approach, his hand tightening in Feldspar's. He slides an arm around his waist, resting his head on their shoulder.

[getfeldsparred]

All four of Rutile’s eyes are wide, but they don’t comment on the return of the long-lost astronaut. Instead their expression softens and they smile, nodding to Spinel who dishes out two bowls.

“Real quiet this morning. Come sit by the fire,” Spinel says, handing one bowl to Kent and the other to Feldspar. They wink to them, and Feldspar smiles softly. Of course the old timer isn’t going to make a big deal out of their return.

“What do you think, Kent? Want to stay?”

[videointhenoise]

"If there's food," he smiles and sits down before taking the bowl that briefly touches his hand. "I'm always game to stay. What are you two doing today?"