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]

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?"

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar takes the other bowl in both hands and sits beside Kent, sighing as the smoke enters their lungs.

“Trying to build a fence to keep the damn hatchlings away from the river. Current’s too strong for ‘em,” Spinel grumbles.

“I’m with Marl and Slate working on running the power to the village today,” Rutile chimes in. “We could always use one more brain, Kent.”

[videointhenoise]

He flinches a little playfully. "I am not good as an electrician, but I think we can figure it out. We might need Lapis to help us out. They've been here the most."

He breathes in and starts to eat from the bowl, thoughtful.

[getfeldsparred]

Rutile’s face falls a little - maybe not too noticeably, but Feldspar always could tell when the mayor was a little worried or disappointed - but they quickly turn it around. “Lapis has been overseeing most of it. They know the infrastructure of the ship pretty well.”

“Give Slate another week,” Spinel chuckles, “they’ll have this whole place wired.”

“We need the dam built first,” comes another voice - Porphy, who Feldspar hasn’t seen since their last growth spur, apparently.

[videointhenoise]

"Hey Por," Kent says in greeting, reaching out a hand for them. "We'll get the dam back up, don't worry. That's just a matter of putting the puzzle pieces back together." He has faith in that, at least.

[getfeldsparred]

Porphy seems to tower above them as they make their way over to Kent and take his hand. “Hey, buddy, how’s it going?”

They glance down towards Feldspar, brow cocking slightly in silent recognition. For some reason it makes their stomach twist into knots.

“Yeah, we’ll get it done,” Porphy agrees.

“Once the skeleton’s built it’ll go up like that,” Rutile says with a snap of their fingers.

[videointhenoise]

"Exactly. Should be done in days. And then we'll have plenty of electricity to go around."

He seems confident as he squeezes Porphy's fingers and then goes back to his breakfast.

[getfeldsparred]

Porphy does give Feldspar a smile before they turn to Spinel and get a bowl for themselves. “I think I’ll open the barrel of sapwine I managed to bring with us when it’s finished.”

“Yeah, we can have a nice bonfire and play some music like old times,” Spinel agrees.

The three of them continue to chatter as Feldspar eats a decent portion of the food that was given to them. They can’t waste food now, even if their stomach is still too small for much.

[videointhenoise]

"Mm, save some of that sapwine for me," Kent calls out and Spinel scoffs playfully.

"After what happened last time?" they tease and Kent waves them off.

"I don't have cake this time," he points out.

[getfeldsparred]

Rutile smirks and Porphy chuckles, and Feldspar just sits a little closer to Kent.

Kent’s not the alien here, they are.

“Hey,” they mutter, finishing off another bite. “I promised to do something with Lapis this morning. I should probably go.”