openmisc | Kent/Feldspar

“Billions,” Feldspar finally says, though it’s under their breath. Billions of humans!

“I can’t even imagine that number,” Gossan admits. “A hundred Hearthians would seem like a crowd, let alone…let alone anything that big.”

“Is that where you live? In these tall buildings?” Slate asks, pointing to a picture of a large clump of densely-packed buildings. “They look huge!”

"God no. That's too many people. I like living away from people, but I didn't really have a home. Ellie and I would travel all over the country, so we didn't really buy anything," he explains.

"And buy as in...we didn't trade or barter. We used money to exchange for things. I'll explain the concept better later but - that's it, yeah."

The concept of a country isn’t one Feldspar understands, neither is money, and it’s hard to really get a sense of the scope of Kent’s people or their planet without their head hurting. So many of them, so many of them and it was Kent who was sent onto the ship…

“Show us more pictures,” they say quietly, interrupting the questions and talk between the others.

Kent smiles and turns the pages. "This is the shuttle we took to our moon. The different kinds of crafts. This is the space station that we will start launching next year."

Slate starts oohing and aaaahing the designs, the rockets, the other visual components they can identify by sight alone. Gossan admires how sleek the designs are, then asks Kent cheekily if there are restraints aboard.

"Tons," he snickers. "Restraints so tight, you need another person to do it for you."

He laughs, turning the page. "Okay, here are some animals." He names them as he goes, from jungle creatures to farm animals, and describes each one as best he can. The plants are next, and he can only show their pictures, and he and Ellie are not plant experts.

They’re all interested in the pictures of the unusual plants and animals, and Feldspar finds themselves moving closer and closer to Kent as he continues to show off his photo album.

“So much diversity,” Hornfels mumbles. “We should turn this into an exhibit or something, for all of the village to enjoy. Uh. That is if you don’t mind, Kent.”

"Not at all. That's why I brought it."

The last few pages are about the scientific discoveries they've created. Telephones and light bulbs and cars. "A truck," Kent mutters to Feldspar, then lets the others look at it.

He moves back and digs into the pack to take out a few other trinkets for himself. His pajamas are placed on his bed, his adapted watch on the nightstand, and...a small tape and player.

As the rest of Outer Wilds Ventures discuss the inventions, Slate in particular (”I’m going to build that, and then I’m going to try that), Feldspar follows Kent to his bed and looks over his personal items.

“What’s all this?” they murmur, standing close enough just for Kent to hear.

He starts a little, not expecting anyone to follow. He'd think Feldspar would be too occupied with the photos, but - he's comforted by them here.

"Uh, pajamas. My favorite ones. My dad's watch and his ring. There's some candy here that I think I'll let the hatchlings try. And - uh, this. I don't know what it is. Ellie probably put it there."

They repeat the unfamiliar word - pajamas - and look over the device that his friend had apparently stashed into his things.

“Looks like an audio recording,” they tell him. “Who’s the green person on your pajamas? They look…ill.”

He chuckles. "That's not a person. He's a puppet. His name's Kermit and I - really liked listening to him as a kid. He has a mind of strange voice like..."

He clears his throat and does his best Kermit impression. "Kermit the frog here..." and then starts to laugh.

That’s not what Feldspar expected to hear, not at all, and they burst out laughing and shake Kent’s shoulder, their combined laughter drawing the attention of the other Outer Wilds Ventures members.

“What’s so funny?” Gossan grins, sliding their arm around Kent’s shoulder in a buddy-buddy sort of way.

“Hey Kent,” Hornfels adds, moving to the other side of Feldspar. “We want you to join Outer Wilds!”

Feldspar had heard a little of the debate, but they must have all decided to formalize it the second Kent decided to get into the ship with them.

“Whaddya say?” Slate adds, still looking over the inventions. “An official member!”

Kent raises his head and the laughter continues, even as he slings an arm around Feldspar's shoulders.

"Oh, so all the work I've been doing before was just out of the goodness of my heart?" he teases, but theres a swelling of pride and happiness and even belonging. "Of course I will."

“We needed to make it official,” Hornfels laughs, trying to speak over the excited whoops and shouts of the others.

Feldspar’s thrilled, of course; this is exactly where Kent belongs. He’s a dreamer, just like the rest of them, head towards the stars thinking about what’s out there.

“And that means you and I can work on the observatory proper. It’s going to be great - ground control and our headquarters…”

Hornfels goes on with Gossan chiming in, Feldspar pulling back to look at the book again with Slate.

Kent tries to keep up with all of the overlapping conversations, but soon just enjoys the noise for what it is, feeling comfortable and safe and even happy.

He sits on his bed with his pajamas and feels the familiar fabric. They won't last here, the cotton will eventually wear out and no amount of patching will make it better, but - he thinks he might be alright with that. There's no reason to cling to the past. As much as he misses it, as much as he wants to go home sometimes, there's is far more here than there ever was there.

He doesn't believe in god or fate, but he can start to let himself believe that he was meant to be here.

And when the noise dies down to excited chatter amongst themselves, Kent stands up. "I promised the hatchlings something when I came back," he tells them. "So unless you want them all crowding in here when they find the ship out there, you better scoot."

The hatchlings! They love the hatchlings, but can take the hint, as do the others. They start heading to the door.

"We're going, we're going," Feldspar laughs, waving their hand over their head. "C'mon, Slate, I wanna show Gossan that crystal I showed you."

Kent doesn't want to get rid of them, but he does need a few moments to breathe to himself. And when they're gone, he sits on the bed, though he gets thirty seconds before Gabbro spots Feldspar and takes the other two into Kent's cabin.

He sits with them and gossips about the trip, then produces the suckers for them from his bag. They're sweets, so of course Chert and Riebeck and Gabbro are intrigued. They leave Kent's cabin that evening with their prizes and their heads full of stories. Kent doesn't come to the campfire that night, though.

Not after he listens to Ellie's recording for him. He listens two more times and just curls up in his pajamas, enjoying the nostalgia for that night.

Feldspar attends the campfire, telling their stories to the hatchlings who are happily sucking away at the sweets and then chasing each other around until Gneiss wrangles them all for bed. The adults stick around and ask more specific questions about Brittle Hollow and the Hanging City, and as tired as they are they stay up late to feed their curiosity.

When the campfire finally dies down Feldspar goes walking along the edge of the woods. They pull their harmonica out and play a while, laying down in the middle of a field to watch the stars until they fall asleep.

The next few days and weeks are spent with Kent helping out to make and work on the Observatory with Hornfels and the others. He fiddles with his handheld radar, which he has no trouble with, and in his spare time, he works on the record player that's needed to play what's inside the briefcase.

But Kent isn't going to let this time pull him from Feldspar, who has become...well, his best friend.

They're out and Kent's at ground control, working on his scope while he talks to the pilot.

"Heading into the sun tonight, flyboy?"

Feldspar does their part with the observatory as well, hauling lumber and nailing planks right along with Slate and Gossan, the rest of the village watching with fascination as the building grows and grows. Of course they continue to test Slate’s latest modifications and additions to the ships, and take their usual trips out into the outer wilds to be one with the stars.

But Kent is a large part of their life now, and the evenings that aren’t spent out in space are usually spent sitting together at the waterfall, laughing and talking while they play their harmonica.

They don’t have to play pretend with Kent.

Feldspar is at the computer doing a little “Hornfels work” next to Kent, trading stupid little remarks as they tap on the keys.

“Right into the sun, yep,” they grin.

"I heard Slate was working on a new update for the autopilot," he remarks. "Soon, you won't have to do any flying at all."

He chuckles, leaning his head down and placing it against the instrument. It hums in a delightful way, and, satisfied, Kent sits up and opens up a sucker to pop into his mouth.

Feldspar snorts. “Autopilot to fly a long distance, maybe. And it doesn’t stop the ship from slamming into any obstacle in the way!”

They look up into the screen, which projects images from the satellite circling Timber Earth.

“They’ve worked on making my ship more waterproof. I’m going to Giant’s Deep next.”

"Yeah?"

Kent feels his heart skip a little. Hornfels had been a little less touchy, a little...less, since Kent had returned from his trip with Slate.

It means that he has had plenty of time to be distracted by Feldspar himself. He reaches over a hand and takes theirs.

"When you come back, I'll have the player finished for what's in the briefcase."

“Yeah,” Feldspar smiles. They’ve shared their excitement with Kent about finally seeing the ocean and high winds that he’d discovered through his radio - this trip felt like it was for the both of them.

Kent touches their hand and Feldspar feels their mouth go dry. They’ve learned that Kent is touch-focused for a lot of reasons, but the hand hold is still as intimate for him as it would be for any Hearthian.

“Really? That’s amazing. I can’t wait!”

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