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 exhales slowly, leaning forward until their forehead touches his shoulder. They stay like that for a minute.

They don’t know who they are anymore or their place with the other Hearthians, but it might not matter in this place. Nothing like that will matter.

They pick their head up. “Will you kiss me?”

[videointhenoise]

"Yeah," he breathes, and muscle memory leads him down to kiss them, slow and sweet and gentle.

[getfeldsparred]

Their lips are cold and still as Kent leans down to touch them together, unsure if the kiss will wake them up and let them feel again like they were hoping. It takes a second and then Feldspar gasps against his mouth and deepens the kiss.

[videointhenoise]

Kent cups their face as they kiss, his hands slowly dangling down their back.

[getfeldsparred]

They move their arms to drape over his shoulders, still broad and strong where their limbs had shriveled to nothing, turning their head slightly to interlock their lips better. Kent’s nose brushes against their heavily-scarred cheek and they shudder.

[videointhenoise]

Kent breathes them in and then pulls away, resting his forehead against their neck. "I'm so happy you're here."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar brings a shaky hand to the back of Kent’s neck. His hair smells good, like it always did.

“Where is here anyway?” They thought the sun exploded.

[videointhenoise]

He smiles. "Your hatchling found this place. They call it the Stranger. It's an entire world on a spaceship. When youre ready, you should come and see."

[getfeldsparred]

It still feels weird to claim Lapis as their own after being apart for so long. They aren’t sure that Lapis still loves them like a parent, but they are so damn proud of them.

“The Stranger. Spooky.”

[videointhenoise]

"There's apparently some other part of this place. I don't know. But the outside is apparently very...normal. Green grass, tall trees. There's a seed bank along with everything we brought."

Not that he knows for himself.

[getfeldsparred]

Another part? That means something else to discover, and Feldspar immediately perks up. An indoor forest and a hidden world, maybe?

“I can’t wait to see it all.”

[videointhenoise]

"Whenever you're ready," he reminds them, squeezing their hand. "Do you want to walk outside now? Just to see it? I'll be right there with you."

[getfeldsparred]

They let out a shaky breath. Outside is where everyone else was too, not just a cool spaceship to explore. But they can’t hide forever, can they?

“Yeah,” they nod, pulling back from him. I’ll need your help though, I’m not steady on my feet and I don’t….”

They frown. They don’t want the others to see them that way.

[videointhenoise]

"It's alright. Put your arm around me. It'll look like you're just guiding me," he explains because he knows. He can't see his love, but he knows what he needs.

He also does need to be guided.

[getfeldsparred]

They feel the relief wash over them. That’ll do perfectly, but of course Kent would understand.

“Let me get dressed. Gneiss left some clothes for me at the foot of the bed.”

It’s a slow process, but a necessary one. The have to look somewhat put together, at least enough that they don’t look so frail. Gossan, Hornfels, and Slate would worry about them no matter what, but they can’t let the others see how fragile and weak they are now.

“I’m ready. Help me up?”

[videointhenoise]

Kent helps them dress as best he can, so when they're ready to get up, he's right by their side. He slides an arm around them. "The beings who were here before were huge," he grumbles. "These cots and chairs are way too big."

[getfeldsparred]

“I thought that was just another part of my hallucinations,” they mumble, leaning against him. It is a big ol’ chair in the corner.

Everything’s dark, but in the hallway just outside the room Feldspar can see a flickering of lights. Hearthian lanterns, they assume. Their people have always been industrious and quick to solve a problem.

[videointhenoise]

Kent guides them down the hallway, squeezing their middle gently. "The doors open with lights," he explains. "Which means I'm kind of fucked unless I have someone else,."

But he smiles anyway.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar laughs, and it’s loud and genuine. Kent’s right though, these aliens must have been enormous. Even their doorways are massive. “That sucks for you, Kent.”

[videointhenoise]

"It does suck for me, thanks," he laughs, and it is - astonishing how easily Feldspar's own laugh makes Kent blush. Makes him squeeze their arm around him. Makes him want to keep him all to himself.

[getfeldsparred]

They go up the steps and Feldspar winces as the artificial light starts peeking through the doors. It’s been a long time since they’d seen anything remotely close to sunlight even manufactured sunlight.

Feldspar walks out with Kent and their jaw drops at the sight of the giant, circular spaceship. It’s an entire world, with a river and forest and canyons and wooden buildings. They can see the Hearthian touch in the ruins too - pathways already erected along the sides of the river and the skeleton of a dam directly in front of them. There are buildings too, and campfires, and the beginnings of what will soon be tall pines from emergency seeds, and just along the path there’s music…

It’s the Traveller’s Song. They’re still playing it, even after all these years.

Feldspar leans against Kent as they take in the sight of this magnificent ship and the Hearthian village already taking shape inside of it.

[videointhenoise]

Kent holds them close, turning and pressing a kiss to their cheek. "Isn't it magnificent?" he wonders because he knows. He knows that it's beautiful and perfect. It's a life raft, but it's exactly what they needed.

[getfeldsparred]

They close their eyes at the touch of Kent’s lips to their cheek, making a sound almost like a purr in their throat. They’d like to take a few more minutes just standing at the top of the damn and observing the ship, but there’s a shout from down below, followed by another and then another, rising in excitement.

“It’s Feldspar!”

“No way!”

“I told you - they found Feldspar!”

Feldspar clings a little more tightly to Kent as an overjoyed crowd begins to gather and three figures branch off to run up ahead.

[videointhenoise]

Kent steps forward a little, hearing those voices. "It's alright," he tells them softly. "I'll take care of it. Squeeze twice if you want to go."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar feels the terror creeping up their spine at the sight of the excited crowd coming their way, but they hold fast to Kent’s arm and plant their feet. “No,” they say quickly, “no, it’s them. Gossan and Slate and Hornfels…”

They deserve as much as anyone to see them. Even from this distance they can see Hornfels crying and Slate looking ashen. Gossan has a smile on their face, and - are they missing an eye?