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]

“Yeah, we got camping too, but this is the moon. You turn over a little too hard and off you go flying,” Esker chuckles, stepping up when Kent rises and offering his arm, just as Feldspar had. “Tell me more about the truck.”

They try not to bristle. Esker is Kent’s friend, it’s not some slight against them to step in to help. But still, they can’t help it, and they stay seated and prod the fire.

“I’m going to douse the fire. I’ll catch up,” they call after them, successfully keeping the annoyance out of their voice.

“Sure, sure!” Esker’s not paying attention to them, Feldspar can tell. It’s all about Kent.

[videointhenoise]

"No, camping is different," he insists, ignorant of Feldspar's mood. "Camping is with a tent. This is just sleeping. And trucks are four wheeled vehicles with engines."

He smiles, following them into the room.

[getfeldsparred]

They can head Esker laughing as they bring Kent into the spare room, asking more questions, of course, being charming and sincere as they usually are.

Once they’re inside Feldspar gives themselves a little slap to the face. “C’mon, Felds, get it together,” they grumble, dousing the fire until it’s just glowing coals and heading in after them.

The room is nice enough, the bed fairly roomy for something just cooked up by Esker.

“Didn’t have time to build a bunk, hope you two don’t mind.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent's sitting on the bed, taking off his suit when Feldspar walks in. "It's fine with me. Unless...are you a blanket hog?" he wonders playfully.

He tries not to sound nervous. Why would he be nervous? It's Feldspar!

But those butterflies still exist...

[getfeldsparred]

It’s not out of the ordinary for Hearthians to bunk with each other, or slip into each other’s bed for affection and comfort in purely a platonic sense. But the other reason also exists, and Feldspar can help but feel their stomach leap when they see Kent undressing in the room.

They try for nonchalant as sit down on the edge of the bed and start to remove their boots.

“I might be. I don’t think I’ve shared a bed with someone since I’ve been a hatchling. I’ll do my best not to be selfish though.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent gets down to the shirt and pants under the suit and stretches a bit.

"I can't believe we're just...on the moon," he laughs, leaning back. "And I will kick you on the floor if you freeze me."

[getfeldsparred]

“That’s what I felt my first few times up here,” Feldspar smiles. They get up to pull off their space suit, wiggling slightly out of all the various belts and straps.

“It never gets old.”

They eye the floor. They would probably be just fine sleeping down there….

[videointhenoise]

Kent rests his arm over his head and flops back on the bed, nearest the wall.

"No, I don't guess it does. We have a flag on the moon. That's about it."

[getfeldsparred]

“We’ve got one of those too.”

Kent looks comfortable. Feldspar chews on their lower lip and then settle back onto the bed, sighing as they sink into the mattress.

“And now a lunar outpost. Maybe one day your people with get that too.”

[videointhenoise]

"I hope so," he smiles, but drifts off a little. They may get an outpost, but Kent won't be there to witness it.

He moves over a little to give them room. "This is a nice bed for a moon outpost."

[getfeldsparred]

Sometimes they know they can be dense, but they can tell when the subject makes Kent uncomfortable or sad. They fold their hands over their stomach and stare up at the ceiling.

“Do you have more bad days than good here, Kent?”

[videointhenoise]

"No day is bad. Not anymore," he explains. "But there are times that are hard. Or difficult. And yeah, there used to be a lot."

He thinks about it. "But it's been a lot better, lately."

[getfeldsparred]

It’s reassuring to hear, even if they’re still sad for Kent.

“Everyone at the village loves you.” They pause. “Possibly more than they love me, and they raised me from an egg. It didn’t take long as all.”

[videointhenoise]

"It's because I'm more handsome than you," he says with a smirk, not wanting to linger too long in that space.

"It - feels like home. Weird as it is."

[getfeldsparred]

“I dunno…Timber Hearth’s a pretty nice place to call home.” They grin and brush shoulders against his.

And yeah, they’re pretty handsome. Definitely more than Feldspar, with all their scars and weird scale pattern.

Stupid handsome alien.

Feldspar gets up with an annoyed grunt to turn out the light.

[videointhenoise]

"Everything alright?" he wonders, pushing up on one elbow.

He, of course, has no idea the lights are on.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar pauses mid-step, then realizes - right! Duh!

“Oh, I’m turning off the lights! Sorry, heh.”

They crawl back into the bed with Kent and pull up the blanket to cover the two of them.

“We’re facing away from the moon, so if you start freezing while you’re sleeping just elbow me and I’ll find us another blanket.”

[videointhenoise]

He settles back down with a chuckle. It's been a while since he's shared a bed.

"Thanks, flyboy," he says again with a contented sigh. "Good night."

[getfeldsparred]

“You’re welcome, alien.”

After giving it some thought they turn onto their side facing the door, deciding it was somehow the most casual of all the sleeping positions.

“Night.”

They close all four eyes with a quiet sigh and try to sleep, though thankfully they’re so tired from all the adventuring it comes easily enough, even with someone in their bed.

[videointhenoise]

Kent falls asleep easily, letting the sound of Feldspar's breathing soothe him to sleep.

He does wake up cold, but moves closer to the other body in his bed, seeking out whatever warmth he can find. He isn't fully awake, but Feldspar is absolutely getting a shivering cuddle.

[getfeldsparred]

That Hearthian instinct to cuddle with the next warmest body absolutely betrays them, and they turn in their sleep and wraps their arms around the huddled body in their bed. It’s been a long time since they’ve cuddled like a hatchling, but the desire for affection never really goes away.

[videointhenoise]

Kent wakes when he hears Eskar moving around, and turns, pulling out of Feldspar's embrace.

Feldspar's....cuddling.

...Kent flushes a deep red and sits up, placing a hand on their shoulder. "Hey. I think it's morning," he tells them, trying to steady his racing mind.

[getfeldsparred]

At some point Feldspar feels fluff against their cheek and nuzzles into it, and is in mid-dream when they start being shaken away.

“Mnppfff. Go away, Gabbro.” They turn away from the shaking and waves their hand. “We’ll go explorin’ later.”

[videointhenoise]

"I have too many fingers to be Gabbro," Kent tells them with a laugh and moves off the bed, sliding the blanket over his friend's head.

"Come on."

[getfeldsparred]

They definitely don't sound like Gabbro. Feldspar groans and rubs their face with their hands, then swipes at the blanket until it falls off.

"Yeah, yeah. I should see if Esker needs help with the ship anyway."