Carlos didn't realize he had fallen asleep. Ben did, though. He got out of the water and dried himself before making his way to Carlos's side. He didn't try to wake him up. Of course not, he wasn't that mean... But he did stare at him curiously.
Carlos was curled up uncomfortably, as if he was making himself as small as possible. He had always slept like that. At least since Ben had known him. Before he knew what he was doing, he had lowered himself and touched Carlos's shoulder, intending to fix his sleeping position.
But Carlos immediately opened his eyes. He was startled to see Ben just staring down at him wet hair dripping softly down his face. His heart faltered again.
"Oh! I'm sorry, did I wake you?" came Ben's voice. Carlos' eyes had gone wide, and he could only shake his head.
"Don't lie..." Ben grinned as he sat down beside Carlos, but his grin soon fell.
"Are... are you sure you're okay?"
"Well... I... Don't have a girlfriend anymore."
Carlos scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as he saw Ben's gaze flit from him to Jane and back to him.
"Do you want to get ice cream?"
"Huh?"
"Ice cream. That's how we deal with breakups in Auradon. Just drown your sorrows in ice cream."
"Well, I'm not really sorrowful--"
"Chocolate ice cream."
"Mrs. Pott's chocolate ice cream?" Ben nodded and Carlos immediately shot up. "What are you waiting for, then?! Hurry up!"
Carlos waited impatiently for Ben to change, then giggled when Ben grabbed him by the hand and pulled him away from the paparazzi's cameras into a secret passage.
Ben always grabbed his friends' hands when he needed to pull them in some way or another, but this time felt different. He didn't really want to let go of Carlos's hand yet. So he didn't. And Carlos didn't let go either. Actually, Carlos started leaning closer to Ben, as if he was subconsciously seeking comfort from him.
Ben decided to make today the best mental reset day Carlos would ever have... Not that he had that many before...
A little shorter one today. I'm trying to figure out the line between them falling in love and... y'know, emotionally cheating on Mal, which I don't want to do.
Either way, it's kinda funny to write Carlos being a lil' spacey and Ben being awkward.
And yes, Ben left without telling anyone. Consequences will ensue.
{Excerpt from Astra’s book club recordings, Valorant database}
[00:22:27] >------|------------------------<
Skye: They avoid each other so much that I rather watch them argue all the time. That’s better than whatever these two have.
Astra: Why does everybody think that arguing is hot? I think it means that people can’t communicate without starting a fight.
Neon: Arguing shows that you care enough to do it.
Raze: NOW THAT’S A POINT!
Suck it and See - Arctic Monkeys
The portal workshop was the only place where Chamber wouldn't kiss the ground Viper walked on. There, at the delicate moment of building the portal from Earth Alpha to Omega, he felt compelled to stop being a charming womanizer and become a mechanical engineer specialized in radiant nanotechnology, with a PhD in quantum physics.
Because, even though he knew Viper was a leading expert on the workings of radiant molecules, he also understood radiant energy. And, like Viper, he had his own opinions on the controversial element. This led to fierce arguments between them about the execution of the portal project.
For example, Chamber argued that liquid radianite would be a more efficient conductor for energy applications, while Viper argued that the stability of radianite in wires was more viable. Both had plausible arguments.
Killjoy disagreed with both of them, and in the end, she knew she was right. However, she chose not to get involved in the argument. She thought Viper was naturally very stressed and was taking her anger out on her fights with Chamber. Raze dismissed it as pent-up sexual tension and asserted that, until the portal was operational, they would make out somewhere in that workshop. Killjoy thought this unlikely. Viper had a repulsive field that would eventually push Chamber away. Raze vehemently disagreed, claiming Viper needed someone to diffuse her bad mood.
Among so many disagreements that existed in that workshop, everyone there agreed on just one thing:
The source of electricity to open the portal needed to be bigger, stronger, and more powerful.
The problem was that their source wasn't just a generator. It was a human being with a strong resistance to unleashing her full power.
Neon was a great agent, performing exceptionally well on missions. Her contained power was enough to take down any enemy she encountered. But, they needed more than just the radiant agent. They needed her bioelectricity, which was somehow connected to the earth's radiant energy, at its fullest potential.
She argued that limiting her power was a matter of general safety. And even if she did use it, she had already demonstrated that she could light an entire city block with the available charge.
However, a city block on their earth wasn't the same as an interdimensional portal. That's what the other agents wanted her to understand.
And they tried various approaches. Raze tried talking. Killjoy tried convincing, and then tried to rip off the limiter when Neon wasn't looking — which angered the Filipino agent immensely. Viper tried threats and guilt-tripping. Chamber made a beautifully crafted PowerPoint explaining, as if to an eight-year-old, why Neon needed to stop being stubborn and remove that damn limiter.
Neither tactic worked. Neon cooperated as much as possible, but she was adamant about her limiter.
All that was left was to beg.
- Neonzinha linda… - Raze said charismatically, with a lilting accent. - You know we need as much energy as possible. This portal is very important.
- We might have a global crisis if you don't do this. - Viper growled, completely different from the Brazilian agent. - Your stubbornness will get us killed.
- It's not stubbornness. It's caution. - Neon said sharply. She jumped from side to side, preparing to launch another blast of energy.
- But what if you took it off just a little so we could compare... - Killjoy approached the other, looking at the limiter on her back.
Chamber grabbed Killjoy before she could receive a shock. The Filipino agent fired an energy blast at a portal simulator that measured energy output. The portal lit up for a moment, then faded.
The agents sighed in sync.
- See? - Chamber crossed his arms, looking at Neon. - You know you can generate more power. But this limiter will be our doom.
Neon scowled at Chamber and turned to Viper.
- Does he really need to be here?
Viper glanced at Chamber and nodded, putting her hands in her lab coat pockets.
- Argh... - Neon rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. - How much energy do I need to generate?
Chamber checked the portal's power and generation meter, raising an eyebrow.
- About three times what you have generated.
- Not even if we convince your Earth Omega counterpart to do this would we be able to activate the portal. - Killjoy sighed, adjusting her glasses. - Well... With the limiter...
- The limiter stays. - Neon repeated for the millionth time. Chamber and Viper rolled their eyes together. "Young people..." - I don't understand you guys. - She shook her head. - Aren't you the greatest geniuses in the world? Solve this problem yourselves, because it's not on me.
Viper narrowed her eyes, briefly considering murdering the girl for the audacity of saying that to them. She remembered they still needed her to open the portal. That would come later.
- Okay then… - Raze clapped her hands, getting up from the table she was sitting at. - How about we take a break? Everyone's tired. Let the geniuses here think. Get us some coffee, linda? - Raze winked at Neon, nodding for the other agents to gather around a hologram as the Filipino agent headed out of the workshop, muttering in Tagalog.
Chamber walked over, pulling a packet of Snickers from his pocket. Viper watched him open the candy and swallowed, her mouth watering. The French agent noticed her gaze and smiled, offering her the Snickers.
Ever since Chamber had fed Caladium, Viper had started treating him a little better. She responded to his "bonjours" in the lab with a mumble, and her rejections had lessened. It wasn't as if they were best friends, but Chamber considered it a significant improvement that he was no longer seen as a bug.
The scientist shook her head, sighing. Chamber shrugged, turning to the younger agents as he took a bite.
- We can try a brainstorm. - Killjoy said, leaning her hip against a table near the holograms. - Start, süsse.
- What if we make energy reservoirs? - Raze rested her arms on the table next to Killjoy, resting his chin on his hands. - Like a portable charger.
- It's too expensive. Unfeasible. - Chamber pouted, and the women sighed in surprise. For Chamber to say something was too expensive meant the price was exorbitant. - Even if it were possible, we'd have to refrigerate a machine like that. Overheating something like that could dry up the Mediterranean. - Chamber bit his Snickers, thinking. - What if we make an amplifier?
- Energy dispersion can do more harm than good. - Killjoy shook her head. - Ja! Let's do it like this. Chamber, you trap her in one of your traps, and I'll remove the limiter. She'll explode, and then we'll have the energy to power the portal.
Chamber laughed while Raze made a horrified face.
- What a terrible idea, xuxu. - The Bahian woman commented, flicking the other.
- I loved it. - Chamber smiled at Killjoy, giving her a fist bump.
Raze rolled her eyes, turning to Viper.
- Your turn. We've already ruled out homicide.
- I'm not in the mood for ideas today. - Viper tweaked the hologram, creating an image of Neon with her energy flowing through her. - I've been monitoring Neon's bioenergetic production over the past few weeks. It doesn't show a continuous increase, but rather an average that grows each week. - She created a graph on the hologram. - Maybe, eventually, even with the limiter, Neon will be able to produce the energy we need.
- Umm… - Chamber ate the rest of his Snickers, crushing the wrapper in his hand. He tossed the newly formed ball into the trash, missing. - Merde.
- That's why you don't play basketball with the boys. - Killjoy teased, watching Chamber pick up the packaging from the floor and throw it in the trash.
- It was an occasional error. - Chamber adjusted his tie, turning back to the hologram. He watched it for a while, then ran some calculations on the hologram.
- Well, her energy works like other people's abilities, right? - Raze thought for a moment, tapping her fingers on her cheek. - Phoenix and Jett have been getting more resilient and stronger lately. Can she do that too?
- Likely. Especially with the right stimuli. - Viper observed Neon's body in the hologram. - Forcing her to run more, eating more sugar, taking steroids... All of this would force her to produce more energy and eventually increase the limit imposed by the limiter. - Viper clasped her hands in front of her. - With the right emotional stimulus, this can be amplified. It's good that she loves something.
The other agents sent Viper surprised looks. Chamber smiled.
- I didn't know you were a romantic, mademoiselle.
Viper rolled her eyes, sighing.
- As much as a snake, Chamber. - Viper amplified Neon's nervous system in the hologram. - The feeling known as love generates dopamine in the brain, which increases focus, motivation, and, guess what, energy. - She turned to Killjoy. - Instead of killing her unnecessarily, we could try threatening her family. It would be more productive.
- Good! - Killjoy smiled, rubbing her hands together. - I'll get the contacts from Cypher.
- I know you're joking... - Raze looked at Killjoy and then turned to Viper with fear. - But she…
The older woman shrugged.
- Extreme times, desperate measures.
- I don't think that's necessary. - Chamber commented, showing a graph he'd created while they were talking. - Making some estimates from Viper's data, if Neon trains every day with Killjoy to charge the portal and continues going on missions at the current rate, we have a 42 percent chance of activating the portal in two months.
- Bad estimate. - Viper commented, looking at the holographic chart.
- Yeah, I don't like our chances either. - Killjoy agreed, adjusting her glasses on her face.
- Why? - Chamber pouted. - 42 is a great number. It's the answer to life, the universe, and everything else… - He mumbled the last part, a little embarrassed by his own reference.
- By your less-than-mediocre standards, perhaps. - Viper commented, wrinkling her nose. - But I'd prefer something better.
- You hurt me, mademoiselle- Chamber placed his hand on his chest dramatically. - And let's face it, Neon won't remove that limiter and Brimstone will complain a lot if we use less ethical methods.
- And me too! - Raze announced.
- We have a 42 out of 100 chance of success. It's not so bad. - Chamber insisted.
- This is all based on estimates. You know the reality could be more discouraging. - Viper countered.
- Estimates based on your analysis.
- Which are extremely premature, with hypothetical conclusions.
- If we start implementing this plan, we'll already have more than enough to open the portal. If we wait for you to have solid data, it will take much longer.
- This plan is theoretical and may be equally fruitless. We need a better solution.
- Which is right here in front of us.
- It's not even close to the best option.
- Oh, please, Viper. What does every scientist need?
- Facts.
- Faith.
Raze and Killjoy, who had been following the entire discussion with just a glance, raised their eyebrows, smiling in unison. Chamber's script might be naive, but it had some substance. It was also theoretically and poetically beautiful.
- Now, who's being romantic? - Viper scoffed, looking at him with disdain. - We're not in a fairy tale, Chamber.
- You're very skeptical for someone who dies and comes back to life about three times a week.
- It's different...
- Viper… - Chamber approached her. Viper remained rooted where she was, her gaze voracious. - How hard is it to believe a hypothesis? You know it's a good chance.
- Hooooy! - Neon walked into the portal workshop, holding a tray with four cups of coffee. - I only brought black coffee, but I took the… - She paused, watching Chamber and Viper stare at each other. She blinked, then turned to Killjoy and Raze, who gestured that it was safer to stay out of this. - Ahw... Am I interrupting?
- Mom and Dad are arguing, chérie. Nothing to worry about.
- Ewn.
Viper narrowed her eyes.
- I'm going to throw you in a bath of acid. - She growled.
- You know I prefer poisoning.
If they were having trouble powering that portal, surely the sparks shooting from Viper's eyes could help. Chamber, on the other hand, softened his gaze.
- It's our best chance. - He whispered, so only Viper could hear.
The American woman remained silent, her hands clenched into fists. They didn't realize how close they'd gotten, and Viper could look deep into his honey-colored eyes. They had that almost childlike glow, full of expectation and hope. The look of someone who insisted it would snow on Christmas or the sun would shine amidst a storm, contrary to the forecast's probabilities.
It wasn't impossible. Just difficult.
The American clicked her tongue and turned to Neon.
- You're going on more missions from today. - She walked towards her, her tone imposing.
- What? - Neon made a confused and indignant face.
- When you're not in them, you'll train here with Killjoy. And I want progress reports on my desk every day. - She picked up one of the coffee cups. - I want you running at five in the morning with Skye. On time. And like people. Not with that radiant thing. I'll be supervising you. - Viper drank some of the coffee and almost regurgitated it, looking at it with contempt. - And this thing is disgusting. Go get another.
Viper turned, glaring at Chamber. The Frenchman gave a small smile.
- I hope you know what you're getting us into. We don't have time to waste.
Chamber shrugged, clasping his hands behind his back.
- What could be more urgent than the threat of an imminent interdimensional war?
