gif not mine!
Warning for mention of body organs. (Non graphic)
“.......”
Sigh
“Anyone else bored?”
“Extremely.”
Fred and Kelly glanced around Dove’s living room, the Spartan’s eyes creating shapes out of the ceiling pattern.
“There’s plenty to do if you’re open to it,” Linda remarked from the kitchen, staring at the ingredients in front of her as if they were parts to a weapon of mass destruction.
“I’m pretty sure Dove would come back to a pile of ash if Kelly went in there.”
“Oh, like you could do better? You ONLY know how to make piecrust to feed your freakish obsession with apple pie.”
“Which you’ve HAPPILY eaten, several times—
“Now, now…”
*Dove’s voice carried softly across the room as she and John walked through the front door. Dove’s cheeks sporting a very light blush as John took her scarf. The slight chill of autumn followed them before John closed the door behind him.*
“Welcome back, lovebirds.” Kelly greeted.
“Was the apple cinnamon latte any good?” Fred questioned, the smell of spices reaching his nose. “Smells like a candle.”
John nodded, setting down the small bag of apples he and Dove had picked up on their walk home. “Wasn’t too bad. A bit strong cinnamon-wise.”
“I thought the caramel apple latte was better, but the doughnuts were absolutely worth the stomach ache I KNOW I’m going to have later,” Dove added, shucking off her coat that John then snatched to neatly hang up. Dove squawking in light protest as she turned to grasp at his earmuffs in retaliation.
“You should just get married and put us out of our collective misery.” Fred joked good-naturedly, hiding a snicker as Dove made a flustered noise and John shot him a half-hearted glare.
“What are you all doing here, anyway?” John questioned after he’d removed his coat. Kelly huffed in response.
“Forced shore leave, command must’ve had a realization that after… twenty or so years, we should be afforded some time off.”
Dove’s eyes brightened, coupled with a growing smile as she poked her head out from the kitchen, “Really??! That’s great!”
“It’s torture.”
“A bit dramatic, Kels.” John joked wryly, earning a crumpled piece of paper tossed his direction.
“I can only have so much nothing happening at once, Chief…. They're giving us two weeks… two. I’m going to end up committing a felony or eat all of Dove’s ice cream.”
“And that’s why I always keep it well stocked.” Dove chimed in.
“Fred was in charge of finding us something to do, but so far all he’s listed is to go through Dove’s movies and pick a few.”
“I’m trying my best, I’m used to organizing reports, not vacation itineraries.”
John crossed his arms, leaning against one of the counter supports, a hint of a smirk on his lips. Dove walking over to Fred to survey the list he was slowly working on.
“Oh, there are some good ones on here.” Dove praised. “Water parks are always fun, depending on how much leeway you guys have, maybe you could take a trip to your earth and do some sightseeing!”
“I think I’d rather watch those…. Dinosaur movies.” Kelly protested, Dove chuckling softly as she watched the female Spartan.
“I think it would be cool to see what Earth is like six hundred years from now. I wonder if floating buildings are a thing yet.”
Fred paused for a moment. He, Kelly, and Linda all making eye contact with one another before a twinkle appeared in his eye.
“That settles that then.” He nodded, looking up at Dove with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Dove.”
“Huh??”
~~~~~~
“I don’t think this is a good idea, Fred.” John lightly protested, adjusting the civvie outfit he’d been given. Fred shook his head lightly.
“Why not? It’s just a bit of sightseeing.”
“And what if someone asks her for ID? She’s not from… here.”
“I’m pretty sure you don’t need an ID to go to a museum,” Fred assured, glancing at Dove, who was already looking at the towering, multi-layered city with wide eyes.
“Holy HELL, this reminds me of Star Wars…. LOOK at this!” Dove quietly exclaimed, taking in the sight of traffic passing overhead in what looked like perfectly synchronized aerial patterns. The streets were filled with civilians going about their daily lives, from businessmen to street vendors. It looked like something out of a sci-fi fantasy.
“I feel like I’m in some sort of fever dream.” Dove blinked, giving her arm a light pinch. Fred’s lips quirked up into a smile as he shot John a look that didn’t bother trying to conceal the smugness underneath it. John returned it with a deadpan before moving over to Dove’s unoccupied side, reaching for her hand, which he grasped gently. But the way he squeezed it afterwards told her he was feeling a little nervous. She returned the squeeze firmly, a silent assurance that she was fine.
~~~~~~
“Holyyy shiiitttttt.” Dove’s jaw dropped as she and the Spartans entered a museum. The building looked massive on the outside, but inside? She felt like a teeny ant. Right as they walked through the turnstiles, she was greeted by a massive replica of what looked like a frigate-style ship that had a wide set of stairs that led into the building. Kelly and Linda waving from their spot against the wall. Dove waved, tugging on John’s hand as she took off like a kid on a sugar high.
The museum was dedicated to the complete history of humanity, meaning that for Dove, several centuries were waiting for her to discover with wide eyes and awe as she walked through an exhibit that showed humanity branching out into the stars in the late half of the 21st century. The prototype of the very first Translight Engine that enabled humanity to leave the solar system.
“This is incredible…” Dove breathed, watching a short video of the very first test of the engine; the quality of the graphics alone was cutting-edge in comparison to the current graphics she was used to.
“I can’t even tell if this is made of pixels or some sort of ultra crisp projection.” She whispered, John’s lips pulling into a ghost of a smile.
“Still looks grainy to me.”
“Oh my god– shush, shush ALL of your face.” Dove giggled, reaching up to gently poke his cheek. “You and your ultra crisp, 35K graphics.”
John tilted away from her poke with a good-natured chuckle, his deep voice carrying in the large space they stood in. “Not my fault, I have standards.”
“Dove…” Fred called, motioning her over to a virtual exhibit where you could design….. Micro organs???
“You can grow your own… personal, tiny, organs???” Dove questioned, tilting her head, watching with riveted curiosity as Fred showed her how the exhibit worked.
“Pretty fascinating stuff.” Fred nodded, “Useful as hell in a field situation.”
“So does any Spartan walking around have their original organs anymore?” Dove questioned, Kelly stifling a laugh as Fred had to give the question some thought.
“Maybe John? Congratulations, your Spartan comes with all his original parts… a collector's item.”
Linda snickered, Kelly nearly spat her water, and John looked up from the small case he was glancing at with a befuddled, slightly questioning expression.
“Way to make me sound like a model car, Fred.”
“I’m not wrong though!”
~~~~~~
“I find it amusing that the first ship to leave the solar system was called the Odessey.” Dove snickered as she sipped on a smoothie. She and John stopping for a snack after her stomach had rumbled. “I wonder if that book is even still around.”
“Probably, I bet there’s an archive somewhere for old literature.”
“Damn, way to insult the classics, love.”
John gave a light snicker, glancing around the small cafe, his eyes alert and scanning. Dove glancing up at him and reaching over to loop her arm around his.
“You don’t have to be so on edge.” She remarked, holding up her cup to him, a silent offer. John lowered his head, took a sip of the smoothie, and looked like he was entertaining her statement.
“Should’ve known you’d go for the mango.”
“Don’t be bashing my…. Third favorite fruit! They didn’t have peach!”
John chuckled softly, leaning down to take another sip before brushing his nose against the top of Dove’s head.
“Don’t let the mangoes at home hear you say that, pretty sure they’ll go bad on purpose.”
Dove gave a noise of displeasure at the thought before bringing the straw to her lips. “Don’t give them any ideas, delicious little traitors.”
~~~~~
“Having fun yet?” Fred questioned as he approached John, both of them watching as Dove dragged Kelly and Linda on the meteor simulation yet again. Dove was like a kid in a candy shop; everything was new and exciting, and an excuse to explore. John hummed in reply, leaning back the entrance to the exhibit.
“She’s not gonna disappear, Chief.”
John’s hand tightened around her smoothie cup almost imperceptibly. To anyone who wasn’t a Spartan, he looked perfectly relaxed, but Fred could see the tension in his shoulders and around his eyes.
“I know.”
“You’re looking at her like she will.”
“It’s a big place, lots of people.”
Fred’s expression told John he wasn’t buying it, but he didn’t comment further as he heard Dove give an excited scream.
~~~~~~
After the meteor simulation, Dove found and challenged John to a ship-building contest…. John’s ship won.
“Not bad for a first try, Dove.” John gave her a warm smile as she watched the virtual ship explode upon launch. “Think you had too much juice headed to the slipspace drive.”
“This is a LOT harder than I thought.” Dove grumbled, “And here I thought it would be like virtual Legos.”
That got a genuine laugh out of him as he and Dove left the activity room, his arm subtly draping over her shoulders, Dove slightly surprised by the action, but didn’t comment as they continued walking through the museum.
“This was a good idea, I’m glad Fred managed to talk Linda and Kelly into this.” Dove grinned. “Honestly, I’m shocked he managed to talk you into this.”
“I’m not completely anti-social…” John tilted his head, a slight grin on his face as he looked down at Dove. “Just not my favorite pastime.”
Dove opened her mouth to reply, but paused for a moment when she saw a colorful exhibit. Ride? Something up ahead had a very short line, and it seemed to be a type of lift… like indoor skydiving, but less chaotic. John cocked his head, curious what had grabbed her attention, his eyes drifting over to where she was staring.
“Grav lift.” He explained, staring at the sign from their position. “Looks like it goes to the rooftop or some sort of viewpoint.”
John watched as the information hit her brain, seeing the very second the idea registered.
“Wanna give it a try?” Dove inquired, looking up at him with hopeful anticipation. John glanced around for a moment, taking a silent roll call of the others before giving a nod. Dove’s smile was beaming as she gently pulled John along with her. John gripped her hand a bit tighter as they entered the small line. Several people turning and staring in surprise at the appearance of someone as large as John. Dove, noticing he was slightly uncomfortable, gave his hand a single, hard squeeze. A silent question, a way to check in. John smiled inwardly as he responded with two squeezes in return, confirmation that he was okay. Satisfied, Dove went back to staring at someone who had been staring at John since they got into the line. The man very quickly averted his eyes and stared at something else.
“Rude…” Dove muttered, “Didn’t his mother tell him it’s rude to just stare at people?”
John snickered softly, rubbing small circles on the back of Dove’s hand as they moved up the line. At some point, Fred, Kelly, and Linda joined them. All of them sipping on smoothies or some type of drink.
“Oooo, this will be interesting,” Fred remarked, sipping his milkshake. “Haven’t been on a grav lift for fun before.”
“Probably just some short tourist attraction.” Linda scoffed, sipping her tea.
“Hopefully… this will be interesting.” Fred corrected.
*When John and Dove got to the front of the line, the person working the lift gave them some basic instructions on how to avoid injury, not to do any crazy flips or movements, and that the entire thing would take about ten minutes, and they’d reach the observation tower that overlooked the entire city.*
“This will be fun!” Dove declared with enthusiasm as she and John stepped up. John paused for a moment before stepping into the lift.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Dove questioned once the lift started, the weightless feeling making her stomach flip-flop at first as they began to ascend. John glanced over at her, noting the concern in her eyes.
“Just not used to this. You, being here outside of appearing on the frigates—
A few beats passed between them.
“I know I have no reason to worry, but I do. This— you’re more vulnerable here. Can’t help feeling like I’m breaking some form of time travel law, bringing someone six hundred years into the future…. It’s risky. Don’t want to put you in a risky situation is all.”
Dove’s gaze softened further as he explained. Here he was, out of his element, trying to have fun, but worried about her safety, being, technically, out of her time.
“It’s okay, John.” She assured, reaching for his hands, grasping them in hers. “Though I appreciate you watching my back.”
John grunted in reply, bringing her hands to his lips in a rare show of semi-public affection as he brushed a kiss to her knuckles. The silent: ‘I love you’ filling the space between them as the gravity lift continued to send them upward.
“Wowww!! The energy changes color??!” Dove exclaimed as the particles took on a paler shade of blue, the lights of the museum fading as the light of the outdoors began to greet them. The two light sources began to mix to create a misty sort of—
“It looks like cotton candy… I desperately need this lighting in the apartment.” Dove marveled, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of a light, rainy mist beginning to settle over the city.
“It’s so beautiful…” Her voice was quiet, a little too quiet. John glanced over to see her hand resting against the light particles. “I’m kinda sad I’ll never live to see any of this.”
“You don’t know that,” John replied a little too quickly. “Things could change.”
“I don’t think cities could go from how they are in the early 21st century… to this in my lifetime.” Dove chuckled, her voice holding a slightly melancholy undertone. “But at least I get to see a small glimpse of it now.”
~~~~~~
The mist had settled into a light rain by the time Dove and John reached the observation tower, the sudden swell and stopping causing Dove to be a little wobbly at first as she leaned against John.
“That made my bones feel like jelly.” She snickered, glancing back at the exit. “Do they all do the little push at the end?”
“Only the impolite ones,” John replied, giving her a slight smile as he steadied her. “I’m surprised you didn’t get sick.”
“Me too, if I’m being honest.” Dove agreed, watching as a small number of people milled about the observation tower. “On second thought…. Can we get some air??”
John nodded, leading her out to the larger observation deck. The mist kissing their skin with light precipitation as Dove took a moment to breathe, looking up to see the glow of the city underneath the curtain of light rain. The sounds of a small food stand with clinking bowls and muffled chatter from dining patrons faded into the backdrop as Dove made her way to the railing. John, who had been checking on the status of the others and how soon they’d reach the observation tower, turned back towards Dove. His eyes landed on her smaller form leaning against the railing. The noise of everything around him began to fizzle out and slow as he watched her reach out with an open hand, gently cradling a wisp of mist hurried along by a small gust of wind that tousled her hair gently. John’s mind suddenly became quiet; everything else around him insignificant in comparison to the person just a few feet across from him. The person who reached out to tenderly cradle mist and stare at colored lights like they were the stars themselves. The worries and underlying anxieties of earlier fleeting with the sound of the breeze as he simply stared.
~~~~~~
“Well, I have to say, this wasn’t too bad.” Fred later remarked as the Spartans made their way back to the rendezvous point. Glancing back over his shoulder to see John who had a sleepy Dove on his back. Her smaller form hanging off him like it was second nature.
“It was…. Fun.” Linda agreed. “Dove ran herself ragged today. I’m shocked she wasn’t asleep by the time we thought about food.”
“It’s Dove and food,” Kelly stated, sipping her tea, the drink still warm, her gaze betraying the fondness her voice lacked as she took in the image of John giving her a piggyback while she napped. Fred slowing his steps to match Kelly’s gait, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
“Did you get the shot?” He questioned, keeping his voice low. Kelly replied with a smirk as she pulled out her phone, showing him the picture she’d snapped when they’d gotten to the observation deck. The moment captured and cemented in memorium of Dove reaching to cradle a wisp of fog.
“That’s going to be his lockscreen for the next decade.”
There’s a part in Spider-Man 2 where you have to set up these big loud sonic bombs throughout the city and I just keep thinking about how much this must piss Daredevil off 😭 The Spiders better watch out for him when this is all over.
