Here’s my gift for @silveredfoxxeh for the @p5exchange Xmas in July! Hope you enjoy it!
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Here’s my gift for @silveredfoxxeh for the @p5exchange Xmas in July! Hope you enjoy it!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, @silveredfoxxeh!!! Here’s a pile of warm sleeping dragons on a cold winter night to usher in 2018 for you. I am sorry it is so sketchy but time was so scarce over the holidays as it always is (*shakes fist at retail job*)!! I hope this brings you some happiness regardless, and maybe I can make a cleaner version once the year is in full swing?? I’ve enjoyed being your @akayonasecretsanta and I hope the new year is a great one ❤️🎄🎁🐉
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Aigis still doesn't really understand her own emotions, but she's trying.
(Written for @personasecretsanta2k17! My giftee was @silveredfoxxeh. I had a lot of fun writing this--it’s an excellent pairing that I’ve never gotten to write for--and I really hope you enjoy it! Happy holidays!)
“Scene: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico”
To: @silveredfoxxeh
From: @billyweird
Notes: Happy Holidays! I wrote you C-Team polyamory plus road trip plus lots of introspection and fluff.
Ao3
By the time Carlos found Akane lingering in the hallway outside the reception room, it was so late that drunk wedding guests had fallen asleep where they sat. Her back was to him and she held her dress up so the hem didn’t drag. Her bare feet were exposed and without her heels she’d lost three inches. She looked around dazedly, muttering to herself in Japanese, and startled when he tapped her on the shoulder. “Oh, Carlos!” She looked dewy and relaxed and like she couldn’t believe she made it this far. She sniffled, cried, and laughed all day and stumbled into her brother when they danced. They ended up in a bear hug swaying gently as the song petered out. Junpei’s hand was probably covered in makeup with how often he’d wiped her face.
Carlos smoothed down some hair that had fallen out of her elaborate style. When he touched her he thought that he should’ve asked her for one more dance today and one more kiss last night. “Congratulations.” His hand lingered on her cheek, and she held hers over it. Was it bad etiquette to tell a married woman she was beautiful if you weren’t her husband? The wedding wasn’t officially over—she was still a bride. Everyone told the bride she looked amazing. “I’m so happy for you two.” Her face softened and she held onto his hand when he tried to pull away. “Then why do you look so sad?” “Do I?” He stroked her cheekbone with his thumb, accidentally streaking some blush that clung to him like the bittersweet feelings he carried leading up to this day. “It’s champagne. You know how I get when I’m drunk.” “You’re an awful liar,” she said. “‘Say what you need to while there’s time to say it.’” She remembered that far back, and from another history? Of course. She was Akane: she knew the answer to every trivia game show question, how to breakdown fringe science theories, and the Latin names for at least 20 breeds of rabbit. “I guess I’m happy and I’m sad. I, uh…” Even head over heels for them, Carlos felt hopeless and clumsy with romance. “I picked a crap time to say goodbye, but I’m gonna miss you two. We had some good times, and you guys made even the darkest moments bearable.” And he’d never forget the morning after a bar crawl when Junpei clarified their kiss last night wasn’t impulsive by pulling him in by the collar. Sitting by the phone all night waiting for news that Junpei was out of surgery. Coming home from a 24-hour shift to find them sleeping in his bed. How proud Akane was when he wolfed down her first edible batch of spaghetti napolitan. “And you gave me something I never thought I’d have.” He was content with being alone until they all met, and now he counted the seconds until she walked away. “So thank you. Go be happy together.” He expected her to smile knowingly and echo similar sentiments, until she brushed his hand aside. She stood on her tiptoes, braced her hands on his chest and tilted her head up. Her typical cue to kiss her. When he hesitated, she bit her bottom lip. “Hey.” Their same dance—he put his hands on her waist, her wedding dress so fragile and smooth in his grasp, and kissed her until her lipstick rubbed off on him. “We’re happy with you,” she said when they pulled away, him holding onto her even as she eased back onto her feet. “I didn’t think I had to say that.” She smiled and rubbed her hand over his mouth so her fingers came away colorful. “Junpei is my husband. That doesn’t change that you’re mine, too.” She touched his mouth once more. “Speaking of him, I need to go.” She pushed his hands off her waist and turned away. Carlos grabbed her arm but she slid through his grip, looking over her shoulder once before disappearing into a side room. Even though she was gone he floated in the moment suspended by hope and cautious joy, until she yelped and he ran to action. He arrived in time to find Junpei holding up an empty tumbler, gloating in Japanese to a passed out Aoi, before he too slumped forward. The glass shattered as he fell off the sofa. Carlos and Akane spent the rest of the night in the ER, waiting to hear about her husband and brother who’d given themselves alcohol poisoning because they wouldn’t quit a drinking contest. “I can’t believe them!” she groaned, and Carlos put his arm around her and let her fall asleep on him. Akane kept her promise: they continued showing up at his door unannounced or actually reaching out to make plans, and during those visits it was like they were never apart. He and Maria were the only Westerners invited to their second, traditional wedding ceremony in Japan (under strict orders not to tell Junpei’s family they were already married, as if Carlos spoke enough intelligible Japanese to direct them to the bathroom). They treated Maria and Aoi like their respective in-laws. The dry spells—when they were gone for months at a time for work and semi-unreachable—ground him down. He found their toiletries and clothes around his place and sighed instead of smiled. It all came to a head when they hit three years together, including one year married for Junpei and Akane. “It’s not that easy to up and leave here,” Carlos said for the millionth time and Junpei rolled his eyes. “What’s hard about it? You move in for good, you don’t have to think about money again, you—” “I’m not me anymore.” He couldn’t keep frustration out of his voice. “The Carlos you guys like is a firefighter. He’s a brother. He can take care of himself.” He slumped a bit. “You make me happy, but you’re not my whole life.” “Does a life with us sound that bad?” Junpei narrowed his eyes, lay down on the couch, and looked at the ceiling like he knew his question was pointless. In the armchair, Akane murmured in her sleep and curled up tighter. Carlos suspected Junpei brought this up now because she wasn’t awake to tell him to respect Carlos’ feelings and drop the subject.
“Don’t guilt trip me.” “Answer my question.” “If you have to ask…” Carlos began, but trailed off seeing how Junpei started snapping one of Akane’s hairbands on his wrist. Carlos sat with him on the couch and pulled Junpei’s legs onto his lap. It was a little-known Junpei fact that he liked foot massages, and he twitched when Carlos started at his arch. “My sister and my job need me, too.” “It’s just easier when you’re around, you know,” Junpei said. He didn’t elaborate but let Carlos play with his stocking feet until he relaxed and fell asleep. In the morning, Junpei made “Forget That Conversation Happened” crepes and Akane contributed by cutting fruit into cute shapes. Presentation and making tea were the only cooking skills her brother taught her that stuck. When she was done she put her chin on Junpei’s shoulder and pointed at the skillet as he worked. “No leeks,” he said in English so Carlos would understand, hoping to win someone over to his side. “He’s saving you from yourself, Akane,” Carlos said, leaning in the doorway. Watching them together always charmed him even when they squabbled during the Decision Game. “It tastes good.” “Call your brother if you want catered to,” Junpei grumbled, but put his free hand over her arms wrapped around his chest. “You think you’d both be nicer to me since our anniversary is coming up.” Their anniversary always seemed to be “coming up” when Akane wanted something. The real date floated because the day they all met was morbid and they never sat down and declared this an official Thing. The only tradition surrounding it was they traded off who got to pick the celebration. “Speaking of.” Carlos tapped his fingernails against the fridge, over a picture of Maria in a forest in Oregon. He was low-key jealous that Aoi still lived with his sister. Carlos missed Maria to death even though he was happy she enjoyed her life on the road. She was enamored of the landscape, the people, and the weather and swore Oregon was a different world. “I know what I wanna do.”
* Akane floored the gas pedal until the needle passed 80mph and the desert and highway signs blazed by in Carlos’ peripheral vision. He thought of every high-speed collision scene he ever worked, and opened his mouth when Junpei beat him to the punch: “You’re gonna kill us!” Akane giggled. “You never let me drive.” “This is why!” At least SUVs have a large crumple zone, Carlos thought—but oh fuck, rollover—"Akane for God’s sake!“ Carlos clenched his hand over hers on the wheel and she hesitated a moment before taking her foot off the pedal. Once they slowed to a highway-legal speed, he turned on cruise control. “No more Speed Racer.” She pursed her lips. “You two used to be fun.” In the backseat, Junpei sank back with relief and sighed. “I want a divorce.” It only took him four hours on the road to get to that old line. Carlos knew that at the next rest stop Junpei would still nag her to eat, holding a yogurt cup in one hand and fresh fruit in the other, and surrender when she grabbed two pudding cups and a bag of sour gummy octopi. When she ate those he refused to kiss her but, hey, more for Carlos. He liked that it was three years down the road and she still blushed when he bent down to steal a sweet-and-sour kiss. Carlos daydreamed about this for years: a road trip through the middle of nowhere, taking pictures everywhere and driving each other insane. When he was thirteen his family tried it but he spent most of it sick, sunburned, and babysitting seven year-old Maria who got the worst of both. The destination was Truth or Consequences, New Mexico—a place he’d been too grumpy and ill to enjoy as a kid—and he pitched a 17 hour, 1,000 mile plus drive with promises of stops at Death Valley, Vegas, and Coconino National Forest along the way. Akane begged for at least one ghost town visit and he caved in the face of her excitement. Whenever Junpei tired of the ride or his companions, he complained that he just wanted to be in Truth or Consequences’ hot springs already. “I need some music,” Carlos said, and the others looked to the car stereo in anticipation. A minute later they were all yelling along to “Womanizer.” Akane undid cruise control and picked up speed, Junpei lowered his window to put his head out, and what a sight they must’ve made: racing the wind with Britney Spears as their battle cry. * They nearly melted in Death Valley, and got fleeced in Vegas (where they also had to sneak out of their hotel via fire stairs before staff could kick them out due to noise complaints when they came back drunk, disorderly, and singing the associated Katy Perry song). They acted their age just enough to avoid arrest and just ridiculous enough to keep each other on their toes. Aoi threatened to block their numbers if Junpei and Akane kept calling him in the middle of the night to say they’d been abducted by aliens or saw a cryptid. By the time they made it to Coconino, the car was full of eclectic souvenirs, empty water bottles and receipts for dinners at wherever sounded interesting. Refreshed at the thought of a nature park that wouldn’t broil them, they arrived early in the morning at Crescent Moon Ranch with their hearts set on splashing around in Oak Creek. “Does he realize he’s gonna scare all the fish away?” Carlos said as he and Akane sat watching Junpei wade around, focusing intently on the water. He’d wandered in without care for his shoes and jeans, and was up to his knees in his own world when Akane called out to him. “He thinks he is one. He always liked going swimming in school.” “And you were a scaredy-cat at the pool?” “No!” Akane adjusted her sunhat and pulled the brim down to hide her face. “I just liked having a swimming partner.” Carlos tried to pull her hat up and she clutched it tighter. “So there are no stories of you crying in two feet of water or needing the teacher to carry you out?” “None!” “Junpei told me.” He snorted when she buried her face in the hat. “It’s cute. I’ll be your swimming partner.” “Shh, I’m thinking of how to get back at him.” That morning, Akane took one of his favorite photos from the trip: him carrying Junpei on his back in the water. They were mid-conversation about who could catch a fish with their bare hands, and then how to get Akane to join them. They ended up picking her up and dangling her between them and she didn’t stop shrieking and kicking until her feet hit the creekbed. They held her sandwiched between them to show they’d never let her drown. (Akane’s revenge was picking the eeriest ghost town along the way and disappearing. When they searched for her, she jumped out at them from behind a corner and a group of kids giggled at Carlos’ and Junpei’s screams.) * Junpei booked their hotel because it was the the first one on the tourism website that boasted in-room hot spring baths: the Blackstone Hotsprings. He’d pored over their website before they left for the trip and decided on two rooms: one with the largest bath and the one beside it so the third person jettisoned there by hotel occupancy policy could come over at bedtime. Carlos assumed he’d be that third while the married partners roomed together, but he watched Junpei pick up his and Carlos’ bags and drag them into the <i>As The World Turns</i> (God, he could remember Mom rushing him off to nap so she could watch that soap) room while Akane winked at him and settled into the solo room. Carlos lay facedown on the king bed and let Junpei toss their bags were he would. He drove the last stretch from Coconino and his back ached. “These people are staring at me,” Junpei said, and when Carlos turned his head he saw on the wall a looming photo collage of former soap cast members with shellacked hair and garish makeup providing a study in Unfortunate Fashion History. “There better not be anything like that in the bath.” The thought of old soap stars watching him bathe was worse than the memory of Delta’s surveillance. Junpei turned to his serious task of arranging various alcoholic beverages in the fridge before rushing to see the spring room without unpacking anything else. The spring bath passed his inspection: a three-walled corner tub with stone waterfall that promised hot spring water for unlimited in-room soaking. “I’ll see you in an hour,” he said, and shut the door in Carlos’ face. He heard water running, clothes hitting the floor, and a heavy contented sigh as Junpei settled into the tub. Akane was taking a nap when he peeked in on her, so Carlos took the opportunity to snap photos of the room, the patio, and the stone and wood decor. Since Maria hit the road last year for her indefinite road trip to “experience real life,” he looked forward to the dozens of photos she sent him. She captured everything from architecture to animals, and more recently a tentative shot of a “new friend” she made in Oregon. She was a girl Maria’s age, who with her flower crowns and pastel clothes was the epitome of the style fifteen years ago. Maria beamed in every photo of them together, and though she wouldn’t say he had a feeling she’d bring her home to him someday. Yay Carlos left the house! she replied. Are you having fun?? Send more pics of Junpei and Akane I miss them. :( </3 Definitely, he typed back, but you should’ve come. Why it’s your anniversary!! A moment later she added, And idk when I’ll have time to drop in cuz I got a job. :D Tell you later xoxox. Her response gave him pause. She was right but it felt odd to acknowledge that there was a part of his emotional life that didn’t include her. Odder still to realize that he’d texted her sporadically during the trip but hadn’t thought about her as often. Or that she wasn’t rushing to tell him about her big milestone. Look forward to it. Xoxo. Junpei found him lying in bed, sipping a drink from the coffee bar in their room and watching a syndicated true crime show. He lay down next to him and moaned. “You gotta try that.” When Carlos didn’t respond, he looked at him. “Uh, hello?” He gestured to the show. “This can’t be that interesting.” “I’m fine.” Carlos set the mug down on the floor. “Just had an epiphany is all.” “Doesn’t look like a good one.” Junpei rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow, resting his cheek on his fist. “What’s up?” “I don’t think Maria’s coming home.” Thinking it and saying it out loud were two different but equally difficult things. “She likes Oregon, so that’s good, but I always thought this was temporary.” Even though she asked him to ship a bunch of her personal things to Oregon a month ago, and she hemmed and hawed when he asked what to do about renewing their lease. “Sorry man.” Junpei muted the TV. “I know she means a lot to you. Akane would be a wreck if Aoi left.” Carlos sat up and leaned back against the wall but bumped his head on the picture frame. Damn rich people and their haughty expressions. “I shouldn’t complain. I wanted her to be happy. If she is now, who am I to stop her?” The thought of moving back into a small apartment and putting her things in storage made his heart sink. She was a massive part of his life but his presence in hers shrunk more by the month. “Good point.” Junpei sat up and folded his arms over his chest. “She’s gonna be fine. So will you.” “I still have my job.” “You still have us.” He leaned into it when Carlos kissed his temple. Junpei didn’t say more, but that was part of his comfort: that he didn’t need to do much to convey what anyone meant to him. “I guess we should wake up Akane?” “Or she’ll keep us up aaallll night talking about alien sightings in New Mexico.” * To her credit, Akane talked about aliens for only half the night. She was preoccupied with finding a restaurant with the most promising dessert menu, and walking her husband through a boutique of oddities while debating what they should get for Aoi. Junpei scoffed but lingered over the photography and clayworks like her, tilting his head once and asking Carlos if “this one looks like the Funyarinpa.” Carlos nodded along, and Junpei bought it and refused to let anyone else touch it. “Hey Carlos,” Akane said as they stood outside the store debating where to go next. She grabbed his left hand and slid a truly ugly red-and-black ring onto his index finger. “Oh yay, it fits! It reminded me of a fire truck.” She held his hand between both of hers. “I know you can’t wear it at work, but you can for the rest of the trip.” “Of course.” When she released him Carlos twisted the ring on his hand. Two over from the ring finger. Junpei hadn’t had his fill of baths yet, and with his determination and a likely bribe managed to secure a last-minute evening booking for the largest outdoor private bath. The Turquoise Room could accommodate eight people with the bath to prove it, and after a quick shower Carlos sat on the ledge and kicked his feet in the hot water. He had to buy swimming trunks on the way here and he picked ones in “bunker gear yellow.” Junpei and Akane wore blue and red respectively, and Carlos thought to himself how silly that they made up the primary colors. “Carlos. Bath. Relax,” Junpei ordered while submerged up to his neck with his eyes closed. “I am relaxed.” Akane scooted over to him on her soaking ledge and pulled on his arm until he sank into the water beside her. He was used to heat, but he still gasped and braced himself. After a while his muscles relaxed and he tilted his head up, admiring the sunset visible through the gap between the canopy and the walls. Everyone was quiet and still, and it let his thoughts wander. Whether he liked or not, his life wasn’t the same as when he was 28. He didn’t miss being broke and sleep-deprived and watching Maria sleep away her childhood. Twenty-eight year-old Carlos would never believe that in his thirties he’d have his sister back and time for friends outside of work and two people who loved him. If everything was better now, why was he so anxious about letting go and allowing himself to enjoy something new? “Can we just keep SHIFTing back to this day?” he said. “Could we go back to this exact moment in time whenever we want?” “Agreed,” Junpei said. He hadn’t moved from his exact spot and Carlos worried he’d fall asleep. Akane shook her head and perched her heels on the ledge so she’d curl in on herself. “You could, but eventually you have to make another choice: to stay in that loop or let go.” “Huh?” “You can’t resist the flow of time forever.” She tilted her head. “Well, I suppose SHIFTers could, but eventually we would have to choose between living in the past or the present.” She put her arms around her knees and looked over the water. “I think about it a lot. Radical freedom is a big responsibility, and I’m still not used to it.” “You take 20 minutes to pick your morning tea,” Junpei said fondly. He rose and waded over to them, sitting at Akane’s feet because there was no more room on the ledge. “But isn’t it cool to know you can technically do anything, even if it’s unappealing? You never know the good that might come of it.” When neither answered, he added, “Or maybe I’m just talking out my ass.” “It’s terrifying,” Carlos admitted. They both looked at him with concern and surprise. Their rock was not invulnerable. “To know that right now I’m free to do whatever I want. I know how to deal when things are hard. When everything seemed impossible, I had a sense of purpose. I did only what I had to do for others.” He looked between them and held Akane’s hand, and she reached out and took Junpei’s when he offered it. “I wasn’t unhappy per se, but I’m happier now.” He looked at them both but couldn’t hold eye contact when he spoke his next thought. “And I want to go with you. What if I regret it and we can never go back to the way things are?” “Carlos.” Junpei shook his head. “That’s the point—when you can do anything of your own free will, you’re the only one to blame if you hate how it ends. It scares the shit out of everyone.” Carlos shrugged. “Point taken.” “Junpei and I aren’t the same people we were when we got married.” Akane squeezed her husband’s hand and Junpei returned it. “But continuing with the idea of radical freedom, we choose each other every day despite the headaches and fears. Nothing forces us to stay together or break up except ourselves.” She ran her thumb over Carlos’ hand in circles. “And maybe you’re second-guessing because you realize all your insurmountable obstacles are in your head.” Carlos mulled over her words before letting go and getting out of the bath. “You might be right.” He toweled off and sat down in a turquoise Route 66 motel chair and looked back up at the sky. The sunset wasn’t a pleasant distraction anymore even though it was still beautiful. He chose to stay with them for three years. He chose to go on a road trip. He chose to admit that he wanted to live with them. What now?
Junpei and Akane exchanged words in Japanese, muffled by the fountain in the room. He never learned enough to keep up with them, but he was familiar with their habits. If they were speaking it in front of him they were either talking about work, a surprise, or something intimate they could only explain to each other. Suddenly, Junpei got out and helped Akane up. He wrapped a towel around her when she shivered. “We’ve got two in-room baths between us,” he said when Carlos pointed out their 50 minutes weren’t up. They piled into the same bedroom and Junpei and Akane covered him like cats. They went over all the photos they’d taken between them, and idly discussed how they might just come back here next year. Akane had even more sweets delivered and Carlos marveled that she could eat dessert for dinner and still crave a candy bar, a pastry, and a sundae afterward. She held it out of Carlos’ reach when he tried to grab it, and glared when Junpei took it from her and shoved a spoonful in his mouth. They found a monster movie marathon on TV and watched it late into the night. At 2AM, Junpei flopped back on his pillow and nudged Akane away from him with his feet. “I’m exhausted. Go to sleep.” “I’m not tired,” she complained and then crawled over Carlos to bracket him. They both fell asleep before him, leaving him to think in circles again. Of course those two turned his existential crisis into a philosophical discussion that exacerbated it. He looked to Junpei on his left: the one who took the gun from his hand after he killed Delta and never once judged his decision. Who hated phone calls but sat through every late night confession that Carlos couldn’t stop thinking about it. Who taught him how to kiss and hoarded all the pillows when they shared a bed. He looked to Akane on his right: the one who never gave up hope they could find a peaceful solution to the Decision Game. Who never hesitated to turn dinner into a debate and refused to back down unless someone made a good argument against her. Who couldn’t sing but thought she was an idol. Both of them, who admired him for who he was and not just what he did. They reminded him every time they came back to him. They never said the words but always showed that they loved and needed him. Who just might wait for him until he told them to leave. Carlos pictured himself at a crossroads, stepping forward and backward in all possible directions before all the branches merged into a single path. Carlos woke to Junpei shaking him. “Dude, stop talking in your sleep. You’re so loud even I woke up.” Beside him, the bed shifted as Akane sat up. “I was?” “About little green men,” Akane joked, and pushed his hair back from his forehead. “And your past life as a train robber.” “Take a sleeping pill or something.” Junpei slid his legs over the edge of the bed, but Carlos grabbed his elbow and tugged him back so he fell across his chest. “Hey!” He wriggled but Carlos put his arm around him and even Junpei’s strength couldn’t defy a steadfast firefighter. “I guess I was thinking out loud.” Carlos’ throat hurt and he swallowed before continuing. “About radical freedom.” Akane perked up. “Yes?” She was always up for a meandering hypothetical conversation. Junpei resigned himself to his fate of being stuck awake with them and stopped struggling. “I think it’s easier to say I ‘have to’ do something than think about the alternative. I ‘have to’ wait for Maria. I ‘have to’ be a firefighter to still know myself. I’m jealous that it all comes so easily to you two.” “I choose to stay sober during these conversations,” Junpei added. “It’s not an easy choice.” “And I choose not to gag you right now,” Akane said. Carlos pushed through their banter. “So…what if I chose to stay with you two?” He hesitated, but kept going with his mouth running faster than his thoughts. “Staying in Nevada is ideal, or at least in America. Somewhere where Maria is only a few hours away if she needs me. But if I had to I’d go farther away. I actually kinda like traveling. And my job—” “Carlos,” they both interrupted at the same time. Did he sound like a fool? “Who says HQ is in Japan?” Junpei said. “Or that we can’t find a use for say…a fire investigator?” Akane nodded. “Someone with EMT training, too. Or search and rescue? You could still help people.” “Those are options.” There were too many of those all of a sudden, and for a moment he feared he spoke too soon and he couldn’t take anything back without losing them. “Where would we go?” “A home big enough for you and us and my brother.” Akane grabbed his hand and began playing with his fingers, lingering over the ring he hadn’t taken off. “And rabbits.” “I’ve only ever had cats.” “My brother likes cats. And you.” “Really?” “We’ll make him understand you’re there to stay,” Junpei said. “I would be,” Carlos said softly. “I’d need time to quit my job. I can’t just disappear on them.” And then he’d need months, years to mourn what he left behind. That grief and the happiness he imagined with Junpei and Akane could co-exist, but it would take time. “We won’t handcuff you and drag you on a plane today.” Junpei twisted in his grip and Carlos finally let him go so he could roll over and prop himself up on his elbows. “You’re not doing this because you think you ‘have to,’ right?” “Everything is a free choice.” He chucked Junpei under the chin. “This one is messy and complicated, but it’s mine.” He felt the course of his life diverge and one path lock into place like train tracks. No reversing the course, no way of telling his eventual destination. Just the enthusiastic, clumsy kisses they peppered his face with right now, and the hope that someday he’d look back and thank God that he took a dip in the healing waters of Truth or Consequences and finally cleared his mind.
To: @en-el-espanol-de-la-rae
From: @silveredfoxxeh
Additional notes: Dear giftee! I hope you like this two part project! I was having a bit of trouble writing one of the characters so I decided I would double your gift <3 Here is part one, and it will be followed up by a second chapter fic with a second group of characters because I wanted to do multiple prompt combinations for you. I hope you like part 1 and I hope you also like part two!
Ao3 ——–
It was something Clover had said right before they left. That there was a way to go to the past. It wasn’t something he thought of all that much until they were home and he saw that his grandfather was still sad. A different type of sadness from the desperate searching he’d always had as an undertone before, and Tenmyouji was still happy to be around quark but it was a forlorn type of energy. Though he’d given up on the past but he rawness of years spent hoping for a resolution left their mark.
The one thing that Quark did notice was that whenever Tenmyouji seemed extra sad, or frustrated, Quark’s being there made it better. He asked one day about what he meant by the other time lines. And got an answer he didn’t expect from a source he’d never thought they would see again.
Ms. Akane had come by - she had come to them out of nowhere. Tenmyouji was content to leave things as he had, walking out and not looking back and he hadn’t thought that he’d ever see her again, but something had brought her back to their doorstep, to deal with them so he figured he might as well hear her out.
What she brought though was an interesting issue. Clover needed a place to stay and she was wondering if she could remain with them for the rest of their future. Of course this brought up questions like how - I thought she could go back? and why didn’t she want to return to her brother. They had shooed him away from the conversation when they started but he was far too curious.
Overhearing tales of a machine that duplicated yourself and could send that copy to the past made him start to think about how his grandpa was somewhere without him. they’d talked about a plan to fix the past - but that would mean he never found his grandpa. And his grandpa could have still been lonely.
He found himself opening the door before he realized he was even moving catching their attention and meaning he had to try and explain why he was eavesdropping and why he needed them to listen.
“Um… you see…..” He tugged his hat down a bit with nerves, and then steeled his resolve. His mind wasn’t going to change even if they wanted to tell him no. “Send me to the past too.” He could see the alarm in his grandpa’s eyes and kept going before either of them could say anything against the idea. “It’s just a copy right? I’ll still be here. So you don’t have to worry about me but… if Clover can go back why can’t I? it’s not fair that Grandpa never will get to meet me. He needs me there to help him be happy.” He wasn’t willing to budge on this.
There was a cool down needed, so she said he couldn’t do this for a few months. He was sure his grandpa was waiting for him to change his mind with so much time to wait before he could actually do it but waiting just made him even more sure he wanted to do it. Every time he saw his grandpa be happy that he was around he was more and more sure.
The trip back to the moon was stressful but he kept talking about how much he wanted this to work and he was excited to see if it worked.
Ms. Akane had reassured them both that there was most likely no way that they would know if it worked even with sending him to the right place, and sending him to where clover would be.
The version of him that was still here would just keep going like nothing happened. But there would be a second him, and hopefully he’d be able to cheer up his grandpa in the past.
It had never really occurred to him that this might be an odd plan. A kid just suddenly appearing out of nowhere like he had never heard of or met. who knew how their world would be so long ago, but if their plan worked, and Clover was really sent back to a world that would be *ok* with the apocalypse not happening in it, then he wanted to try.
Junpei was sure to like him. Right? He had to - he was his grandpa.
He double checked to make sure his hat was restocked with snacks before he left. Ms. Akane had said that everything that he had with him would be sent as a copy. So he wanted to make sure he took as much as he could.
While he waited to get settled in he asked questions about what it would feel like to go into the past. She said it would just be like waking up, only he’d be waking up twice. One him would still be in the future he’d be leaving, and would keep going like nothing had ever happened, but the other him would have to keep going once he got to the past.
It was a little scary but not worse than the death game they’d just lived through.
As he got settled and tried to ignore his grandfather fussing over him he let them know he was ready. The lid closed down over his vision reminding him for a moment of the pod he had been stuffed in, but it didn’t really bother him and then everything went dark.
The next he knew the hatch was opening and a very young brown haired Ms. Akane was looking over him. The air itself smelled different. It wasn’t the scent he was used to - all stale and muggy, and it wasn’t the super filtered air from the station. It was…. fresh? Still smoggy but different. He didn’t really know a better word for it other than different.
Just like the face in front of him. He could definitely recognize it as her, but that meant it worked! He was in the past!
He knew his other self had to still be in the future with his grandpa because the one thing he trusted was that his grandpa would never have let him do something that would take him away from him permanently That was his whole argument to do this - that he wanted to stay with him across two timelines, but it was still disorienting to know a totally different you was going about still living their life and you’d never know about it.
It wasn’t like they’d ever meet because if Ms. Akane had calculated things right there was no way this was anything but the timeline they’d succeeded in creating. He’d tried to ask why she didn’t just send herself back to make sure things got done but she (and the old sigma) had gone on an explanation about the repercussions of time and the only thing he really got from their explanation was that this was something that was already branched off of their timeline, they had done what they needed to do, and she wanted to do this for Tenmyouji. Something about all the time she’d taken even though it was necessary even if he would never agree with her reasons. She’d had a wistful smile as she explained all of that and then told him to go get ready while she talked with his grandpa a bit more, and then he was here in the past.
He’d prepared himself to never see his grandpa again at least not the way he was but when a young man with horrible fashion sense walked in the room he realized that it might be a lot stranger than he’d expected. He understood a copy, and past but being here, and experiencing it all for himself was definitely almost more than he’d been ready for. And then he saw the way his grandpa’s younger self looked over at Ms. Akane and it was like seeing his Grandpa that first time on the moon. That barely hidden care and affection.
Even if this was his younger self he was still his grandpa and it just reaffirmed the whole reason he came back here in the first place.
“Hey” It was weird feeling shy but he wasn’t entirely sure how to explain himself. *I decided you needed me so I sent myself into the past* would go over great he was sure. It hadn’t really dawned on him that he’d have to explain who he *was* to his grandpa because he wouldn’t know him until he was being met with a blank stare and awkward feelings began bubbling up inside of him.
He had sorted out this grand plan of sending a double of himself to the past but it was really sinking in that it was a double of *himself* He was still there in the future with his grandpa right now. They probably were talking about how he was back here and it made his head hurt a bit so he stopped thinking about that and turned his attention to the room he was in. He must have been clear enough about what he did and why he did it but it was still going to take some getting used to.
This was going to be his new life so he wanted to know what he was getting into. A part of him was still amazed his grandpa even let him do this but whatever conversation he’d had with Ms. Akane after he presented his plan to them must have been what did it. He agreed and then afterwards whenever Quark wasn’t sure that he would still be on board with the plan he just reassured him that he’d given him his word that he’d let him if it was what he really wanted.
As he processed what he’d done he was hoping that it was indeed what he’d wanted.
a voice from the room over caught his attention and he ran out of the room towards it. “Quark!” Clover was there, just like he remembered seeing her talking to Alice. “How on earth are you here!”
He cut her off explaining his grand plan. What he didn’t realize was that his grandfather was standing just out of sight listening to the whole discussion.
When Clover’s eyes looked past him questioning how the recipient of such loyalty must have felt he realized that there was someone else there and slowly turned.
It was odd seeing his grandpa so young. Ms. Akane had sortof prepared him for it since he had seen her first as soon as he got out of the pod but this… this was his GRANDPA.
Hair a dark and dusty brown instead of being a shock of white, stress lines not yet etched into his skin, and an entirely different style of dress but it was still him. And he had no idea who he was.
For a second Quark wanted to run out of the room and curse himself for the plan but then he felt arms wrapping around him. Junpei wasn’t entirely sure what was going on other than his future self was apparently willing to send his adopted grandkid into the past but there was no way he was going to let a lost looking kid who’d just explained he’d dove into the past just so he wasn’t lonely to look so upset.
He wasn’t sure how to feel about suddenly acquiring a kid but there wasn’t really any other option but to keep him. He’d gone into the past trusting that he would be wanted, and that his presence would be a good thing.
And it looked like it was going to be.
To: @feytaline-loves
From: @silveredfoxxeh
For feytaline-loves ! Happy Holidays!!! I hope this came out ok <3
The door opened on a drab little cell in a well protected if out of the way room at a hidden location. “Well well” came a voice from within. “I didn’t realize it was still visiting hours.”
As the lights brightened there was a rustle as the mountain of a man made his way into the room holding a small pile of boxes.
“And to what do I owe this rare pleasure?"
Seven held out the pile and pointed out matter of factly "Even if you’re pretty despicable, no one deserves to miss out on Christmas. These were left for you."
Unwrapping a few of them as holiday music began to play from the radio Seven switched on before taking off again with a gruff "Merry Christmas” Ace realized that they were all books.
“Well at least I’ll have some things to read” he said with some sarcasm, but was inwardly pleased that anyone would bother to think of him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Seven opened the door with a sigh. It was annoying working on Christmas eve but he at least had a warm home to come back to. He smiled as he heard the commotion start up in the kitchen and twin balls of energy came flying out to greet him. “Merry Christmas” He said and headed inside where Lotus was trying to make sure that the tree was perfection itself. There were even freshly baked cookies waiting on the table. A taste of domestic festiveness that he hadn’t really expected from her until he realized that she would do everything in her power to see that her daughters were happy at all times. They had shared many tears after coming home from the nonary game and having everything come out but she seemed to have mellowed out a bit. Still was a sassy and sarcastic spitfire most of the time but he wouldn’t want her any other way. Nona went over to sit by her mother and snag one of the waiting cookies and Lotus held the plate out inviting everyone to grab one as well. “Merry Christmas to you too” She smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the CrashKeys Headquarters.
A very enthusiastic girl all but leapt on the still sleeping young man. “Jumpy! I finished your present!" Junpei rubbed some sleep out of his eyes and smiled still just happy to be a part of her continued existence. There were so many things that they still had to do in this world but this time, in this one timeline at least they were allowed to do them together.
Akane smiled gently as if she could tell exactly what he was thinking and pulled out a slightly lumpy but nicely wrapped package. "What Kanny - not waiting until everyone else is awake to pass out the gifts?” He raised an eyebrow but was more than curious what the lump could possbly be.
He took it gingerly and realized that it was slightly squishy.
He tried to resist the urge to squish it more under his hands to figure out what was in it since Akane was staring at him with an expectant look on her face.
“You don’t want to wait for your gift first?” He asked and was a bit confused when she shook her head and looked at him with determination waiting for him to get on with it.
“You get this one first before anything else” She said slightly mysteriously and then continued staring at him knowing that her will and his curiosity would be enough to get him tearing the wrapping paper off in a hurry. He took a moment to be amused at the design choice - black paper with small keys covering it in different sizes and shapes and then pulled back a corner with a rip to reveal “A sweater?” He held it up to look at the design a bit better.
It was… it was quite unique. Blotches of dark and green blended together in a confusing blur of shapes. There were hints of red in a few places and the texture helped explain the lumpiness of the package. As he looked harder he realized he could make out a slight echo of the shape of wings, and an almost trunk like appendage. “You - you made a festive Funyarinpa sweater for me?” He asked. He watched her eyes remain shuttered as she nodded and confirmed that she had indeed made it all herself.
Before she could ask what he thought of it he tackled her in a hug. “I absolutely love it!" Beaming she demanded he try it on right then so he could wear it all day and he complied without a delay. Smiling down at it he tried to convey how happy he was that Akane had actually made him something and it was something that he was probably the only one who might appreciate. He grabbed her hand and all but dragged her out to where the tree was set up so they could get their day started and he could give her one of his gifts for her.
He handed it over to her in a rush but made sure to tell her "You have to wait for the others. But one gift for a gift ok?” He smiled as she pulled off the wrapping and her eyes lit up.
“A book on unexplained phenomena! It’s perfect.” She smiled as he wondered where her brother was. She only gave him a mysterious smile in return and dragged him off to get some breakfast while they waited for Aoi to join them.
The missing brother in question was off pulling himself together after a sleepless night. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it but something had him restless. As he went to check on their morning things a small envelope fell out at him and his eyes went wide. It was a letter. Written in neat rather than childish scrawl, and apparently meant for him. It had his old code name on the front and more than that reminded him of all the letters he would get from a younger more innocent Akane.
As he held it in numb fingers it sent waves of memory coursing through him and it took him a moment to steady his nerves to open it. Pulling out the single folded over paper inside the message was short and broken up.
Dear Santa,
was all it read and then on the front and after opening the paper all the way he found only two words on the inside. Thank You.
As he looked at those two words, neatly written in his sister’s handwriting, he realized that she had to have seen him tell Junpei about what he would do for her when they were young, and what being her Santa Claus had meant to him. How he had only wanted to give her back that happiness and see her smile and live again. And he realized that they had really done it. The future was still vague and unknown but even months after the Decision game things still didn’t quite feel real to him. He kept waiting expecting it all to vanish but holding this card that in any other timeline he was sure he would never have had a chance to have been given, he finally felt a sense of peace. They were here, all of them together. And that was the best gift he could have ever been given. He heard laughter from the main room and figured it was more than time to get the day started. With a smirk he imagined him dressed as the actual Santa Claus helping to set in motion all of this being possible. Well the idiot helped. Thankfully Junpei didn’t mess up this timeline with his choices.
Christmas together. His smile was genuine for the first time in what felt like too long a time as he heard poorly sung out Christmas carols start to come from the living room.
to: @silveredfoxxeh
from: @morphogenetlc
happy holidays!! all your prompts were really great honestly, i couldn’t decide between them,, i hope you enjoy your gift!!







