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 Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 2:04 pm
Takes place directly after this solo. Aquamarine appeared just inside the fence surrounding the park Jet favored.
The sun was gone now, having sunk beneath the horizon between Aquamarine leaving work and finishing up in the forest. The sky was dark, lit by a miniscule crescent and the scant number of stars that managed to shine through the ambient lighting. Streetlights cast their golden glow upon their surroundings, but their light could only reach so far. Much was still obscured by shadow.
Further into the park, Aquamarine found Jet sitting on his usual bench with his notebook of music scores. Jet didn’t look up at his approach, but Aquamarine knew he sensed him there. He gave Jet time to, instead of scaring the piss out of him by appearing right in front of him.
Aquamarine came up behind him, loosely looping his arms around Jet’s neck.
“I have a gift for you,” he announced, mouth close to Jet’s ear.
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Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 6:28 pm
They’d known each other for so long that Jet could tell the subtle differences in Aquamarine’s aura, compared to anyone else. He didn’t look up when Aquamarine approached, but was surprised to see him there in the first place.
And even more surprised when Aquamarine came up behind him and looped his arms around his neck.
That was when he looked up, tilting his head just enough to be able to see Aquamarine out of the corner of his eye, since he was so close to him already.
“You have a gift for me?” he repeated, obviously skeptical. Aquamarine was not the sentimental type. He cringed at things like holding hands and squirmed uncomfortably when he got gifts.
Not that Jet was complaining. It was just weird seeing Aquamarine in what appeared to be a good mood. Good enough to be affectionate.
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Posted: Thu May 13, 2021 7:22 pm
Maybe he was high on adrenaline after what amounted to his first kill.
Aquamarine was pleased with himself. He considered his exploits in the woods a job well done. Removing scum from the Earth was a more satisfying experience than he realized. Now there was one less person around to torment Jet, who’d been tormented enough already.
After tightening his hold around Jet for a brief moment, Aquamarine held out one palm and summoned the recently acquired starseed.
Like this, removed from its host, the starseed seemed unremarkable to him. There was nothing about it to suggest that it might be special.
“Here,” he said, passing it off to Jet. With grace, Aquamarine hopped over the back of the bench and sat next to him, so close they were shoulder to shoulder, arms brushing every time they moved. “But don’t eat it. Knowing who it came from, it’d make me sick to my stomach.”
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Posted: Fri May 14, 2021 6:45 pm
Jet took the starseed when Aquamarine gave it to him and looked at it, eyebrows furrowed curiously. With Aquamarine seeming so pleased with himself, he wasn’t sure whose starseed it could be. It didn’t seem like a senshi starseed. It didn’t have that special quality to it.
So it must have been a civilian. Jet wracked his brain for names. Was it one of the customers who yelled at him to go back where he came from shortly before he quit working retail? Or one of the kids from when they were younger that liked to pick on him for writing music instead of playing games at the park? Or someone else entirely?
“Thank you. I think,” he said, this time glancing at Aquamarine curiously. “Who did this come from? Or is it just a random starseed?” He couldn’t imagine Aquamarine killing a random civilian, though.
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 11:15 am
“I ran into someone after work,” Aquamarine explained. “He offered to buy me a drink. Had the audacity to call me ‘babe.’” Aquamarine pulled a face like he could retch. “I had to stop myself from punching him again.”
The temptation had been there, but the experience wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable. Maybe for a moment, Aquamarine would have liked to hear the crunch of bone as a nose broke beneath his fist, feel the warmth of blood on his hand. In the end, it wouldn’t have been enough to ease the burning hatred.
“I played along. I don’t think he realized he was in danger until it was too late,” Aquamarine continued.
He smiled, tilting his head to meet Jet’s gaze, eyes bright with satisfaction. “You won’t have to deal with Logan again.”
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Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 6:40 pm
He listened as Aquamarine went over his encounter with this person who was now missing a starseed. Jet could feel his jaw tighten at the idea of someone else calling Aquamarine ’babe’ in what Jet could only imagine was a demeaning way. But he was confused when Aquamarine continued by saying he stopped himself from punching him again.
Again?
Jet was certain that Aquamarine wouldn’t have gotten into a confrontation with someone and not told him about it, which meant Jet was probably there when he punched him the first time. Which meant Jet was fairly certain who the starseed belonged to before Aquamarine even said it.
And when he confirmed, Jet stared at the starseed in his hand, and then up at Aquamarine again. He wasn’t sure what to think, if he was being honest. It was both a relief that he wouldn’t have to worry about ever running into that piece of s**t again, but he was also concerned about Aquamarine killing someone for the first time.
“Are you okay?” he asked, even though he figured Aquamarine wanted to be praised for his efforts. It wasn’t that Jet was displeased, just concerned.
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Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 7:23 am
Aquamarine wasn’t expecting praise, exactly.
He didn’t know what he was expecting. Maybe Jet would be upset to hear Logan’s name. Maybe he would be angry that Aquamarine confronted him, got revenge in his stead. Maybe Jet thought Logan was his kill, his prey to trap and dispose of whenever the mood struck him. Or maybe Jet would be relieved, and happy, and proud of what this single starseed might signify — not simply revenge, but a more serious approach to the Negaverse.
“Never been better,” Aquamarine replied, when Jet seemed to choose concern.
Should he be more upset by what he’d done? Should he be worried about the Chaos in his soul, growing stronger, even with this single act? Aquamarine had no delusions. He knew it was there. It had been for years. He knew it affected him, though he didn’t often know how.
Tonight was a rare occurrence, that he didn’t question it when it compelled him.
He did this for Jet, and that made all the difference for Aquamarine.
“It wasn’t so terrible,” he said. “There wasn’t much blood, and his screams were like music.” Aquamarine laughed quietly. “Almost.”
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 6:00 pm
He still wasn’t entirely sure what to think. There was the starseed of a man who had tormented him in his youth in his hand. He certainly didn’t want to keep it, nor did he want the White Moon to get a chance to return it to the b*****d.
“Thank you,” Jet said again, with more confidence this time, deciding he was pleased that he didn’t have to ever deal with that man again. That no one else would have to deal with him. Who knew how many others, already…
“Really, you didn’t have to.” He kept the starseed in his hand and wrapped his fingers around it, securing it as he leaned over to press his lips against Aquamarine’s before he thought better of it. There was no one else around, and Aquamarine seemed to be in a good mood, so it was fine. He would have to show his full appreciation later when they got home.
Jet pulled away then and said, “Arles,” summoning the shadow youma from the Rift.
Salutations, came a voice from the shadows, but only in the minds of both Aquamarine and Jet.
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Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 6:53 pm
Aquamarine returned the kiss with another smile.
Public displays of affection were not normal for them, but they were alone in a park after nightfall. They would sense other auras before they saw who they belonged to, and any passing civilians wouldn’t recognize them. At this hour, their location was not quite a public place.
And it was a special occasion.
Aquamarine put his hand on top of Jet’s empty one, not quite holding it, merely tracing patterns along the back of it. He peered into the shadows when Arles greeted them, letting out a quiet laugh.
“A treat for your dog?” he asked.
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 8:02 am
“I’m not going to keep it,” he said, making a face at the thought. His fingers twitched at the feel of Aquamarine drawing shapes on his hand, but did nothing to encourage or discourage. “I wouldn’t want someone else accidentally eating it.”
You’re offering me something you wouldn’t want someone else to eat? How delightful, Arles responded, sarcasm to match the wide sneer of teeth in the darkness.
“You don’t want a starseed?” Jet raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “That’s fine, I can find another youma who would like it.”
There seemed to be a pause from Arles, and then a slow approach. The grass seemed to part with nothing but blackness like the night sky, but the glowing eyes and teeth were better indicators of the youma’s presence.
On the contrary. I’m already salivating.
“Do you do tricks?”
Unfortunately, that is not part of my--
“Sit.”
Arles’ sneering grin widened and it seemed to cackle, although it was difficult to tell if it was amused or annoyed, or both. After another moment, the shadow sat in front of them, and Jet tossed the starseed to be lost into the void of the youma’s maw.
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 8:47 am
Aquamarine’s laughter continued. Watching the starseed be consumed was almost as satisfying as retrieving it had been.
Almost.
“Good dog,” he said in a mocking tone, still a bit annoyed by Jet’s youma.
At least it suited its purpose.
As far as the starseed, Aquamarine had to agree; he wouldn’t want anyone else accidentally eating a starseed from scum like that, especially when it had significance to Jet. Jet might not have retrieved it, but it was his to decide what to do with, and Aquamarine couldn’t think of a more fitting end. Except forcing it down the throat of a Senshi, but they didn’t have one of those at their disposal right now, and he didn’t feel like making the effort to catch one.
Aquamarine kept running his fingers over the back of Jet’s hand while Arles ate his treat, waiting until the starseed was consumed before standing from the bench.
“Let’s go home,” he said. “All this murder and mayhem has made me hungry.”
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Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 6:58 pm
Jet didn’t keep Arles there for long, and dismissed him to wander off and do whatever, or head back into the Rift. It was strange having a youma that he felt connected to, but he supposed it would just take some getting used to.
Once Aquamarine stood and Arles had gone, Jet rose to his feet as well and collected his notebook of potential music to use or develop. It was also strange being able to write music whenever he wanted to again. Without an actual job for the first time in years, he could pick back up on his passion.
“That’s fine, I was finishing up here, anyway,” he agreed, nodding to Aquamarine as he stepped away from the bench. They would teleport somewhere close to home, and then power down to walk the rest of the way, of course.
And he wouldn’t have to worry about running into people he couldn’t stomach seeing any more.
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