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 Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 12:15 pm
“If you put pressure on this plate, you should be able to screw the rest in easily,” Michael explained to Elliot as he held some aluminum plating in place, appreciative of the extra hands. There was only so much a high school elective class could teach about building engines and machines, much less satellites that converted into shields to protect Earth, but they were doing the best they could.
Michael wasn’t fooling himself into thinking he could rig up the technology that was meant to be implemented inside the device itself, but he could at least help build the shell.
Lucien had gone to collect more materials they would need. Something about downloading the components for remote synchronization from the main headquarter computers. Michael didn’t question it. They were all doing what they could, when they could.
He watched as Elliot worked, but he knew better than to think he was okay, despite his relatively calm demeanor.
“Tell me what’s on your mind,” he requested, although he could probably guess a few things.
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 12:19 pm
Elliot was following Michael’s instructions diligently, and for the most part it seemed as if he were fine. He might have been just a bit less playful than usual but he kept cool and composed. When Michael asked, his eyes darted up briefly before returning to the plate he was working on.
“That feels like a trick question,” he mused. It was simple on the surface but beneath that it suddenly devolved into a very complicated mess of thoughts and emotions.
“I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you I was thinking about finals,” he mused, busying himself with the panel in front of him. “Why, what’s on your mind?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 12:36 pm
A small smile tugged at Michael’s lips as he helped Elliot with the plates for the satellite body. They’d been working around the clock, trying to get as many components completed as possible. If they could get the basic body set up, then Lucien and the Velencians could fit everything else together.
“Thinking about how grown up and mature you’ve become.”
He decided not to mention how he remembered babysitting for Asher and Oliver and having to change diapers because Elliot had been so small when they first met.
“For someone who likes doing pranks and joking around, you’ve gotten pretty serious in your old age.” As if Michael wasn’t almost forty.
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 12:41 pm
Elliot laughed, though he gave Michael a look afterwards. He might have had a lot on his mind but he wasn’t so quick to deny himself amusement.
“You don’t think it’s in poor taste to be joking around at a time like this? I would have slipped a whoopie cushion under your seat if I’d known.” He was teasing, obviously; he’d grown out of that sort of prank by middle school.
“Don’t worry, I’ve still got plenty of growing up and maturing to do. You’re not having a mid-life crisis now, right? You’re still pretty young for that, Michael.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 1:39 pm
“A time like this? What do you mean? Finals are every semester. But if you’re that serious about them, I’ll make sure to keep Atticus from bothering you during study time.”
Michael knew that Elliot knew he was being purposefully evasive. But if Elliot was thinking about finals, then who was Michael to force him to think about something else?
Even with the makings of a satellite right in front of them.
“Not quite a mid-life crisis, no,” he laughed quietly in return. “Maybe when I have to watch Atticus walk down the aisle. I’ll immediately start getting more gray hair.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 1:41 pm
Elliot scoffed. “Oh, would you rather we eloped? We don’t have to do the aisle-walk if it’s going to kill your melanin. I thought you’d be happy he was going to marry me. I’m a good, upstanding young man with great prospects and a bright future, you know. And finals are stressful because I have to worry about college soon. Get gray hair about that instead! Atticus and I were already talking about going to school in Massachusetts,” he huffed, but his smile relaxed only a second later.
“No, I can’t do that to you, don’t start worrying about that, too. We already decided we wanted to stay in Destiny City. Don’t get gray hair because of us. And Atticus is already worried about so much, even if I was just worried about finals, I wouldn’t want to be too far from him. He’s having a hard time with everything going on.”
Everyone was, in their own way.
He peeked up at Michael. “What’s your take on it all?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 1:46 pm
“Oh, I’m sure Nana would love you both closer,” he let out a half laugh, half exasperated breath. The thought of them moving away? Well, he wouldn’t tell them no, but he was glad Elliot and Atticus already decided to stay in Destiny City.
“The grays would be more from not knowing what to do with you both out on your own, and less because you’re getting married. I’m proud of you both. And I love you both very much,” he smiled, making sure the plating they were working on was steady for Elliot to piece them together, before collecting the next piece to add.
He paused for a moment, and knew that Elliot really was thinking about more than just exams.
“I think we’re going to give it our best shot to keep everyone safe,” he said, making sure to meet Elliot’s eye. “I think if anyone can do it -- the people we have working on getting these shields up, giving our energy to the Moon, all of that -- we can. But if things turn south, I will get your parents and we will all go to Jupiter or Alastor or Ganymede. We’re preparing for that possibility, too.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 1:55 pm
Of all their worlds, he supposed Alastor was probably the most appealing to him. It felt like a home away from home, but maybe it was only because Devyn spoke of it with so much love and hope.
He wanted Alastor to thrive but he didn’t want to lose Earth. Elliot sighed but leaned forward so he could work on the shield as instructed.
“There’s a lot of people on Earth that deserve better than to be left behind if things turn south. I can’t help but think that it’s crazy only a few of us know. I mean, I’m glad nothing’s leaked to the media. If I didn’t know what was coming, I wouldn’t want to spend my last few days scared.”
His eyes didn’t lift from the metal plate he was maneuvering.
“I’m optimistic, don’t get me wrong. Guess it’s just easy to kind of also try to expect the worst case scenario and want to prepare for it. I keep thinking of all those brain games–’who do you bring with you at the end of the world’. Emotionally, I want my family. Logically, I should probably collect a few more experts. I keep thinking about all my friends and the people I know who can’t do anything about what’s going to happen. I don’t ever want to be in a position where I have to decide who gets to live and who doesn’t get that chance.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 1:58 pm
“You won’t ever have to,” Michael promised, although he didn’t expand on it. He didn’t want to tell Elliot that he would just make those decisions for him. How, while it was wise to potentially bring experts, the emotional trauma would be worse without a support system. What would be the point of surviving without those who meant the most?
“I’m not telling you this to worry you,” he clarified after a moment. “I’m telling you because I want you to know that there is a plan. I’m not willing to give up on Earth.”
He would fight until the end, even if that meant making sure his family was safe, first. He knew it was hypocritical to think about how he wouldn’t want his family surviving without each other, but also being willing to die trying, but he hoped it would never get to that point.
“You’re allowed to be optimistic and still have an escape route. Sometimes there are no-win scenarios. Retreat and regrouping might be the best answer. And if that’s not possible, then having a backup is preferable to giving up.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 2:04 pm
“Yeah, I know,” Elliot sighed. “It’s just still a lot. I don’t want you to worry about me, I’m fine. I feel like I need to take a few ethics classes though. You’re part of the post-Earth plan, right?”
He paused now, and since they’d finished securing the piece they were working on, he propped his elbow on the table and turned to look at Michael as he rested against it.
“You’re not going to do something crazy and try to fight until the very end or anything, you’re going to know when to retreat and actually do it, right?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 4:41 pm
Michael pursed his lips as he set his tools down, although he gave Elliot a wary look. He knew him too well, of course. After essentially being Elliot’s third father for most of his life, it made sense that he would know how Michael felt about things.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said after a few moments of contemplating his response. “If I tell you and Atticus to retreat, you do it without question. And Devyn and I will fall back and retreat before it’s too late to do so. Believe it or not, we do want to see you both grow up and have long, healthy lives. Which means we’d need to live long, healthy lives, too.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 5:00 pm
Elliot seemed like he expected an answer of this sort, so when he said, “Counter,” it sounded like he’d already had it figured out. “We leave when you leave. Because, I don’t doubt for a second that you want to see us grow up and have long, healthy lives. But I don’t know why you’d want to stay after you’ve decided we need to retreat. No offense, and know that I say this with love and respect, I think you and Devyn would stay until the very end. I think you’d die fighting for a chance to give us a future, even if you weren’t in it. And it’s been bothering me for a while because I’m not ready for that and you know Atticus isn’t either.”
He looked a little older now, maybe actually a bit more mature. He looked at Michael with a hardened sort of worry, like he had to steel himself to have this conversation.
“I know there’s a possibility that a lot of people will get hurt. Or die. I know it’s going to be dangerous. But I need you to promise me, actually promise me, that you and Devyn won’t do anything irresponsible. And it’s not just because I’d miss you–and I would, phenomenally–but if we have to move off of Earth, we’re not equipped to live off the wild. You taught us a lot but it’s not enough. So–I’m going into this thinking we can handle it. I think it’ll be tough, I think it’ll suck, but I think we can do it. But if we can’t, you have to leave with us. Deal?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 5:10 pm
Words could not describe how proud he was of Elliot. How impressed he was by his maturity and growth. From a goofy kid who liked playing pranks, to a sensible, kind, and compassionate young man. Michael hadn’t expected anything less from the son of two really amazing parents. And good friends. But it was always rewarding to see just how much he’d grown.
“So that’s what’s been on your mind?” he asked softly, his attention solely on Elliot.
He drew in a quiet breath and sighed.
And then he smiled. It was small and somewhat pained, but it was followed by a soft chuckle.
“You’d think after all this time, I would be better at this. It’s probably annoying that Devyn and I can be similarly stubborn about these things.”
He had a family who cared for him and loved him. He always had that, but sometimes his own dark thoughts consumed him in a way he couldn’t escape from.
But he had people in his life who always pulled him out. Peter. The Reids. Devyn. Fighting until the bitter end would mean making sure he did everything in his power to make things right. But what did that mean for Elliot and Atticus? Or the rest of his family.
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 5:21 pm
“I don’t know if I’d call it annoying but it is stressful,” Elliot admitted. His smile matched Michael’s but he spoke gently, too.
“I’ve got a lot of things on my mind but that’s been weighing pretty heavily. I mean, I started thinking about all the worst case scenarios. And of course losing you was going to be one of them. Especially because you are so stubborn. You and Devyn are probably the strongest people I know but sometimes I think that weighs you down. Like, because that’s your legacy, you feel like you’ve gotta fight so much harder than everyone else.”
He shrugged once more, and even if the conversation made him a little anxious, he didn’t shy away from it. He held Michael’s gaze.
“I just don’t want you to stay past the point of no return. You better than anyone would be able to make the call of when our window to succeed closed. And I do trust you on that. But that’s why I just wanted to make sure you weren’t going to get caught in the moment. I want you to promise that if it gets to that point, if we’ve run out of all options and there’s no hope, you’ll leave with us.”
He made sure he had Michael’s attention when he said, “Please. We need you now. We’ll need you even more if we get to the end of the world. There’s still way too much you haven’t taught us. And we love you too much to say goodbye any time soon. Atticus and I are ready to fight, to put everything we have into it, so don’t think I’m going into this expecting anything but a strong win. I just mean, if it does fall to the worst case scenario, if you have to make the call that we’ve done all we can do and there’s no hope for more, I get it. I’ll respect that. No questions asked. But only if you promise you’ll leave with us. So.”
He held out his pinky. “Deal?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2025 5:32 pm
Part of him was grateful that Elliot didn’t know the whole truth of what he already seemed to know. He could recall a time, back before the incident with the Surrounding, when a building had been set on fire. The risks he took to help others get out, while putting himself in danger…? He wasn’t sure if he could just ignore the instinct to help others, but it was also different back then.
Back then, he was facing a brand new world without the people he cared most for. His team was gone, and if he disappeared too, then what would it matter? He’d only recently met Asher and Oliver then. Elliot too. He hadn’t gotten close to them. Peter hadn’t moved in with him. The recklessness felt ingrained in him.
And yet, now he fought for another purpose. Instead of finding an ending for himself, he wanted a future for those he loved.
A future where they wanted him in as well. A future where they would do their best to see thrive.
Michael stretched out his pinky as well, because of course he would make the deal with Elliot, even if in his heart he knew he would have to overcome his own challenges. He knew he would have to talk to Devyn about it, to make sure they were on the same wavelength.
Just as they didn’t want to see a future without him, Michael wasn’t sure he could survive a future without Devyn, too.
“Deal… but you’ll have to make sure we’re put into a nice retirement home when you’re finally sick of us.”
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