|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:40 am
“You… want to shadow me?”
Reims blinked, like the thought genuinely caught him off guard. “Uh, yeah. I mean, sure. I guess that’d be fine. It’s not like I’ve got a training schedule or anything. Most of it’s just -- you know -- trying not to die when something with claws shows up. But yeah, if you’ve only been at this a week, it’s good to have someone who can explain things. I kinda got thrown into a bunch of crazy stuff right away. But there were other knights just as new as I was. Kind of… birth by fire, I guess.”
Reims hesitated, then lifted his right hand slightly. The faint flint of metal caught the streetlight. It was a simple but distinctive signet ring, resting on his ring finger.
“Knights usually find one like this on their Wonder -- uh, the place their magic is tied to. Once you’ve got yours, you can use it to send messages to others. You just need to know their name. Exact spelling and everything.”
He held his hand out for a moment, giving Lyon a chance to look, in case it might help him locate his own.
“If you tell me how to spell yours, I can send you one. Makes it easier to plan things, instead of just leaving it up to chance. I’ll put my name on it so you’ll have it to spell once you get yours.”
He tried for a shrug, like this was all very casual, but there was a quiet awkwardness to it that felt warm and unsure at the same time. Like he wasn’t sure if he was making the right decision, but hoping he wouldn’t regret it.
“It’s good to have someone to talk to. Especially when you’re new.”
His gaze lingered on Lyon for a moment too long before he caught himself, coughed once, and quickly looked away again.
“Uh… and yeah, you should tell me about the Velencian thing sometime. The one who helped you. They’re pretty reclusive from what I’ve gathered. Anyway, if you find your ring, or something else comes up, I’ll keep an eye out. Easier than getting lucky.”
He didn’t quite realize how that last part might sound until it was out. He opened his mouth like he wanted to backpedal-- but just sighed and gave up, doing his best to ignore the burning in his ears and muttered under his breath, “You know what I mean.”
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:40 am
Reims was cute. Lyon smiled indulgently. “I think I can imagine,” he said, barely managing not to sound smug about it.
He pretended to busy himself with examining Reim’s ring–which was interesting, but not as much as the Ganymede Knight himself.
“L-Y-O-N,” he spelled, but he was mostly guessing. The letters popped into his head as if it were his own name but he’d never had to think about it before. “Do you want to test it now to make sure it works? I don’t know what it’s like to get magical messages.”
Give him a little memento, something fun to mark this first meeting.
“No pressure. I’d rather have a good teacher than trial by fire. I’d rather not get burned, you know.” He bit back the urge to make a joke about his pretty face, if only because poor Reims was suffering so poorly already. Lyon was spoiled, teasing him as Cassidy. He had to learn to ease into it again.
“I’ll head up to my Wonder some time to look for a ring. I don’t know what to expect, but I guess I could make time.” Eventually. “Say, how do you juggle it?” he asked, now standing up. He laced his fingers behind his back and tapped the toe of one boot into the dirt as he tilted his head. Watching Reims closely came second nature to him; there was plenty to look at.
“I mean, doing this whole Knight thing. Doesn’t it get in the way of your real life? How do you decide which one to prioritize?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:41 am
“L-Y-O-N,” Reims repeated under his breath, mostly to make sure he had it right. “Okay, yeah, we can test it.”
With practiced ease, he reached his hand into the void of subspace, pulling out a small pad of paper and a pencil that had been worn down nearly to the eraser. Carefully, he wrote in clean, clear handwriting:
To Lyon, from Reims.
He hesitated for a moment before pressing his ring against the page. The paper seemed to shimmer as it dissipated into thin air, as if it never existed in the first place. And then it reappeared in front of Lyon, phasing back into reality.
He glanced up at Lyon’s face before quickly looking away again. “So now you’ve got my name. And if you ever find your ring, you can message me back.”
When Lyon asked about juggling things, Reims let out a quiet exhale.
“Honestly? I don’t really know. I just… do my best, I guess,” he shrugged. “You try to keep it separate when you can. It’s dangerous to let them cross over too much. People might notice. You could put those you care about in danger. But then you get a message, or something goes wrong, or someone needs help, and…” He trailed off, gesturing vaguely toward the city around them. “You can’t just ignore it. Even if you’ve got school in the morning, or people waiting on you.”
For a moment, something crossed his expression. Tired, maybe… but there was a quiet determination behind it. An unshakable resolve.
“It gets easier. Kinda. You stop thinking about what it costs you and just… do it.”
He caught himself after a moment, realizing how heavy that might sound. “Sorry, Didn’t mean to get all serious on you. It’s not that bad. You get used to it. Besides, you’ve got time to figure out what kind of knight you want to be.”
And maybe to shift the attention from his own awkwardness, he continued after a moment. It was quieter, but with a flicker of warmth. “If you ever need help with it, or just want to talk, now you know how to reach me.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:42 am
As with most things Reims did, Lyon watched with great interest. It was as if he were privy to a private magic show. He nearly clapped when the paper disappeared into thin air, only to magically manifest in front of him.
He snatched it with great care, holding the sheet between both hands as if to test how real it was.
Very real, as it turned out. He received a papercut for his enthusiasm but was hardly deterred. As he listened to Reims, he folded up the paper with care.
Of course, he didn’t miss the ‘if you find your ring,’ so of course it was a challenge. He would.
Reims was surprisingly honest. Vulnerable, but like he was showing frayed edges on a vintage rug you said was in perfect condition. And, expectedly, Reims tried to sweep them out of sight.
Lyon smiled, something less than a smirk but not by much.
“Well, I wouldn't put you on the recruitment team. But I like your answer, anyway. You take this really seriously, don’t you? ‘You stop thinking about what it costs you and just do it’–really, do you mean that? Even if you get used to it, that still sounds rough. But then–I’ve got time to ‘figure out what kind of Knight I want to be’–how many types do I get to choose from? Or…”
Lyon’s voice trailed off. He looked Reims, up and down, and settled back on his eyes.
“...What kind of Knight are you?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:42 am
The question caught him completely off guard.
“I--... uh.”
For a second too long, he just stared at Lyon, like the words had short circuited something in his brain. Then he dragged a hand down his face and let out a quiet, self-conscious laugh.
“You really don’t hold back, do you?”
He shifted, clearly uncomfortable but not annoyed. More like someone caught in a spotlight they weren’t ready for.
“I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it like that.” Even though he’d been the one to suggest figuring that stuff out to Lyon. He just figured it was more of a subconscious thing. Not something to put into words.
His thumb brushed against the side of his ring again, a small, grounding motion. He glanced down the street, watching the flicker of a streetlight in the distance. “I guess I just… try to help where I can. Keep people safe. Even if I can’t always-- you know-- fix everything.”
The words came out in careful bites, as if he was trying not to reveal too much, but couldn’t stop himself once he started.
“I’ve made mistakes. A lot of them,” he admitted quietly. “I used to think if I could just… do enough good, maybe I’d balance things out. Maybe it’d make up for some of the crap I screwed up before. But it doesn’t really work that way. You just… keep trying, because someone has to.”
When he finally looked back at Lyon, there was something softer in his expression. A moment of vulnerability he couldn’t quite hide. “So I guess that’s the kind of knight I am. The kind that tries, even if it’s not enough.”
He immediately realized how that sounded and grimaced. “...Sorry, that was probably way too much. You just caught me off guard,” he mumbled, his ears burning as he shuffled his feet.
“You’re… kind of good at that,” he said after a moment, tone lighter and more awkward but sincere. “Getting people to talk.”
He paused and made a face as he glanced away again. “Not sure if that’s meant to be a compliment or something I need to look out for, yet.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:49 am
Undeterred by Reims’ uncertainty, Lyon laughed. “Well if you don’t know how you mean it, I’ll take it as flattery. I suppose it wasn’t fair to put you on the spot like that. I’m not very good at holding back. But if it’s any consolation, your answer wasn’t too much. It was good, and I’m glad you shared it with me.”
Lyon saw no reason to gloat about this hidden skill of his. He liked to talk.
But he liked to listen, too.
“You don’t have to answer me, not if it’s too personal, but.” His head slowly tilted, like he might find his answers if he just looked at Reims from the right angle. “...What have you done that was so bad you feel like you still haven’t made up for it? I mean, you’re rushing out into danger, fighting monsters. Rescuing strangers. I know you’re not much older than me. How much ‘crap’ do you think you put into the world that what you’re doing now doesn’t feel like ‘enough’ to make up for it?”
Lyon gave him a moment, but then said, “If it’s not something you want to answer, you can just tell me, ‘Lyon, where are your manners? You have to buy me dinner before I let you into my head.’ I won’t be mad. I’m just having a hard time thinking of you as someone who makes mistakes he hasn’t already apologized for.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:49 am
Reims froze again. It wasn’t that Lyon’s question was cruel… it was just too precise. Like he was being seen straight through.
He shuffled his feet a bit and cleared his throat. “You really don’t go easy on people, huh?” he hummed, shifting his weight to displace some of the discomfort in his stomach and chest.
“It’s not… one big thing,” he said eventually. “Just a lot of small ones. Things I said. Things I didn’t say. People I could’ve been better to,” he said slowly, carefully.
“I think sometimes you get so used to screwing up that you start thinking that’s all you’re ever gonna be good at,” he added, voice quiet. “So you try to fix it. You keep trying, even if it doesn’t make sense anymore.”
He gave a small, awkward shrug, trying to force the tension out of his shoulders. “So yeah. I guess that’s the answer. Just because I apologize for something doesn’t mean anyone has to forgive me. And even if they do, it doesn’t make up for what I did. I messed up. I don’t get to take that back. But if I can stop someone else from ending up worse off, then… I don’t know. Maybe it’s something. Maybe it’s just to make me feel better.”
He went quiet for a moment, then forced a small, awkward almost-smile that looked more like a grimace than anything. “Sorry. That probably wasn’t what you were going for.”
He paused for a moment, and then rearranged his face back into a scowl, although his tone was lighter than his expression implied. “You know, I might have to start keeping track of these questions. Every time you get me to say something embarrassing, you owe me a story in return.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:54 am
Lyon could have laughed. There was a space in the conversation that would have been perfect for it.
He didn’t.
Instead, he soaked in Reims’ expression. His posture. His tone.
His words.
Lyon smiled, not his standard, nonchalant little grin. Not far from it, but this one was something a little more honest.
“This is me going easy,” he teased, but without much energy. Reims was still getting used to Lyon and he was doing his best not to rock the boat too much. Until he was certain Reims liked him, it was too risky to start pressing all his buttons.
“That was a good answer, though. You really second guess yourself a lot, huh? I guess you’re used to people shutting you down before you get a chance to say so you try to beat them to it? You don’t have to do that with me, I like listening to you. But if you want to swap story for story, I’ve got a lot of stories. You’ll never be bored when you’re with me.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:54 am
Reims was quiet, letting everything Lyon said settle in the night air around them. There were still some insects out making noises, but not like in the depth of summer. There was traffic in the distance. Someone in a house nearby had their television on too loud.
And yet, it was Lyon's quiet presence that felt the loudest. Not because he was obnoxious or making a lot of noise, but because he was looking much too closely. Reims wasn’t sure if he wanted to be seen so easily -- or so quickly.
He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet.
“Yeah, well… I’m not sure what I can say that’ll keep you entertained. I don’t really need things to fill the silence, either.”
He let out a quiet sigh, feeling strangely disarmed.
“But, uh… thanks for not laughing at me.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:55 am
“Do people do that a lot? I like to laugh. But I don’t want to make you worry or feel bad. I think you seem pretty cool.” Lyon shrugged. “Maybe when you get more comfortable with me, I’ll tease you. I think that could be fun, too.”
Not tonight. Reims seemed like he was still figuring himself out. Too vulnerable, in a way he didn’t always let himself be.
Lyon didn’t mind. Reims should have that opportunity. It was cute, watching him figure himself out.
“Don’t worry. I’m good at filling silence, whether you want it filled or not.” Now, he laughed, but there was nothing but mirth, and his smile was genuine. “Do your ears need a break? I’ve been pretty chatty, I can let you get back to your quiet evening if you need. As long as you promise to meet up with me again soon.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:55 am
“Yeah… people used to. Laugh, I mean,” Reims shrugged after a moment, voice low, trying to ignore the way his ears burned at being told he seemed pretty cool.
He shuffled his feet a bit, glancing toward the streetlight down the block. “I don’t know if people still do. Probably. Just not where I can hear it.”
He didn’t sound bitter about it. Instead, it was more like a fact he was still trying to decide how to feel about.
“I don’t know. Guess it depends who it’s coming from. Sometimes it feels like they mean it. Sometimes it’s just… easier to assume they don’t.”
He huffed out a quiet breath. “Kinda stupid way to live, huh?”
He shrugged again and forced a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“So, yeah. I wasn’t sure how you’d take it. But you didn’t laugh, so… thanks for that.”
For a moment he looked like he might say more, but then thought better of it.
“I should probably check in with someone before it gets too late. Friend of mine. He’s… stuck with family he’d rather not be around. I was only out here because he mentioned a potential youma in the area.”
He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants and glanced back at Lyon, shrugging once more. “But, uh… you were good company. Even if you did ask a lot of questions. Next time, maybe I’ll do all the talking.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:02 pm
“Oh? Do you think you can?” Lyon’s grin twitched into a smirk. Of course he’d challenge Reims to try. "I'd like to see that.”
And, he would.
Even if he hadn’t known Reims as Riker, he’d have been endeared by the awkward shifting and all the efforts to still come across as cool while squirming. He had no idea how charming he was. Lyon didn’t dare comment on how cute it all was, not when Reims was already looking so self conscious.
But next time, maybe.
“I like talking, of course–you know this. You’re a smart young man. It’s very difficult for me to keep my mouth closed. For you?”
He shrugged.
“I’d do it for you. Or,” he corrected, “I’d try to. No promises. But I want to see you again, so I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Of course, Reims was so sweet, wanting to check on his friend.
“Well, don’t let me keep you any longer. I’m glad I got to run into you tonight, Reims. Good luck with your friend.”
…He probably needed to get out of here as quickly as possible, too. Cassidy was never far from his phone. He didn’t want Reims–Riker–to start getting suspicious if he wasn’t checking it often.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:03 pm
Reims hesitated, caught somewhere between flustered and amused.
“Yeah, well. I guess we’ll just have to see if I can keep up, but I won’t hold my breath,” he said, a faint, reluctant smile pulling at his lips.
“You don’t have to be on your best behavior,” he added after a moment, shrugging awkwardly. “I don’t mind. I mean… it’s nice. Talking like this.”
For a moment, he looked like he might just leave it there, but then he added, a little quieter, “So yeah, I’d like to see you again too.”
The admission came out a little rough, half mumbled, as if he wasn’t sure if he was saying too much. He cleared his throat and took a step back.
“Anyway, I should get going before it gets too late. But, uh… I’ll send you a message sometime, yeah?”
He gave one last half wave, half salute, awkward and uncertain what to do with his hands, before turning to head down the street.
“Goodnight, Lyon.”
Fin!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
