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 Posted: Sat May 07, 2022 5:45 pm
Michael wished he knew what to say. He didn’t know Marius, not even from memories. Yet. He hoped he would get some of him, because he seemed to be important to Percy. But Percy also seemed to be guarding them. Maybe he didn’t think Michael was ready for the memories he received. Or maybe it was just spontaneous and Michael was giving too much credit to someone who’d died so long ago.
He wanted to tell Devyn that Marius must have known he was trying, and that was why he would let himself in to stay with him.
“For what it’s worth,” Michael started, although he didn’t really seem like he knew exactly how to say what he wanted to say. “I trust you, Dev. And I’m proud of you for adapting so well to everything.”
Devyn deserved to at least hear it, even if he didn’t need to. Michael hoped that through his actions, Devyn would know that he was proud of him and that he trusted him, but if he didn’t, then he wanted to at least tell him.
But for now, he was going to distract himself by piling the now cooked wings onto a plate, and gently moving the flowers to the side so they could put the pizza between them.
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2022 6:01 pm
Maybe Devyn didn’t think he had to say it, but he paused when Michael did. His heart skipped a beat and he knew he’d have to explain himself so Michael couldn’t find something to worry about.
“Well,” he said, and turned to face Michael as he moved the pizza so he could take that out, too, “It’s worth a lot, actually. Thank you. It probably sounds silly, but I’m not really used to people saying things like that to me.”
He wasn’t in a position where he often received praise, even when he was doing his best. Even when there had been people around that could have told him he was doing a good job. It was easier just to expect he was doing a bad job and disappointing everyone. His stomach was in knots, a bit strangely. He felt elated enough that he probably could have carried the whole hot pan of pizza over without noticing the pain, but he was trying to not worry Michael.
Oh, maybe Michael wasn’t used to it, either, though.
“I trust you, too. With anything. Everything, really. I don’t know where I’d be without you, really. And I’m proud of you for things I don’t even know how to explain. I’m proud to know you. Proud to be your friend, too. I feel very lucky for that. You’re a good man.”
And he knew this, in an unspeakable way. It wasn’t something he could question, it was just something that had already struck him to his core. Would he have trusted him if he’d any other starseed? He didn’t know. He didn’t know if it would matter. He didn’t know if it should.
No matter what starseed he had, he was himself.
It wasn’t just because he was Percy in a previous life–or, it wasn’t that his starseed had belonged to Percy. It was that he was himself, in a way that Devyn understand because of his time with that starseed. Maybe. It was confusing. Michael was Michael, and maybe he hadn’t saved him from certain death but Devyn was still certain that he owed him his life. Everything he’d been able to learn, every opportunity he’d had to adapt, was all thanks to Michael.
Who hadn’t had to do any of this. Who could have pushed him away or rejected him as soon as he’d known who he was, or who he was looking for. He could have foisted him off on anyone else.
But, he hadn’t. And, Devyn was always going to be grateful for that.
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2022 6:11 pm
He felt it, of course. The skip of Devyn’s heartbeat. He tried to pretend like he didn’t by carefully arranging the utensils, but when Devyn turned to face him, he looked up as well.
Michael wondered if it was something like that. If maybe Devyn wasn’t used to people giving him praise or telling him he was doing a good job. And if it made his heart skip like that, well… Michael would just have to make sure Devyn knew how much he was appreciated, and how much he was improving with his newly learned Earth skills.
Which also meant Michael would have to keep proving that he trusted Devyn -- which was almost frustratingly easy. Being honest with Devyn was almost as simple as opening his mouth to breathe.
Not for the first time, Michael was glad that he didn’t have a magical orb that let Devyn privy to his emotions, because he was certain his own heart skipped at Devyn’s praise. He pressed his lips together for a moment, and then couldn’t stop his lip from twitching, before finally laughing softly. He shook his head, not wanting Devyn to think he was laughing at him or anything he’d said.
So to help hopefully alleviate any concern, Michael lifted his hand to his chest with a sigh.
“Mine too. Just so you know,” he confessed, and gently tapped a finger to the orb hanging from his neck so Devyn would understand.
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2022 6:22 pm
The laugh was unexpected but certainly not unwelcome, and though his brows furrowed just slightly at first, a smile still grew on his face.
And then, he understood, and his face relaxed. The smile reached his eyes and the corners of them crinkled just slightly before he laughed too. “Ah, you caught that.” No shame. He laughed again and shook his head, finally bringing the pizza over in one hand and the mushrooms in the other. He stopped to smell the flowers when he bent over to place the food on the table, and then he just drew back and planted his hands on his hips as he admired the spread.
“You’re sweet, Michael. Thank you for that.”
He left only briefly to get his own glass of water, and then seemed satisfied that they had everything they needed at the table, so took his seat. His smile had softened but never left his face.
“For everything. It’s been a long time since I felt happy. I owe you for that, too.”
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Posted: Sat May 07, 2022 6:36 pm
Michael was still smiling as he took his seat across from Devyn. It was almost surreal, looking at someone he knew had lifetimes of experience. Certainly not all of it good, but of all the heartache and despair that Michael thought that he might have experienced must pale in comparison to what Devyn had gone through.
And while Michael wouldn’t necessarily think of himself as happy, there were moments that helped him keep going, like when his students were doing well, or when Elliot had something new and exciting to share with him. He was proud of his brothers and how far they’d come. But happy for himself? He thought he was happy for a while, and maybe he was, but in his own failings as a person, he managed to end up miserable once more.
But he knew he wanted Devyn to be happy. He wanted him to live. Even without Percy, he had a chance to grow and learn and make a difference. Michael wanted that for him.
So instead of warning Devyn that he might be disappointed later, or Michael might do something that would make him unhappy, he just smiled and nodded. “You’re welcome, Dev. Don’t eat the bones.” Just in case Devyn was considering swallowing the wings whole.
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