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 Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 5:36 pm
Riker gave Julian a look, one that clearly said they would just have to talk about it later. He didn’t want to force Julian to share things about himself in front of their friends, but Riker was worried and he hoped Julian would open up at least a little to him later. Enough so he would know when to look out for the possibility of Julian blacking out.
He had no intention of putting Julian down, though. Not until Julian wanted to be set back on his own feet. Not after something as weird as time freezing. Apparently.
“Yeah it was super weird,” Riker verified Elliot’s story, still shaking his head at how easy it was to break the spell or whatever it was. “Glad you’re both okay, though.”
Being frozen was definitely alarming to learn. Especially since Elliot and Riker were able to walk around just fine. It sent a shiver down his spine wondering what could have happened if it was someone else.
“We should let my dads know about this. Maybe Soleiyu and Lucien too,” Atticus suggested, clearly shaken and not wanting to be out of Elliot’s arms any time soon. “What if, instead of you and Riker, it was a Negaverse agent--”
He kept his voice low, not wanting to let Julian hear especially. He didn’t want their friend worrying over something that Atticus thought he might just be paranoid about. They were really lucky it was Elliot and Riker and not someone untrustworthy.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 5:38 pm
Uncertain about when it was appropriate to ask to be set down, Julian just stayed in Riker’s arms, occasionally glancing up at him to see if he was trying to figure out when to put Julian down. It felt nice to be carried!
Although, Atticus had gone suddenly quiet, so he craned his neck a little to see. Oh, but if they were whispering it was probably because they didn’t want him to hear. He leaned back in Riker’s arms and tried not to hear.
“Well,” Elliot said proudly, “it was us. And apparently the secret to solving all weird, magical mishaps must just be to kiss you.” He did again, several more times. If he was a little extra lighthearted, it was only because he wanted to make sure no one else worried too much.
He was worried, that whole thing was strange. Soleiyu and Lucien should get out here and run some tests or sensors or something and see if they could figure out what had happened–and more importantly, how to stop it from happening again.
“I’m glad everyone’s okay. But we should probably head home just in case. I don’t want to push our luck. I’ve got your bags, Atticus, I can carry you. I won’t peek.”
“Oh, I should get my bags,” Julian said, but still didn’t struggle in Riker’s arms. “Were you okay with all of that weird stuff going on? I hope we didn’t worry you too much. I really don’t remember anything being weird. Atticus was just telling me a story and then, um, you were here. I didn’t even hear any bells. I don’t think, at least.” He’d been so focused on Atticus, so maybe, but…
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 5:41 pm
Riker shook his head when Julian said he needed to get his bags. Instead, Riker adjusted Julian in his arms so he could carry him with one -- temporarily -- and reached down to pick up the bags from where Julian had been sitting.
“You didn’t worry us. We just didn’t know what was going on,” he said quietly, not wanting to draw too much attention to Julian when he probably didn’t it. Especially not when Elliot and Atticus were making kissy faces at each other. Gross.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said, repeating Elliot’s sentiments. “It was kind of cool, seeing everything just… not moving. Even the snow was stuck in place. But it was also worrying to not know how to fix it.”
With Julian’s bags gathered up, Riker evened out his weight some more. He was fine! He would just be a little winded later.
Oh, Elliot knew how to make things more lighthearted alright. Atticus couldn’t help but giggle as he was kissed, and he held onto Elliot more comfortably now that they seemed determined to go home.
“That was really sweet of you. Both of you. To want to pick us up and take us with you, even though you didn’t know what was going on.”
It made him feel better at least. He didn’t know exactly what happened, but it made him feel safe knowing that they all had each other’s backs.
“Thank you,” he hummed, leaning close to press kisses against Elliot’s cheek.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 5:45 pm
“It was mostly Riker’s idea,” Elliot admitted, always a firm believer in giving credit where it was due. “I wanted him to stay here and look after you two while I went to go look for the old church. I heard it was cursed, you know? So I thought if there was some ghost haunting it, making trouble, I could at least go investigate and you two would be safe. But, Riker didn’t want me to go alone, and we couldn’t leave you, and how could I be this close to you and not steal a kiss? I didn’t think you’d mind.”
Was it really a kiss that broke the spell? He didn’t know, but he definitely had it in mind to share a kiss with Atticus any time they were faced with strange magic.
Julian just smiled when those two were being a little sappy; he never seemed to mind, especially because he knew it made the two of them happy. “Are you sure?” he asked Riker softly, “If you get tired, tell me. We’ll switch places.”
Could he carry Riker? Probably, on his back. Definitely, if Elliot could also help carry the bags.
“I would have worried if I’d found you frozen. But, um, I hope that if it happens again…we know how to fix it?” Julian was a little more dubious about a magic kiss, but if it happened that way in the fairy tales…why not? He couldn’t tell if Elliot was being serious but he seemed happy so Julian didn’t look into it too deeply.
Elliot caught Riker’s eye and nodded, but he eyed the bags briefly. Well, they didn’t have to travel too far. He would find a way to get Riker to let him hold the bags at least, if it came down to it.
Without anything left to delay him, he adjusted Atticus in his arms briefly and then began to walk–away from the source of those bells.
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