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 Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:45 pm
Arias was still regularly powering up, it was just different now. Being a Squire, he'd felt lost. Being a Knight...he'd still felt lost, but at least he had ties to his ancestor, and he was working hard to get stronger. He'd been back to his wonder a few times since he'd swapped his gloves for a whip, and while he wasn't the best with it, he was getting more comfortable.
He'd just...neglected to tell Nick any of it.
It made him feel a bit uncomfortable; was it a lie? Omission of the truth? Or just something that hadn't come up so he'd avoided mentioning it? They'd had more important things to talk about.
Arias was still afraid of saying too much, but there came a point where it just felt too much like not saying enough.
So, he'd invited Nick out to the park after a series of texts; Arias hadn't outright said what he wanted to show Nick, but he had prefaced the conversation with an 'I want to show you something that I'm excited about, can you meet me at the fountain the park?'.
He hadn't powered up yet, figuring that might ruin the surprise. This was the fountain they'd always met at while powered up, but Arias sat there in the cool night air, listening to the water splash behind him as he waited on the edge of the fountain.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:47 pm
Whisler made his way to the park, happy to see Arias, and curious about what it was he would be seeing. It wasn’t often that Arias had surprises...he wasn’t a very surprising guy...he really was just...average. Always average…
Not that he didn’t like average, it was just…
Arias wasn’t a surprising person, that was all.
When he saw his boyfriend standing by the fountain, Whisler raised a hand in greeting. “Hey love. What’s up? We don’t meet here often anymore...everything okay?”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:47 pm
Arias glanced up as soon as he heard Whisler's voice. He waved back and stood.
"That's sort of why I texted. It's been awhile, I wanted to show you something."
...Of course, that was why he was here, Arias had already texted that. He flashed another smile though, and decided he wasn't going to play coy or waste time. As he was walking towards Whisler, he powered up. It was fast, not too flashy, and when he turned into Knight Newgrange, Whisler's energy signature was the only one around.
"Ta-Da," he said, gesturing. He didn't seem ecstatic, instead just a little nervous. He was smiling, so proud of the rank, but it wasn't a secret that he'd felt like he was failing as a knight, before--stuck as a Squire and not knowing what to do about the state of his homeworld.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:49 pm
Whisler’s eyes widened, and a smile grew on his face. “Look at you, handsome.” He crossed the distance between them in two short steps and drew the other knight into his arms. “I’m so proud of you, Newgrange...you look amazing.”
Pulling away, Whisler looked him over, nodding in approval. “Shame you didn’t get a cape though. My cape is my favorite part of my outfit.” He winked.
“But seriously though. I better watch out, with you looking this good, someone could snatch you away from me quick as lightning. I’ll have to hide you in a drawer to keep you from hungry hands and thirsty assholes.”
He pulled the other knight into a hug again, reaching up and threading his fingers through Newgrange’s soft brown hair. “I love you. I’m so glad you showed me this. This is awesome.”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:49 pm
Newgrange laughed when he was embraced; it was an instinctive response to praise, soft and light, like he expected it to be a joke. It was instinctive, too, to lean into Whisler's touch.
"I don't think anyone will try and snatch me. It's not like I'm particularly high in demand. I do a pretty good job of slipping by unnoticed. I can't quite complain about not getting a cape. I think it would just get in the way. Especially--Oh, I got a new weapon."
He reached down to tug half-heartedly at the whip at his side. "And my ancestor is talking to me, so he's been showing me how to use it. I wish...I could take you up to meet him," he said, eyes half lidded and brows knit.
"I'm starting to think he isn't a bad guy, just...doesn't know how to deal with people anymore. I suppose he's all right with Knights, though--he finally seemed like he was willing to talk to me once I'd shown up like this. I don't know why, but I want his approval, badly, so I've been practicing extra. But it's all work, work, work with him--not that I mind the training! It's nice to feel like I'm learning how to fight. It's just...he's such a stranger. He won't talk about anything but techniques and training. I'd really like to get to know him," he sighed."
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:50 pm
“I wish I could meet him too…” Whisler’s voice was soft, and there was almost a note of jealousy there, almost but not quite. Why didn’t he have an ancestor? Someone to guide him through all of this? Was it because he had started out in the Negaverse? Was it because he wanted to go back to the Negaverse? Did enough chaos still cling to him that any ancestor thought he was unworthy and disgusting?
...But if that was the case, why did his Wonder choose for him to transcend? Clearly it wanted him to remain who he was...what he was...but…
“A whip hm? That’s sexy as hell, Newgrange. We could have some fun with that, you and me.”
Now, that was the kind of teasing that he hadn’t done with the brunette in a long, long time, and it almost sounded strained to his own ears but…
But it felt so natural to say.
Talk about mixed feelings. “You’re so serious. All I want to do is have parties at my wonder, and you’re worried about training and actually saving the world. I like it.”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:50 pm
Newgrange blinked when Whisler mentioned the whip; at first he seemed to be wondering if Whisler was proposing a spar or some brand of his own training. He was about to ask what he was talking about when it hit him--this was Whisler.
He knew the types of things he thought about.
The look of comprehension crossed Newgrange's face suddenly and his ears were red even before he could sputter out an answer.
It wasn't a no; he had learned that 'no' was bad. Instead, he said, "Oh--you--maybe, but, really." Flustered, it was all too easy to move onto the last thing Whisler had said. "I mean--I'm just worried about people."
That word again, the bad one. The w-word.
He tried to cover it up with more words. "People close to me just seem like they have a habit of getting into trouble. I just want to be able to help them. If they need me. I mean--you," he gestured to the Transcendence marks. "I doubt you'd ever need me to save you. You're as strong as they come. You're so powerful you don't have to stress out about those things, you can have parties at your wonder. Me, I..." He shrugged and had to force a laugh as he shook his head. "...I think my Ancestor would kick me out if I tried that. He's the serious one."
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:51 pm
Whisler grinned wickedly at Newgrange’s reaction--it was just as he had hoped and imagined it would be...but he hadn’t been expecting the other malet to agree….well, not agree but...he had said maybe...that was almost agreeing, wasn’t it?
“Ohhh...a maybe, hm? Well. That’s not a no, so I’ll almost take that as a yes, love.” He winked again and didn’t seem bothered at all by the w-word. In fact, he grinned.
“You’re without a doubt one of the sweetest, most loyal people I have ever met in my life, Newgrange, and I am beyond honored to know you.” Every word was the truth and he grinned, hugging the brunette tightly once more.
“You’ll...bring me up there one day, won’t you? I really would like to see it...even if your ancestor doesn’t like me...I...I’m…”
He shrugged. “I mean, you don’t have to but...I’d like to.”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:51 pm
Initially, Newgrange braced himself for bad news after Whisler was so nice to him--after he embraced him--but found himself quickly relaxing when nothing came. It was easy to close his eyes--even if just for a few seconds--and rest against him.
"Yeah," he said, turning his head so his voice wasn't muffled into Whisler's chest.
"I wish I could get the place cleaned up a bit. It's dusty, and while the vines that are growing there are charming, I don't know if they're supposed to be there. Your Wonder looks nice already, I'm a little ashamed of how unkempt mine is. It makes me feel like...asking your parents if your friends can come over--maybe if I clean up a bit, he'll let me?"
There was a hint of amusement in his voice as he ran the thought around in his mind.
"I'd like you to come up, though. I just wish I could guarantee a good time. He's got a very powerful stink eye," Newgrange sighed. "I don't want him to chase you away or make you feel unwelcome. I want my Wonder to be a safe place for you, too. Comfortable and nice, like yours was for me. I don't even have any snacks up there or anything set up. Truthfully, I've barely even explored the place. I don't want to bore you."
Here, or there, it was a fear that had become quite prominent in his mind of late.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:52 pm
“Oh.” It sounded like excuses, and for some reason, that made Whisler’s stomach do some backflips that didn’t feel good at all. Honestly, he felt sort of sick. Or, really sick. Did Newgrange just not want him to visit? Was he ashamed of Whisler too? Did he really think that his ancestor would...think so little of him…? Did...Arias think so little of him…?
He drew away and forced a grin. “Well, it’ll be grand when I finally get to visit, I’m sure. I’ve still been hard at work on mine, I think I’ve gotten to a point where I have about enough food to last me a month, so if I ever feel the need for a month long...albeit cold, vacation...I have the perfect spot!”
It was so much easier to boast. To gloat about his own success. He didn’t like feeling unwanted, especially by Arias. That was just...an annoying jab that made him have a very nasty taste in his mouth.
How could he not be good enough? He was more than good enough. In fact, he knew he was too good for this just barely formed knight that was in front of him.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:52 pm
"A month!" Newgrange exclaimed. "I hope you're never gone for that long, I'd miss you too much. Do you have any tips? I don't think I have a place I can store cool food, but I might be able to find a place for dry foods."
He tried to place the blueprint that he knew in his mind, but there were still too many places he hadn't yet seen. Eventually, he shrugged it away.
"It's not a very romantic getaway right now but maybe we could plan for the week after next? I think I might be able to sweet talk my ancestor, or..." His voice drifted off and she shook his head. "I don't want to lie, but if I asked permission, I'm sure he'd say no. I should just bring you with me, one day. We could use the excuse that we came to clean and straighten up and I've brought reinforcements?"
It wasn't very romantic; he wanted to show Whisler his wonder but right now it was in such disrepair. It was just something new, something unexplored--something fresh.
...Well. As long as his ancestor didn't sour it up.
Of everything he was worried about, he was the only real mood killer. Arias liked him just fine, of course, he just...felt like even he wasn't wanted there; he didn't want Whisler to feel the same way. He had enough to worry about already, without some millennia old spirit antagonizing him.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:52 pm
He let out a laugh, and shrugged. “Well, it’s just nice to know that I have a place to escape to if I need it, you know? It makes me happy to know I can get away if need be.”
Like getting away from you. It was a place he could go that Newgrange couldn’t get to, or really contact him while he was there...but that was a bad thought. It was a thought he shouldn’t be having...but he couldn’t get it out of his head.
“Newgrange, don’t worry about it. If you don’t want me there, I don’t have to go, it’s as easy as that.”
The knight put his hands on the back of his head and grinned, trying very hard to at least try to seem like he really didn’t care in the slightest, like it didn’t matter one way or another if he visited his boyfriend’s wonder or not...because it didn’t matter. Really, it didn’t. “If you want me to wait until it’s better, we’ll wait. No harm in waiting, right?” Because that’s all they ever did. Waited. Trained. Pushed things back.
It was so frustrating.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:53 pm
Newgrange's brows furrowed just slightly but he still smiled. "I know, I know. I want you to come, though. I suppose I'm just...I don't really know how to put it into words."
He strained for a moment and then finally sighed. "Or, maybe I do. I haven't been a very good Knight. I'm not good at fighting, I don't have powers that really help people, I don't know anything about my wonder, and it's taken me years to get my Ancestor to even talk to me. And then, there's you."
He looked up at Whisler and smiled. "You've been a Knight for almost as long as I've known you. And then, you Transcended. You know your Wonder--you can live on it. You just seem like you've got all of this taken care of, like you know what's going on and you make the best of it. I suppose...somewhere along the road I started basing where you were at as the mark of success. I just...don't want to disappoint you, because I know I'm not where you're at. Not even close, really. I suppose I've just been ashamed. I'm sorry."
He rubbed at the back of his neck, lips pursed. "...I do want you there, I just want you to know that. I want to share it with you. I just don't want you to think poorly of it--or me--because it's so...rough."
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:53 pm
Whisler shrugged. “To me it just feels like you don’t want me there because you don’t think I’m good enough. Maybe you don’t want me there because I used to be corrupted, or maybe I don’t have an ancestor because I used to be corrupted...I just feel useless, I suppose. You not wanting me there, I feel like it’s because of me not being good enough, and you’re just using your wonder as an excuse…”
He hadn’t meant to say it, but the words kept tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them, so he didn’t stop them. Maybe this was the open communication that Newgrange had wanted...but all it felt like to Whisler was him complaining about feeling left out.
Communication was stupid, and all it led to was hurt feelings.
“Ah, you know, nevermind, it’s stupid anyway...you’ll show me when you’re ready. That’s all. Just gotta be patient. Like always.”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 4:54 pm
This seemed to take Newgrange by surprise; he suddenly looked a bit more serious and shook his head. "No--I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you that impression, Whisler. Wait--what?" he asked, brows furrowing.
"...Don't think you're good enough? I've never thought you weren't good enough for anything. I think very highly of you--I have for as long as I can remember."
Well--nearly all of the time. The only time Newgrange could remember being unhappy with him was when he threatened to find a way to corrupt him--which wasn't Whisler's fault; he'd been under a lot of stress and was being manipulated by Chaos or something--and when he'd found out he was involved in other relationship--which was probably Newgrange's fault for not clarifying or asking or understanding or something, but even then, they'd talked about it and Whisler wasn't doing that.
His expression didn't betray his thoughts; he just seemed focused on Whisler's words. "Do you really think I would judge you just because you used to be corrupted?" he asked softly. "It was a part of your life that's in the past. You were awakened into it--how could you have known any better? I don't blame you for that. And I certainly don't think you're useless," he insisted. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way--but I swear, Whisler--Nick, I want you around. Even up there, even if it's not fixed up and my Ancestor is like a very rude, intruding landlord who doesn't want anyone to feel comfortable or have fun. But please believe me when I say that I want you around--I wouldn't lie to you."
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