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“So, you mentioned sparring, yeah?” and the dilapidated half of the citadels outskirts, all of that was home now. For him especially. He’d made vows, shored up old foundations, didn’t want to stray too far lest someone needed him; be it a teammate, a friend, a lover— his husband — for all that Earth held everything he adored! It also held pitfalls, aliens, and unknown void holes that swallowed cars and killed entire swaths of vibrant greenery.

Being in the underdark of the castles shadow felt safest right now.

“I’ve got catching up to do…info to share…and a wicked itch to kick somethings s**t in. I mean, a youma’d do, but? You mentioned sparring that one time.” a rough roll of shoulders into a half-assed shrug, Albite didn’t mean to loom any more than he meant to interrupt. Especially not if it inconvenienced Jet, poor guy always looked like he was one step away from deaths door and some well deserved downtime. Maybe with Aqua?

Definitely with Aqua.

“Course,” because maybe he looked a little like Hell too; like he’d walked In through the Out door of a bad day and come In on the other side just a little worse for wear, “could also do coffee…Irish style, but I’m easy like that.” he let his gaze fall from curls that had one too many hearts in ‘em to trace, to all the new and shiny that filled Jets office, things he could pick out to memorize; like playing with the find-it pages on the backs of magazines.

Holy heck, was that a both sorta offer!? Was Jet offering both!

"That's a dangerous offer Jet, giving me two whole choices?" There was warmth for that, some soft bloom of gratitude that tinted his smile and made everything feel a little less wan and weary. He'd known Jet was the one to go to. He'd never figure why his beloved n Jetamarine mixxed a little something like motor oil and -- uhm -- bonfires. Except visually the analogy made perfect sense; two incendiary things didn't go anywhere but up in flames. Least Albite knew he'd always be warm around them all. N that was such a bolstering thought in that moment, "N then adding choices onto those choices? Hell, how could a guy say no to that!"

The notion of alcohol being the exact sort of additive that'd make Coffee deliciously Irish was met with an approving nod, of course Albite'd leave out all the parts on how he tended to bastardize his mix of drinks with enough sweetness to make them holiday worthy. He figured Coffee didn't hardly need style, at least not when the goal was sipping a scalding cup of pick-me-up laced with enough 'hair of the dog' to cure a grown man of any ailment that he could've incurred in life.

"Now, question is -- do you think we can manage sparring n chatting at the same time? Cause, t'befair, the only one I've ever really done anything like this with is Faustite. N me n him spar -- differently..." head tilt attached to a so-so handwave. He didn't know if he had the patience to come up with parameters, to say anything other than 'give me everything you've got, boy-king'. That was dangerous, too. Course anything involving sparring with a General King checked the 'dangerous' box pretty firmly.

"I know I wanna see that sword though! N I've got some new trinkets n tricks to try out...it's...I forget sometimes that it hasn't been that long since you helped graduate me up a rank? It feels like a long time." it felt like an age, Albite couldn't shake it, the events that'd hastened the passing of time between standing in Axinites office then and standing in Jets now. "We should definitely set a time limit though ---- or a freaking safe word, cause *stop* quit meaning anything when freaking *ink monsters* started snatching people outta their homes -- n the gardens began rising up with semi-sentient slime monsters...and..." albite held a breath lest he talked them both into an early grave, searched Jet with something like apologetic longing, because there was just so much he could've gone on about! The string of internal betrayals, his marriage, the plans he'd begged Aqua into. Nectaris.

There would have to be Coffee after -- it might've even had more alcohol than Coffee in it by time he was done with this.

A soft smile for all the ways he imagined Faustites bouts of silence when in the presence of Jet. He knew he was probably exaggerating when he said ‘chat’, especially when so many of him n Faustites chats came down to well interpreted bouts of quiet punctuated by gestures, nuanced facial-expressions, and of course? Faustites fantastic ability to decode *Albiteineese* - a magical thing; where for every forty words he spoke he got a singular succinct reply outta his bonfire boy.

it worked, talking without talking, rambling on and not having to worry if the gist was gotten or not. Faustite always got him. N if ever he didn't understand in turn? It was easy as hell to just ask for some clarification

“M’ready as i'll always be,” as he ever was for anything, even when things were planned? His actions existed only as sporadic unhatched plots. His tactics were ‘********’ levels of unplanned accidents, he was so lucky sometimes, “you’ve been warned though! Talking n chewing gum at the same time is tricky enough, add a sword to the face into the mix n who knows what could happen?”

But the safe words were perfect, had him grinning off whatever tiredness had lingered from every previous night — the way all that s**t seemed to cling post never ending void romp.

He needed this.

Knew it as he offered up his arm, the wash of Jets aura — his power — impossible to ignore at a touch, being so surrounded by it in the same room, and yet? He had no nerves with this one. Trusted Jet with an ease that surprised him; maybe because Jet seemed all too real? Like an actual person instead of a towering authority figure he needed to please. He bled and loved and gave him time when he sure as hell didn’t have too..

He’d totally have to send Aqua a fruit basket as thanks after this, maybe sneak in a few pamphlets about wedding decor, maybe also sneak in some scotch - for his man n a good time.

It was totally a plan!

“Lead on El Capitan~”

The transition was smoother than he’d expected, the room surprisingly well maintained despite all the obvious signs of wear. Spiraled cracks, scorch marks, but no dust. Someone cleaned in here — to think that Albite’d never even *been* before!!

Albite had stood awed, watched bundles of embroidery, brocade, and buttons come undone. Wondered how many layers any one man could stand, and knew if it'd been him? ********, he was glad it wasn't him because he would've screamed having to work with all that extra cloth n the thick layers. Lovely as the whole fit was when thrown together just so -- Albite knew he couldn't've done it -- would've gone running to Laurelite, day one, and asked to trade her outfits. Seen if they made silken, slinky chaos garb in his size, but without all the interwoven constraints.

It was badass though, the smooth transition, the Bigass B l a d e---

"Holy ********, you're built, bundled, n carry a big-a** blade! Tell me our favorite blond with the baby blues doesn't get a helluva kick outta being part of 'The' Power Couple," all the thoughts in Albites head, serious ones, severe ones, the kind that woulda given him the wrong sort of wrinkles someday -- poofed -- gone -- vanished.

He definitely knew there were things he'd wanted to talk about! Like, totally there were! He had weddings to plan (an event bigger than the personal backayard vows he'd briefly shared before his team), and a dying garden to mention, and had deep concerns about the fact that they'd all been so easily kidnapped without being able to get word home...

He'd gotten, kinda, sorta, definitely married.

But Jet had a SWORD!!!

"No, wait, better yet? Tell me how you feel. M'feeling like an a** for not checking up on you more after -- jeezus, everything recently? Especially since my reasons were kinda selfish n random then," not that the letter with writing about black-nettles n Riftshit had been too important, so much as it'd been an excuse to see his friends, he liked coming up with them often.

"M'checking now. How're you, how's this all going?" asked as he knelt carefully, wide eyed wonder for all the black and jewels, making sure to keep his fingers away from the length of the sharp edges -- sooo much sharp -- so shiny --- He wondered that Jet could heft it at all, and with such ease. Maybe it was one of the better perks of being a General King?

Getting really cool weapons, and then very politely telling friends they *wouldn't* risk cutting them in half with them. Albite could totally appreciate that!

Oooh, ******** yes he wanted to touch it!!

"Tell me Aqua doesn't compliment you on the scar, people dig scars, s'hot," there were other words for it, better ones even. Like distinguished, or respectable or -- personality -- it was always the first thing he noticed on any of his partners. Little marks that screamed of life, the kinds that stretched, or pulled, or spoke of silly childhood incidents -- or more dire ones sustained as an adult -- marks full of stories. Good, bad, other, and for all that Waru wanted to pry for more about Castor; he was already reaching for the handle of the thing tentatively.

Snuffing out a snort for the image of Jet screaming at the world, one armed, maybe even more dangerous because of it. Of course, even broken, Jet didn't take breaks. It was so on brand.

Waru was glad that he looked better now, at least, less raw n curt, more whole and healthy. That he could make Jet laugh...

"N'thank you, me n Firebrand -- it hasn't been a long time that we've been together -- but what's time when the worlds like this, right? Can't even call it rushing things at this point," heavier than a broomstick, lighter than a greatsword, balanced as all things should be. Albite wondered if Generals were gifted weapons based on their affinity for a certain style of blade, "you gotta admit Aqua seems like the best kind of person to go to for these things. He's experienced, he's money, he's smart, he won't blow smoke up your a** just to make you feel better about yourself. S'the best thing about him, he's real, like---- there's no ultimatum? Or...like..he wouldn't lie just to make someone else happy? I think people must confuse that with cruel -- or cold -- but people confuse Faustite that way, too. ******** happy he said yes!"

That Aqua agreed to help, that Faustite agreed to put up with his bullshit for a whole span of however many eternities they could last.

"Everything after that is just to ensure sure other people can enjoy the shared happiness with us....drunkenly...like...really...really drunkenly..." he was pretty sure the only way Aqua was going to enjoy it with them was drunkenly, that he'd enjoy it doubly so if Jet got to be drunk along with them.

"Aside from that ---" took space in steps away from Jet, grinning wildly as he took the twinned glaive for a try. A little awkward for the length -- something to feel out, because it didn't quite work like a staff, n there was room to wield it close n personal -- he wasn't even sure what to call the thing; aside from sharp n beautiful, "m'good, but---there's been some issues...There was that void s**t...there was...I think Cryolite -- a basic of mine -- got actually, honest to gods, abducted? I know there's no cure-all for DC's weirdness, but holy ******** not even our actual 'enemies' that I worry about most nights."

When it was just himself? When it'd been just himself? He hadn't worried then -- but he wasn't alone anymore. He could build a strong house, to house a strong team, but what good was that foundation if the roof was pulled off its hinges and its occupants left wide open to the storms outside.

Waru was starting to wonder if he needed a will -- or -- ******** -- the Negaverse version of that? He wouldn't see his team done the way of others should anything befall himself...or his husband...

"N I don't know how to feel about that."

"No worries Jet, you n Aquas secrets'll always be safe with me. Can't have the poor guy getting harassed by all the other people out there who might like him! That positions mine n mine alone--" soft huff of a laugh trailing the end of a thought, because he'd never had any reason to hesitate going to Aquas door. It was nice to check in on the both of them though, the pair so different in demeanor that if Albite hadn't seen proof of their togetherness in the little things? He might've pegged Jet for being solely into Laurels --- which probably had far more to do with his imagination of Jet in that dress and the Laurelite in pants than it had to do with anything else.

"I really do appreciate you two-woops-," spoken sincerely while he made to stab at some invisible foe and nearly overbalanced himself with the motion of it; the thing had weight to it, the kind that required practice wielding because the dangers inhering in being so unfamiliar with a weapon as to be awkward with it were paramount!

Aaaaannnnddd now he was going to very carefully hand it back before he stabbed himself on accident.

"The figuring who to trust part is what's hardest, yanno? Me n mine've a bit of a track record for bringing people over at this point, Faustites really good at it!" there was pride for this, the knowledge that his team was doing some good even against the growing weirdness. Even against voids, and alien abductions, and the whole nine. Talking about it made him feel better, Jet made him feel better, and having a team--- "The downside to which, is that with growing numbers you also get some loss in-between. Some of that's just unavoidable, right? Then there's what happened with Sylvite.....I've still got opinions on the whole Gany deal..." and he'd been auxiliary on the entire thing. It wasn't his business then. It probably still wasn't his business now, but he couldn't deny being angry about it all.

The parts where Gany was still alive and had taken Sylvite with her......

"It sucks, is all....right along with everything else that just doesn't quite make sense. I bet they could have their stars back if they'd just go n take 'em -- their all soo -- concrete with bein here." Albite didn't think he'd ever understand it, none of the arguments meshed true, but maybe the concept just wasn't his to understand. He n his team did their parts in it all, maybe that was all they could ever do?

"Whatever, right? We've got this--though, uh, I do get why you can't hit me with the sharp bits now, yeh? I might actually die..." as enticing as sparring had originally seemed? Becoming Albite the Senshi of Bisection was slowly losing its appeal. Jet's glaive was a ******** glaive and not a toy! Touching it had confirmed that.

Albite stilled all at once in thought, an all over pause that lasted seconds before he was fidgeting again, twisting on his heels and taking a breath before opening his mouth the once--it really wasn't his place to say--but since Jet was asking?

"She should've died..." a growl to the words, blunt, honest, and obviously to the point. Albite wondered if he should've clarified further, because by 'died' he meant they should've killed her, and by killed he meant--- Well, there was only really the one meaning the further down that particular rabbit hole his thoughts ran. Oh, and Gany getting to live long enough to get snatched up was worse by then, because they'd lost Lysi not long before that, hadn't they? Gany had known her, in a way. The way Senshi were supposed to know things, maybe? Then Sylvite had followed (which was so out of left field and it'd hurt him, and it'd continued to hurt!). He knew it was childish as ******** to place the blame of that entirely on Ganymede's head, but she felt soo soo soo much like this larger than life looming domino that'd started a chain of reactions, intentional or not. The power of her presence wasn't something that was easily ignored. Princesses were not to be ******** with.

Neither was the Negaverse --- or Jet -- or Aqua -- Gany's less than peaceable end would've been exemplary to that!

"Gettn' you back was the main thing, right? That was---n' I was auxiliary to the whole of it all, yeh? So my main 'task' was to support the others," manage the sidelines, keep the other supers busy while the ranked people handled the bigger threats. It'd gone so ******** well!" there was excitement for that, the kind that easily washed away dregs of anger that lingered. It'd been a good fight if not an easy fight, Albite had enjoyed the moment for what it was, "But every second we had her here? I itched. I didn't know Princesses could make you itch!! Maybe it's cause she's such a big sister-moon all up there in the sky! So her Aura's got volume to it?" he shrugged for his lack of any better explanation, even as he fell into thinking about everything else aloud.

"S'probably because I talked to her---" albite hedged softly, as if somehow that'd made things worse. Great as she'd been to chat up, informative as ******** as she was, it wasn't really worth it in the end when Albite felt he knew for sure they'd lost Sylvite because of Gany's presence. He would've bet money on that woman talking his girl into something.

"Isn't me looking down on you guys though, yanno? I know there's plots, n plans, n reasons for things---S'why I don't deal in any of 'em except to do what I'm told. M'always way too emotional about everything. Especially stuff like this." Jet'd been hurt gravely, and there they were feeding the woman bento boxes!? N Bloodstone was watching him all hawkish n leery like the good-bad-doctor-lad thought he'd be the one to try something stupid--- which--okay--Albite might've tried to do a dumb thing if he'd gotten enough time alone. Certainly he would've done more n chat her up about the stars n solar systems. Gany had the neck of a swan after all...

"To have been involved in more n what was asked of me back then? It would've probably been too much. M'better off just--unleashing alluv that on the field. Though I would like some direction on -- on what we're doing in regards to those two now? How--how y'all want this handled?"

He knew the obvious answer was 'kill them', ahduh, but he'd also come to realize that maybe the 'obvious to him' answer wasn't exactly the thing people wanted all the time. Better to ask!

Jet agreed with him!! A relief of a balm, then Jet went on, and now Albite just wanted to hug him even more!

To hug Aquamarine, too, for the way he'd looked like he'd needed one back then. All sleep deprived n red-ring-of-rage around too blue eyes, midnight bruising beneath. How the usually collected man had sounded when he'd finally come to them n sprung the plan to get Jet back because maybe something'd gone wrong? Because no one had been sure if Jet was actually alive or not just then...

That'd been the most terrifying part.

A world without Jet couldn't exist anymore than one without Aqua could've. It woulda been all sorts of wrong. As wrong as what'd transpired between the Knights n them n Gany had been. Everything Albite hadn't known, even the parts he didn't understand, they got slowly filled in -- shored up with little details that made him want all the more for heads on pikes, n starseeds in hands.

Especially those Knights-- all the ways they made him angry, the same ways Gany's presence made him itch with misplaced anxiety, and electrified nervousness. Overexcited n hot-wired n nothing to do with it all. Except sigh off the residual terseness n c**k his head for the wording.

"Transcendence is the glowy bits right? The-ah--huhn, okay and m'not gonna lie, I always thought it was just badass tattoos. Like maybe they were protective n such? But....heh..transcendence is a word for it for sure," more reason still for him to work on changing their PR perspective for what got put out into the world and what didn't. Transcendence sounded cool on the offset! Who wouldn't want it when it sounded as cool as that!? They just had to make the Negaverse sound even more badass....

"M'sorry though. For you n Aqua both --- that we didn't get to kill Gany or break the-- the transcendence? That is -- there aren't really words, are there? Aside from me saying that I'm glad you're alive..." serious as all get out and everyone there had been on the same page at least. Easily followed along for want of saving the man, he'd followed Faustite in with not a detail in his head, followed Aquas plan without asking anything more n 'when', for how badly he'd wanted to have done it right that second. "The both of you."

"We'll get more chances though! I promise, and maybe we get it sooner then later. If it takes another lifetime though? Much as that sucks -- I'll still be here, I promise. Faustite too, probably, n'less half-youma got time limits on 'em. Seems ******** unlikely, that." It really did seem unlikely that his Husband was going anywhere anytime soon, and even if he left as Waru, there would be more Albites in the future -- More Praxidikes to be met by more Faustites, he imagined he'd be as easily enticed as he always had been by everything the Negaverse held n offered up so freely. Wasn't a hard thing to imagine.

"All those plans of yours -- should make 'em into a -- a thing -- the kind you can pass on? Maybe Laurels would do it, so those of us with more Eternal kinda commitment options can continue with alluv it long after. Dunno if she ages or not since she's a Queen n all--do--do queens age? Wouldn't make her any less a bombshell if she did, but...." and he shrugged because he didn't know a damned thing about how the Velencians could help! He'd hardly seen hide nor hair of any of them since the whole explody meltdown of machinery months n months ago.."...But lets say we do get her back this lifetime, yeh? We break the mold. Win the day. Then there's still Sylvite to deal with. D'you think-- do you think we can do away with Sylvi' nicely? I...I don't think we could turn her again. I want to. I want that so ******** badly....M'hoping she was tricked n this is just all, it's a terrible mistake, yeah? The worst kind of mistake she coulda ever made because she didn't know what I'm finding out right now...."

Except never had the idea of taking Gany away alive existed in Albites singular thought producing head. Fairly caught was fairly won and ******** them all for what they'd done.

"But lets say she's still alive out there with them? M'not wanting to turn her if she doesn't want it. It'd be a waste. So we'd just have to...yanno?"