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 Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:10 am
Takes place late February 2023. Quinn was anxious as he sat on the park bench and waited. Lucasta had kept her promise and managed to get a message to Devyn -- who might not even remember him, but who agreed to meet with him anyway.
Lucasta didn’t give him more details than a suggestion of where to meet, which ended up being the park where he’d first arrived. This way he could at least take Jack’s Siberian Husky with him and let her get some fresh air.
Even if the air was much too cold for him. It wasn’t even the coldest it had been since arriving, but Quinn was bundled up in a jacket and scarf and gloves.
He scraped the toe of his shoe into the dirt, wondering if this was maybe a horrible idea. Maybe Devyn was just being polite, would say hello, and that would be that. That was fine. He still had… nearly the full month until Jack was back. Michael went with Devyn, of course. He knew he was probably going to be fine on his own, but he wanted to meet this person, too. Someone Devyn said he knew from back before everything was taken over by Chaos.
A Senshi by the name of Enceladus, but went by Quinn when not powered up. Held power over reservoirs and lived on a tropical world. But if science told him anything, any imagery of the moon of Saturn showed nothing but ice.
He knew there was magic involved, and not everything was as it seemed. But Chaos did horrible things.
He nodded to the young man with the bright yellow hair and the dog they’d been instructed to look for, and made sure to keep at least a step behind Devyn so as not to scare Quinn off.
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:18 am
When Devyn first got the message, he thought Lucasta must have been wrong–but then, that wouldn’t have been right. She was clever and witty and probably not easily fooled. He thought he must have imagined the message, or misunderstood, but the pieces has clicked into place easily enough. He’d had to talk it out with Micahel to make it make sense, but he was the perfect soundboard. Patient and encouraging, and he was always there to listen whenever Devyn had something to say.
Devyn probably would have been fine on his own; if Michael hadn’t been with him, he’d have left earlier to make sure he didn’t get lost and miss the rendezvous point. With Michael there, they’d had a nice walk, even if Devyn was bustling with energy.
It was a cool enough night that Devyn had dressed in a few layers–partly to help with the temperature, and partly because he had a good reason to dress up.
Even if this was still by Earth standards.
He’d spent a bit of time doing his hair, and he’d even had Atticus help him with some of the beads strung into his braids. His makeup was sharp but subtle, just a splash of teal and some nice eyeliner. He’d debated something more impressive but, Earth.
His pants were black and plain–his excuse for getting away with the over the knee boots that he’d embroidered with gold oak leaves during a rainy day. He wore a white shirt that fitted his torso like it was made for him–it was–so he could have his billowing sleeves. Gold jewelry and teal gemstones, some that he’d made for himself, and some that Atticus had made for him. He’d been rather proud of his belt and the impressive gold buckle; the gemstone matched his eyeshadow perfectly, and the thin, decorative gold chains fastened to it jingled when he walked. He’d made a show of it several times already and probably would again.
Not now, though; he could see Quinn from here and his strides grew a little longer as they neared.
“Quinn. You’ve hardly aged a day, what's your secret?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:36 am
His head snapped up when he heard Devyn’s voice. He didn’t need anything else to convince him. He didn’t care how many centuries had apparently passed -- he still remembered things like voices and colors. And Devyn had very distinctive eyes.
Of course, Roxy was overly eager to greet their new friends, and Quinn’s attention was quickly pulled to making sure she didn’t get away from him or jump on Devyn or--
Or the other man he was with.
“Roxy, sit,” he said as clearly as his wobbly voice would allow. He was not going to get emotional and cry. He wasn’t like Percy who--
Jack had told him Devyn was married to his friend’s brother. Which meant Devyn must have moved on.
There was a strange bitterness he felt. Tasted. He glanced over at the other man again, before focusing his attention on giving Roxy pats for listening to him and sitting, but also Devyn.
He didn’t know what to say. He’d played out what he would have liked to say over and over in his head. But when the time came, all he could do was open and close his mouth like a fish, until he finally croaked out, “Everything is ice.” Michael didn’t try to crowd. He wasn’t dressed up like Devyn, but he still wore dark jeans and had a leather jacket over his boring button-up shirt. The necklace was tucked under it, so it was warm against his chest.
He caught the look the young man gave him, but wasn’t sure what to think about it. He knew it was impossibly difficult to bridge the gap between everything that someone once knew, to the reality of now.
And he couldn’t quite pinpoint how old this young man was. Obviously a thousand or more years, but he looked like he was maybe in his early twenties. He knew from Devyn that Quinn’s people apparently aged slower than others, including those from Earth. That they’d met when Quinn looked older than Devyn.
But it was a good thing that Devyn recognized him. Michael just hoped that Quinn was similar to the Quinn that Devyn knew a thousand years ago.
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:48 am
There were little things that told Devyn not to make light of their meeting.
The way Quinn’s voice trembled. The way he’d looked at Michael. The way he struggled to find words.
Devyn had time to process everything leading up to this point, between the fall of his world and his arrival on Earth. He’d had time to cope. To adjust.
Quinn hardly looked like he’d been here for long.
Devyn wasn’t going to pretend like it wasn’t a jarring, painful experience. His own adjustment period had resulted in him secluding himself on his world and sorting through things while in his self-imposed isolation.
It didn’t take him long to determine that everything is ice was less about Earth and more about Enceladus.
He approached swiftly, but was mindful not to startle Quinn or the dog. When he was close enough, he extended his hand to Roxy in greeting. Michael was not forgotten, but Devyn knew the signs of a cracking dam, and he didn’t want Quinn in an uncomfortable position.
Enceladus was not supposed to be ice.
It seemed like it had been hard enough for Quinn to say what he has, so when Devyn spoke again it was gentle, and kind. Patient and understanding, in case Quinn needed time to answer–or in case he didn’t want to answer at all. “Do you know how it happened?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:55 am
Roxy was eager for the attention, and enthusiastically offered her paw, missed Devyn’s hand, offered it again, before switching to her other paw. All the while her tail was flopping about excitedly.
Quinn held tightly to the leash, just in case. He didn’t want to tell Jack that he lost his dog after promising to take care of her.
But right now there was a tidal wave of emotions that made it feel like he was drowning. Keeping her from running off was all he could think of doing at the moment.
To Devyn, Quinn shook his head, but paused soon after so he could at least try to sort through what happened.
“There was some… threat. I don’t know. I wanted to fight it, but--”
He’d been forced into that container anyway. Did they know how long he would have been stuck there? Did people come and visit him over the centuries? Or did the water levels start to rise immediately? Did anyone escape?
“I woke up. Everything was underwater. So I held my breath, got out, and tried to get to the surface but… it was all ice. I couldn’t. Um… there was something that sounded like it was calling to me and, well, I was desperate. It was either listen or drown so. I ended up here.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 11:28 am
Devyn crouched down to be on the dog’s level; he’d gotten used to his height being intimidating, and if Quinn was feeling vulnerable he had a good reason to diminish it. He held out one hand for the dog and scratched her side.
His eyes drifted to Quinn, but he wanted to give him privacy if he needed it. He didn’t need to see much; he already had a good idea of where he was emotionally.
“I’m glad you wound up here, Quinn. I did, too. Didn’t know what was going on, but I found the right people and they helped me get my bearings.” Quinn must have too if they’d been able to find each other here.
“Have you been back yet?” He couldn’t blame him if he had; Devyn shifted positions just slightly from where he was crouched to accommodate the discomforting thought of being trapped underwater. He was familiar enough with it to be disgusted by the idea, but this wasn’t about him. He was okay. Quinn looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders–and judging by what Devyn already knew, he might have.
“There are supplies here, and good people who can help if you want to,” he explained. “But taking care of yourself right now is more important. You must have been asleep for a while, it’s been a bit of time since I last saw you.” Though he supposed he already knew the answer, he asked, “Are you okay?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 12:21 pm
Just like with Jack, Quinn didn’t answer that question. He wasn’t going to lie and say that he was okay when he wasn’t, but acknowledging that he wasn’t okay? What could anyone do about that? Pat his back and tell him everything would be? It wouldn’t. His World and its people were gone.
“There’s nothing left to go back to,” he growled through gritted teeth instead, staring down at Roxy so his glare wasn’t directed at Devyn.
“You weren’t asleep for it,” he said, because he knew a little from what Jack told him. But he knew Alastor was prone to flooding. Prone to its strange atmosphere pulling down dangerous debris.
He wasn’t sure what was worse. Having to try to survive through it, or not know anything about what happened. Not knowing if he could have helped stop whatever happened.
“Why are we even here?” he choked on the emotions again, but this time looked up to where Devyn was crouching by Roxy. She was clearly enjoying the attention and tried licking Devyn in greeting.
There was more he wanted to ask. More about how Devyn was, about what he’d survived. Quinn spared a glance over at the other man again, who was being quiet and keeping his distance, leaning against a tree nearby.
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 12:31 pm
What Quinn said was as important as what he didn’t say. Devyn hadn’t lived this long without being attentive, and while he had known Quinn somewhat before, time had passed between them. Too much had happened to pretend like Quinn was still familiar to him, and even if he had been, he was changed, anyway.
Quinn didn’t pretend like he was doing well, nor did he force himself to humor Devyn with trivialities just to give the illusion of being okay.
There was nothing to take offense to. Quinn was trying to hold himself together, trying to force himself to function and make sense of a universe that didn’t even try to abide by logic.
He didn’t stop petting the dog, and when Quinn looked at him, he met his gaze. Her attention was sweet, but he wasn’t going to be tempted away from the serious subject matter.
“Because there’s something here that can help. I don’t know what it is exactly, but I thought it might have been my world using what energy it had to give me a chance. I was on my last legs before I got to Earth. I don’t know how long I would have made it if I hadn’t had a chance to recover. But there’s food here, and shelter. People who helped me get back to my full strength.”
He’d known what plagued his world. He knew why it was sick.
He didn’t know that Quinn had such luxury
“People who helped me get the Chaos off of my world, too.” He didn’t look at Michael, but he tilted his head in his direction briefly. “People who kept me sane and made sure I didn’t get myself killed. I’ve been staying here, but I go back to Alastor every few days. We’ve been putting a lot of work into fixing it up again. If you need help, you’ll find it here.”
He spoke honestly and added, a little softer, “You know if you need anything, you can tell me, Quinn. You don’t even have to ask.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 12:52 pm
He glanced up at the other man again, but turned his attention back to Devyn soon after. Devyn was being supportive as always, but Quinn had no idea what his place was in the universe any more, much less what he could possibly need.
Nothing. Everything. Some semblance of what life was. Well. No, that would be impossible on Earth. On Enceladus, his duty to protect it…? What was the point any more?
He could feel his eyes getting hot and watery, but he stubbornly blinked the tears away. He wasn’t going to look weak, especially not in front of Devyn and who he could only assume was his new husband.
It was good that Devyn found people to help him and his world. Quinn…? He didn’t know if enough people could help thaw out his.
“I don’t know what I need,” he admitted with a sniffle. He felt completely alone. Jack was gone for a month -- however long that was. Paris checked in on him, but other than that it was just him and Roxy.
“Thank you,” he decided to say anyway, because even if there was nothing anyone could do to help him, he was still grateful that Devyn seemed decently adjusted.
“I miss everyone,” he said with a quiet breath, but he lowered his eyes to the ground so it wasn’t as obvious that they were filled with tears.
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 1:32 pm
Tears could be an intimate thing, and while Devyn was not uncomfortable seeing them, he didn't want Quinn to have to address them. Devyn could see his efforts to hide them, so respectfully kept his head down and focused on the dog in front of them. If it would spare Quinn's pride, he could pretend like he hadn't noticed.
"I miss everyone, too."
He didn't pretend like those old wounds had healed, and he didn't pretend like he ever thought they would. One lifetime of grieving wasn't enough, and it didn't matter how long he'd been alive, he still missed them.
In all of his life, there was a brief period of time surrounding Percy that he felt like he’d lived. His memories were strongest there. The people he knew then meant more to him than any other he’d met on Alastor.
When Percy died, he’d existed. He’d seen Atrius and Virgil and Madison pass. Lukas, a long while later. Marius, after that.
He’d grieved, but his heart had been overflowing with grief since he lost Percy. At a certain point, a heart could only hurt so much. He hadn’t bothered to make new friends, he didn’t want to care when he lost them, too.
But his grief was old. His loss was ancient. Sometimes, there was a sharp reminder.
Mostly in the little, daily things. He wasn't forgetting them again, though. This time, the wound had a chance to heal.
But things were still fresh and raw for Quinn. If he'd slept through the loss, it was still new to him.
There was no easy advice to make it any less painful.
"Sometimes it helps to talk about them," he suggested quietly. He did it often, where he could lose himself in a happy memory for a moment. "If you ever want to, I'll listen."
They had plenty to catch up on, at least. It wasn't anything to rush through.
"Michael and his mother have helped me get some of Percy's paintings together. They're going to go up in a gallery soon. You'll have to come see it. I can show you around Destiny City if you like. I'm good at getting lost. But we can get something to eat and talk." He was sure that Quinn had good people looking after him, but he wondered if it was any pressure to try and keep up appearances and absorb everything with new people. Quinn had known Devyn when he was young; going to get food, going to explore--those were the same things they could have done together in their youth.
It was just a different place, now. A different time.
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 1:49 pm
Quinn was quiet for a little while, but then nodded to Devyn’s offer. There was a lot of time that had passed between them, and he would like to know everything that Devyn was willing to share with him.
“Chris is your brother?” he asked after another moment, looking up at Michael now. He pursed his lips together, but then nodded. “He seems nice. Paris too. Yeah, I would like to talk to you sometime, Devyn,” he clarified. Michael had been quietly watching them, or not so much watching, but standing close by and giving them space. When Devyn mentioned him and his mother, he moved a little closer. Enough to be able to lightly place his hand on Devyn’s shoulder as he crouched down for Roxy.
“We’re serious about letting us know what you need. We have people you can talk to if there’s anything else you need that we can’t provide. Even if it’s something you’re not sure is possible, just let us know and we’ll see what we can do,” Michael said, and while he wasn’t sure he knew why the young man’s eyes narrowed slightly on him, he felt relieved when Quinn nodded to him as well.
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 2:04 pm
Devyn listened while Michael spoke, and nodded afterwards. “Michael’s been good to me. The whole family has. I’m not the best at asking for help, but they offered it all the same.”
He didn’t see the threat of tears as much now, so he looked up at Quinn again. He hadn’t stopped petting Roxy and didn’t show signs of letting up any time soon. He was certain that if Quinn needed anything material here on Earth, he’d be provided for. It made him feel better about the inevitable parting words they’d have to speak.
That, and the promise of seeing each other again. Speaking about things.
Maybe including why he seemed to keep looking at Michael like that.
“I know things can be a little overwhelming here.” A lot overwhelming. “And, everywhere. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through, but I’m glad you’re here.” Selfishly, probably. He couldn’t help being excited to see people he knew. It was one less person that was just gone. He just wasn’t happy that Quinn had to lose everything and everyone to be here.
He held no delusions, he knew he wasn’t enough to make up for everything he’d lost.
But there wasn’t a way to bring them back. Maybe there was a way to restore his world, too, but he knew there was always going to be a void of the people that moved on without him.
The best that Devyn could hope for was that he could support him and help him adjust. Maybe help him save his world, if they were able to.
Maybe there were still some people holding out there, too.
Just because he hadn’t found anyone on Alastor yet didn’t mean he was any closer to giving up.
“I have a free schedule most of the time. Do you want to do lunch tomorrow? I can take you to a park I like, it’s by the water. Very green, and warm, under the sunlight. Is she yours?” He brushed his hand over Roxy’s ear. “She can come too, there’s a space where she can run around, if you like.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 2:10 pm
Quinn glanced down at Roxy and shook his head. “No, she’s Jack’s. I mean… He’s the one letting me stay with him. He and Chris play baseball together and he had to leave for training or something. But he brought me to meet Lucasta, although… he’d never seen a Mauvian before. Knights are very strange,” he mused, glad that Roxy was a sweet girl and not the vicious creature that he first expected her to be.
“But… yeah, we can do that. I don’t have anything else to do besides take Roxy on walks and try to figure out what all of this is.”
Jack had been helpful in a lot of ways, but there was so much he didn’t know. And he couldn’t read anything, so that didn’t help.
“Can we meet here and then go to your park? I don’t really know my way around.”
There was still a knot in his stomach, but he felt a little better about the idea of having plans. Especially when it involved the water and sunlight.
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 4:19 pm
Devyn nodded immediately; if Michael and Atticus were at school, he mostly had the day to himself, and he still needed some time to recover before he could visit Alastor again, anyway. “We can do that. It’s not too far from here, anyway. I’ll show you some nice places to get food on the way.”
If he felt like being adventurous.
Devyn was easily lured away from his intended path, and while it often resulted in him ‘lost’, he had a good understanding of Destiny City now that he’d wandered off so many times. There were still far too many places he hadn’t been, but he was comfortable here, and the park, and the surrounding areas. And, the fact that his phone had GPS made it much easier to figure out where he was going.
He could probably ask Soleiyu to help make Quinn something to help with that, if Lucasta wasn’t already working on it.
“If there’s anything I can do to help you figure out what this is, I’ll do my best.”
It might not be perfect, but he’d do all he could.
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