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 Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:37 am
Takes place after: The First Lesson
The ride share dropped him off a little before noon. He thanked the driver, shut the door, and stood on the sidewalk for a moment longer than was necessary. Almost like he was making sure the house was still real before he went inside. His ribs still ached in that deep, bruised way that reminded him they’d been broken. Again. Not enough pain to stop him, but enough to make every breath purposeful.
He’d texted Evan on the way back. Nothing dramatic. On my way. See you soon. Evan had answered right away, of course.
Inside, the house was quiet and familiar. No alarms, no shouting, no frantic movements. Just blessed normalcy.
Riker barely made it two steps past the front door before Evan was there. Maxim not far behind. He didn’t think about it. He wrapped his arms around Evan with a force that surprised himself. He buried his face against Evan’s shoulder and stayed there, breathing, reminding himself that everyone was alive.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:39 am
Knowing Riker was on his way home was as much of a relief as it was a stressor. Evan could be glad knowing he’d be home soon, but now that there was a countdown, every moment stretched like an hour. For the first few minutes, Evan paced around the house. He pretended to clean, which mostly meant just moving things around and then putting them back in their original place.
That was unproductive, but it passed the time.
It was almost noon, so close enough to lunch time that Evan justified making a few grilled cheese sandwiches. He made some potato soup to go with it–nothing fancy, but he had to do something with the bacon since he’d had half the household show up for breakfast. He should have made French Onion soup but it would have taken too long. Maybe for dinner.
He had a stack of grilled cheese sandwiches but he’d been on autopilot. He just wanted Riker to have something normal to come home to, and what was home if not a house full of food made with love?
Of course, Maxim barked once as soon as a strange car pulled up, so Evan moved all the food off of the stove and rushed to the front door just in time to wrap his arms around Riker.
He didn’t know what happened last night, only ‘something bad’ enough that Riker had stayed with a friend to console him.
The tightness of Riker’s hug said as much as any words could hope to. Evan did not return it with the same strength, only because he wasn’t sure if Riker was hurt.
“Welcome home,” he said, rubbing Riker’s back lightly.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:40 am
Riker stayed there for as long as he could, forehead pressed against Evan’s shoulder, before he finally pulled back when his neck started to ache. Not far, but just enough to breathe a little easier. His hands slid down to Evan’s arms, grateful that he was there and solid and real.
“I’m okay,” he said quietly, almost as if he needed Evan to hear it more than he needed to say it. “I mean… banged up, but okay. My ribs were probably cracked again, but— no, it’s okay. Énna had something. Some… magic bone that made everything feel better.” He shrugged, small and dismissive, as though broken ribs were just another inconvenience. “I’ll be sore for a bit. That’s all.”
It was a relief to be home. The smell of good food, the warmth after being outside and in that laundromat… Something inside him ached, afraid of what might happen if something did happen, and he never came home to Evan again.
He didn’t want to do that to him. Not after everything Evan had been through.
“I’m just…” He stopped, his jaw tightening a bit, then let the words out anyway. “I’m really ******** tired of this General trying to kill us. Of all of us ending up at his mercy over and over again.” His voice stayed low and controlled, but there was heat bubbling underneath. “Every time we try to figure something out, we draw the short straw. We knew powering up was a risk — but we had to know if we weren’t imagining it. Those youma didn’t just… happen. And him finding us didn’t just happen.”
His hands curled briefly, but then relaxed and he shook his head as though to dismiss the thoughts filtering through his head. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do differently. And it makes me angry.”
He looked back at Evan then, some of the tension easing when he saw the concern and care in his eyes. “Thank you for… all of this,” he added, softer now, glancing toward the kitchen even if he couldn’t really see it. “For taking care of things.”
He paused for a moment. “Julian’s home, right?”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:40 am
Evan had tried so hard not to ask Riker if he was okay, tried not to be overwhelming and worrying. Riker could see right through him. He breathed a sigh of relief and nodded–winced–and considered gathering Riker in his arms again.
He wanted to tell Riker that he didn’t have to sound so casual when reporting cracked ribs, but he didn’t want to interrupt or derail the conversation. Riker’s natural state shouldn’t be ‘sore.’
Or worse.
“He came home last night,” Evan said. “He’s been upstairs. Maxim’s been to visit him a few times. He didn’t come down for breakfast but we were trying to let him sleep.”
Maxim was always a good indicator if things were fine; if he was downstairs waiting for sandwiches, it was because there wasn’t any sort of crisis elsewhere.
“Are you hungry? I know it won’t help with the other problems. I didn’t know if you’d eaten. I know you and Julian have snacks upstairs but I thought, you know, something warm…”
He trailed off somewhat helplessly because sandwiches and soup couldn’t combat the fear and frustration of dealing with a monster who just wanted to kill you.
“I don’t know what that General’s problem is. You shouldn’t have to deal with it. Zac’s been saying…”
Evan cleared his throat. “I mean, Zac’s been going out, too. He’s been trying to figure out what’s going on.” He’d been trying to stop it, but he hadn’t seen success, obviously.
“I bet you did everything right. This isn’t your fault.” He smoothed down Riker’s hair. Reassurances were only words, they wouldn’t stop the General from attacking again. “We’re going to figure this out, Riker. I know it’s hard right now. But you’re doing a good job. I’m so proud of you. Thank you for coming home. I was really worried. I’m sorry, I was trying to be cool about it. But I worried about you. I’m still worrying about you. Even with you right here.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:41 am
Riker shook his head softly when Evan apologized. He reached out and rested a hand briefly on Evan’s shoulder, as if reminding himself that he was really there, before dropping it again.
“Hey,” he said quietly. “You don’t have to be cool about it. You’re allowed to worry. I’d be more worried if you didn’t.”
He let out a slow breath, his shoulders finally sagging now that he had a moment to relax somewhere safe. “And yeah… I’m hungry. Really hungry. I didn’t eat much. Everything kind of blurred together.” He let out a faint, tired huff. “Something warm sounds really good.”
At the confirmation that Julian was home and resting, some of the tension eased from him. “Okay,” he breathed. “Good. I’ll go check on him after. I just wanted to know he was here.”
Zac’s name made his brow furrow slightly, more thoughtful than in alarm. “I know Zac’s trying,” he said carefully. “He always does. And he knows what he’s doing more than most of us.” He paused for a moment. “I just… don’t like how dangerous this General is. For anyone. It doesn’t matter how experienced you are if he keeps catching people off guard.”
Riker rubbed a hand over his face, fatigue settling in deeper now. “It feels like we keep… reacting to what’s happening instead of being able to get ahead of him. And it’s frustrating.”
He let out a breath, then looked back at Evan. “But I’m not going out and doing anything reckless. I promise. I’m being careful.”
He hesitated, then added quietly, “I didn’t do everything right. But I did the best I could with what we knew.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:41 am
“That means you did everything right” Evan countered, not argumentative, just insistent. “Doing the best you could with what you knew is the right choice. Give yourself–yourselves–credit, Riker. There are a lot of people who would have given up already.”
There were a lot of people who wouldn’t have made it this far.
“Come on,” he said, gently ushering him towards the kitchen. “I made plenty. You can have as much as you want. I’ll make you a plate. And Julian, too, since you're going to check on him.”
Evan paused, looking Riker up and down like he was trying to determine if he was more injured than he said. Riker already told him it was fine if he wasn’t cool about any of this. He was allowed to worry.
“I appreciate you being as safe as possible. Zac knows what he’s doing but I can’t sleep if he’s not here. I know if he saw an opening, he’d take it. He worries about you boys. If he could do anything to stop that General–” Evan bit his tongue. “Well, you and I both know he would. I know he’s trying to find something to help. I know you’re all doing your best. I’ve been reaching out but I’m not as good on my own, and I don’t know as many people. But,” he glanced up at Riker. “I promise, we’re doing everything we can. I want this to end. I’m sorry it’s taking so long.”
There was a war, sure, but this was different.
This was targeted.
And all Evan could do right now was guide Riker into the kitchen and grab a plate for him.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:41 am
Riker let Evan steer him toward the kitchen without protest, shuffling along like his body had finally decided it was done pretending to be fine.
“I mean,” he said lightly as Evan gave him that assessing look. “If you want, I can take off my shirt so you can see the bruising. But I promise I’m not actively falling apart.”
He took the plate when it was handed to him and sat down, shoulders slumping the moment he did. The smell of potato soup and grilled cheese properly filled his senses then, and his stomach growled in a way that felt almost rude. He didn’t comment on it, but instead just picked up the sandwich and started eating like he’d been starving for days.
After a few bites, he spoke again, quieter now. “I know Zac’s trying. And I know he worries.” He paused, lowering his almost finished sandwich for a moment. “I just wish I could help more. Like… actually help. Not just be another thing he has to keep an eye on.”
It wasn’t bitterness so much as… tired and honest frustration. “I don’t want to be the kid everyone’s always fixing things for. I want to be useful. I want him to look at me someday and think I’m an equal, not a liability.”
He glanced up at Evan then, lips pressed together for a moment as he decided how to reassure him. “I’m not going to do anything stupid to prove that,” he insisted. “I know that’s not how it works. I just… hate feeling like we’re always one step behind. You don’t have to apologize for it taking time. I know you’re doing everything you can. We all are,” he said with a sigh.
“I’ll check on Julian after this. And if you want me to sit here and eat everything you made first so you don’t worry, I can absolutely do that.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:41 am
Evan exhaled, exasperated, and shook his head when Riker offered to remove his shirt and show him. He trusted Riker! He just worried. Too much, maybe. Riker was overcompensating, so Evan did too.
“Do you want to sit with me while you eat?” he offered, not because he needed Riker to prove he was eating–Evan could see how hungry he was–but because he wanted Riker to know he was welcome.
Truthfully, Evan knew only the barest details of last night. He knew everyone had been shaken up, but they survived. He didn’t know how eager Riker was for some quiet, or to visit Julian, or to just spend a few minutes with Evan.
“I don’t expect you to eat all of this.” He looked at the stack of grilled cheese sandwiches and the large pot of soup. “Just eat what you want. There’s plenty if you get hungry later, too.”
There might even be more, depending on how stressed Evan let himself get.
For now, he was just glad to have Riker safe and home.
Evan smoothed some hair from Riker’s forehead, eyeing the roots. Riker was taking good care of his hair so Evan didn’t even need to nag about the color.
“You’re not a liability, though. Just so you know. You’re not just ‘a thing to keep an eye on’. He doesn’t look down on you, neither of us do. It’s Zac, so I can’t say he sees you as ‘an equal’, but he certainly doesn’t see you as someone who needs everything fixed for him. You’ve got a lot on your shoulders, Riker. I know you’re used to taking care of yourself but you're not supposed to have to.”
Riker hadn’t even been with them for a year yet. Evan didn’t expect a life of hardship to just be forgotten. The marks his mother had left were still fading.
“You and Zac are similar in a lot of ways. Stubborn, I mean. Don’t want to worry people. But you want to put yourself in harm’s way to protect people. He’s not doing it because he thinks you aren’t useful. Or because he thinks you’re a liability. He’s doing it for the same reason you’d do it–you think that if someone has to get hurt, it should be you, and not your friends. And because you both hate not being in control, or feeling like someone is one step ahead of you.”
Evan kept one arm wrapped gently around Riker’s back.
“He doesn't want to fix this for you. He just wants to make sure you don’t get hurt because he didn’t do enough to stop it. It’s a parent thing,” Evan finally sighed. “If some guy T-Boned you while you were driving, I’d worry that it was our fault because maybe it wouldn’t have happened if we’d replaced the tires, or the break pads, or gotten a different car. Those aren’t things you can control. Those aren’t things you did wrong. But when something does go wrong, it’s easy to think about ‘what if I did this one thing differently’. That’s all.”
He rubbed Riker’s back, still gently. “We want to support you, so you can succeed. Not take over for you. Not do things for you. Just help. We trust you.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:42 am
Riker didn’t hesitate. He shifted his chair a little closer so he could sit properly with Evan.
“Yeah,” he said simply. “I want to.”
He glanced at the food again, then back up at Evan, the corner of his mouth twitching. “For the record, I could probably make eating all of this a challenge. Not saying I should. Just saying it wouldn’t be impossible. Probably.”
He took another bite, chewing more slowly now that the worst of the hunger had eased. Evan’s words sank in gradually, the way things did when Riker finally allowed himself to believe what he was being told instead of just brushing them off.
He sighed, long and quiet. “Yeah. That… makes sense,” he admitted. “I don’t like it, but it makes sense. Zac’s just… intense about it, I guess. And I get it. I just wish I could take some of that weight off him instead of being part of why he has more to worry about. I don’t want him thinking he has to stand in front of everything so it doesn’t reach me.”
At the car analogy, he snorted softly before he could stop himself. “Okay. First of all… poor choice of words,” he muttered, his ears turning a little red as he bit back a grin. “Second… yeah, I get it. I really do.”
He glanced at Evan then, expression earnest and open. “I know you’re not trying to take over. Or fix things for me. I just—” He paused and shrugged. “I’m not used to people trusting me and worrying about me at the same time. It still feels… weird.”
Not bad, just something unfamiliar that he had to get used to.
He leaned a little closer into Evan’s hold, grateful for the contact. “I do feel supported, though. Safe. And I promise I’ll keep eating. Sitting here. Not doing anything dumb. Although I probably could do some pretty dumb things if I tried,” he added with a small grin.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:42 am
“Riker, I have absolutely no doubt you could do dumb things if you wanted.” He kissed atop his head, brows still raised in exasperation. “Which makes me all the more grateful that you choose not to. Don’t make eating a competition, I don’t want you to throw up. But you do sound hungry, so.”
He glanced at the stack of sandwiches but didn’t try to load Riker up with more. Yet.
“You don’t have to rush to make everything make sense. I know you’ve had a lot of speedbumps–don’t make fun of my analogies,” he huffed, but he laughed and shook his head, too, “I’m trying to be serious. But not too serious. Let me try again. I mean, I know you’ve been through a lot, Riker. And I know you don’t just magically get fixed just because things are different. So you take your time.”
He kissed atop his head again, three times, a bit dramatic. “And let Zac and I worry. It’s not your responsibility to take care of our emotions, okay? You don’t have to worry about us worrying. And don’t feel bad if either one of us wants to stand in front of everything so it doesn’t reach you. That’s what you’re supposed to do for your kid. And I know you’re not used to it. And we aren’t either. You’re learning, and we are. But also, we’re twice your age, so we’ve had a lot more time to get stubborn about it. But promise me you won’t feel bad about the decisions we make, okay? We want to protect you. But we know you’re strong. It’s not because you can’t take care of yourself. Just,” he shrugged.
“We don’t want you to have to do it alone. That’s all.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:42 am
Riker huffed out a soft laugh despite himself, the tension in his shoulders easing a little at Evan’s gentleness. “Yeah,” he muttered, fond and resigned. “That’s fair.”
He leaned into the affection without thinking too hard about it, soaking in the warmth from those kisses, letting himself be somebody’s kid for once instead of bracing for the worst possible outcome. When Evan told him to take his time, Riker nodded slowly. He didn’t argue. Didn’t deflect. Just… let it be true.
“I know,” he said quietly. “I’m trying to work on it. Knowing I don’t have to manage everything by myself.” He paused and sighed. “It’s harder than it sounds.”
He took another bite, chewed, swallowed, and then another. He appreciated the normalcy of it all. The food, the warmth, Evan’s presence.
After a moment, he spoke again, voice lower. “I didn’t really tell you what happened last night,” he said, not looking up yet. Not because he thought Evan couldn’t handle it, but because he didn’t want to scare him more than necessary.
“We were trying to figure out where the youma were coming from,” Riker continued. “They kept finding us. Over and over. We needed to know if it was random or if something was tracking us. So we set a trap. Picked a place we thought was safe. Somewhere enclosed. Doors we could lock. A back room to escape from. Somewhere the General hadn’t been before.”
They’d thought of everything.
“We knew he might show up,” Riker admitted. “But we planned for it. We thought—... if he did, we could at least slow him down. Buy time.”
He swallowed. His voice remained steady, but it was clearly taking some effort. “He used some kind of smoke. Kept us from using our magic. We couldn’t do anything. Then he started taking starseeds.”
He finally looked up at Evan then, his eyes tired with something heavier underneath. “Stirling’s. Halle’s. Yvoire’s. Amarynthos’s… and then he forced Julian to eat them.”
Riker’s jaw tightened as he easily recalled the scene. “Made him put them in his mouth. It was obvious if he didn’t, the rest of us would die. He threatened our families—... I thought… I thought they were dead already.” His breath caught just for a moment, then steadied again. “I was already saying goodbye.”
He shook his head slowly then. “But Julian — he was smart. Smarter than anyone I know. He hid them in his subspace. Made it sound like he was chewing them. Bit his cheek hard enough to bleed so it looked real.” His voice softened, reverent. “He saved them. All of them.”
For a moment, he let the silence linger. Finally he looked back at Evan, something both raw and grateful in his expression. “I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you worrying more than you already are,” he explained, followed by a small, tired huff. “But… I also didn’t want to keep it from you.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:42 am
Evan stared at Riker for a few seconds, expression blank and unchanging except for sudden pallor. He didn’t speak but his lips parted slightly and a breath slipped through, like it wanted to be a word but he couldn’t figure out which one.
He turned towards the garage door, like Julian might have come downstairs and just joined them.
His brows furrowed and he glanced from the empty space to Riker, back again, and then finally settled on Riker. “What?”
Body tense, Evan briefly seemed like he intended to move, probably to go to Julian, but he stopped himself and stayed still.
“He didn’t mention–”
But no, why would he? Had he even said anything when he’d come home last night? Evan had been in the kitchen and Maxim had gone to greet him. Evan had known even before Julian got home that Riker was spending the night with a friend. He knew there had been a fight. He knew everyone made it out.
If he’d known there were starseeds involved–
If he’d known that was what they were going through–
Evan floundered and words failed him. He didn’t know what to say so he just gathered Riker in his arms again and pulled him close.
“Are you okay? Are your friends?”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:43 am
Riker went into the hug immediately, arms coming up around Evan’s back without hesitation. He pressed his forehead for a moment against Evan’s shoulder, letting himself be grounded there, breathing in and out until the tightness in his chest eased. He didn’t cry, but he didn’t pull away either.
“I’m okay,” he said quietly, making sure his voice was firm enough that it sounded at least somewhat believable. One hand moved in slow, steady circles against Evan’s back, the way Evan did for him. “I promise. I’m sore, I’m tired, and I’m pissed off… but I’m okay.”
He pulled back just enough to look at him. “And my friends… they’re alive. Shaken, obviously. But we’re still all here.”
Riker hesitated, then took a breath. “There’s one more thing,” he said cautiously. “And I need you to not tell Julian. Please.” There was nothing accusatory in his voice, it was just quietly earnest. “I promised.”
When Evan didn’t interrupt, Riker continued. “Énna’s dad — Yvoire’s — he died years ago. From having his starseed taken. That’s why I stayed with him instead of coming home right away. I couldn’t leave him alone with that. Not when it all happened right in front of him. When it happened to him. After almost dying once already—...”
He shook his head, frustrated. Not at Evan, but at himself. “I hate that I can’t be in more than one place at once. I hate that I had to choose,” he said through gritted teeth. His grip on Evan’s shirt tightened for a moment, then loosened. “Julian needed me. Énna needed me. And I couldn’t split myself in half.”
Riker made himself let go of the breath he’d been holding. It didn’t help settle him, but his chest eased a little. “I’m going to check on the others as soon as I can. Just… making sure they’re still answering texts. Still eating. I don’t know if any of us are okay yet, or if we’re just surviving. But I’m not going to disappear on them.”
He leaned close again, resting his forehead on Evan’s shoulder. “You don’t have to fix anything,” he added softly. “Just… keep doing this. Being here. I’ll go check on Julian next. I just needed you to know why I wasn’t here right away.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:43 am
“I know,” Evan said, but what came out of his mouth was much sloppier than the thoughts sloshing around in his mind so he corrected, “I mean, I know you had a reason. I didn’t question it.”
He didn’t realize what had actually happened last night, and maybe things would have been different if he had. He didn’t know. He couldn’t even imagine.
“I won’t say anything about Énna’s dad,” Evan promised, even if he didn’t really understand the gravity of the secret, or why Julian wasn’t supposed to know. “That’s–that’s between you and Énna. But I understand why you wanted to be with him. And I’ll be here for as long as you need me. Whenever you need me.”
That much he could promise. That much he knew.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2026 7:43 am
Riker tightened his arms around Evan again, this time not just holding on, but clinging a little. He pressed his face into Evan’s shoulder and stayed there, longer than before, his breathing uneven.
For a few seconds he didn’t say anything. His breath hitched despite himself. One tear slipped free before he could stop it, soaking into Evan’s shirt. He didn’t apologize for it. Maybe Evan wouldn’t notice.
“I really thought I lost them,” he admitted quietly, voice breaking just enough to give him away. “I thought they were gone. I didn’t know how I was supposed to live with that.”
He swallowed hard, forcing himself to steady. “I hate him,” Riker said, low and fierce. “Everything he stands for. Everything he keeps doing to us.” He knew he didn’t have to specify who for Evan to know.
“I just—” He paused and let out a breath. “I don’t ever want to feel that helpless again.”
His grip loosened, but he didn’t pull away. “I’m okay,” he repeated, softer this time. “I just needed a minute for it to… be real.”
He leaned back, just enough to breathe properly, but kept his forehead against Evan’s shoulder. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “For trusting me. For not questioning me.” He paused and grimaced a little. “You’ll have to let me know when my stupid face is not too obvious that I’m upset so I don’t make Jules freak out, too.”
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