sunset_horizons | Open Post ☼ 04 | ❝We're going down...❞

[ lance has a lot of insecurities about the birthmark on his wrist. since he was young, he'd been told by his parents that one day he'd meet someone with the same birthmark as him, and they'd be the most important person in his life. someone to be treasured and taken care of. lance had been optimistic about it growing up, but 19 years of waiting is starting to take a toll on him. especially when he sees two of his closest friends in a happy, committed relationship.

he's envious. he wants that, too. maybe that's part of the reason why he's pulled away from them. just a little. because what is facing your feelings head on and acknowledging them, lance has never heard of it.

seeing shiro's name pop up in their group text, though, makes lance miss hanging out with him. he starts feeling guilty for pulling away, and figures that he should at least make an attempt to start talking to shiro again. the man he admires and respects.

he opens their conversation--their last exchange was a few weeks ago--and sends shiro a text. well, it's actually a picture text of two different pairs of shoes. at least it makes for a...unique conversation starter. ]

red or blue?

[He'd admit, he and Keith have been rather quiet for a while as they discussed boundaries; what each other was comfortable with, and what they weren't. He'd been in a previous relationship before with someone he once thought he'd spend forever with, and he wanted to make sure this time - it would work out. That he wouldn't put Keith in the same pain he had with Adam.

Yet the absence of a friend has nagged at him, and he could tell by the look in Keith's eyes that he felt the same way. When he poked his head in the group text chat, he hoped to see Lance respond.

Nothing. Thirty minutes later, still nothing. He frowns, and is just starting to open a private conversation to check on him and see if he's alright when he stops and blinks at the notification. From Lance.

If nothing else, the conversation starter is... flashy.]

Isn't most of your wardrobe blue?
Red, if you want to spice things up.

[He pauses for a moment before sending the next message:]

Haven't seen you in the group texts in a while. Everything alright?

[Or in person, either.]

[ listen, they are cute and lance supports shiro and keith 100%. he's just got some shit to work through on his own, and he's being very much Lance about it with the whole soulmate ordeal that keeps nagging at the back of his mind.

he's relieved to see that shiro texts him back, though. he thinks it's silly to feel that way, because shiro is a good guy who wouldn't hold this against him. ]

okay, now red just sounds tempting.
maybe it's time for me to try something different

[ he starts putting his phone back in his pocket when it buzzes again. another message from shiro--

oh.

shiro will see the "..." typing indicator flicker on and off as lance types out his message. because lance is so bad at this. ]

yeah! i'm fine
i've just been busy spending time with the fam.
the kids are kind of a handful, etc.

[ and a few moments later: ]

sorry for disappearing

[Of course he wouldn't hold it against him. He may not be a Paladin anymore, but he still considers all of them his family. He's glad they have gotten this time so far to spend it with their blood relatives; after everything they've been through, they deserve it.]

The old razzle dazzle?

[It's a friendly sort of tease, but one he hopes breaks the ice a little as he waits. His brow raises slowly at how the typing indicator blinks on and off.]

Glad you're getting to spend time with your family. I know you missed them.
They ever get over the fact you didn't age much?

[He can probably hear the quiet amused tone in the text alone, but he pauses at the last text before smiling faintly.]

It's alright.
Try not to make it a habit?
I might be a captain now, but you're still a friend, Lance.
You can talk to me if you need to, and I know your fellow Paladins feel the same way.
You five are a team.

[There's a moment's pause, likely because he's making sure Keith isn't in their shared quarters before sending:]

Also Keith was this close to starting a search party. Don't tell him I said that.

yup, just like that
~*razzle dazzle time!*~ i'll make keith jealous with how well i can pull off the color red

[ dammit lance. he's glad that shiro's joking around. it alleviates some of the awkwardness, at least on lance's part. and his jabs at keith have turned friendly rather than antagonistic over the past year (three years? five years in keith's case? time is confusing.). he's kind of missed their banter, too. he'll probably send keith a text later on today, too. ]

the kids definitely won't.
every time i tell them how big they got they make it a point to say that i look the same lol

[ and then...comes the other texts. lance takes a few moments to read them, let it sink in. you're still a friend, lance.

those words mean more to him than lance can ever say. he hadn't realized shiro thought that way about him, because he just doesn't compare to any of the other paladins--keith's leadership, allura's growth, hunk and pidge's brains--and yet, somehow, shiro values him. it feels surreal.

he'd talked to hunk a little about the soulmate thing, but that's about it. everything else he's kept to himself, bottled up inside him. he still doesn't feel comfortable expressing his innermost thoughts and feelings about this, even to someone like shiro, but he can at least show his appreciation. even if he's kind of short circuiting right now. (the good thing about texting is that the other person can't see your reactions.)

lance forgets all about the shoes when he finally starts typing up a reply. ]

thanks, shiro.
it's really not a big deal. i just needed some time to work through things on my own.
i'll be fine.

[ that's...not exactly an all-out lie, but only half of it true. ]

and your secret's safe with me. my lips are sealed!
i'll let him know i'm still alive and kickin' anyway

Now that'll be something to see.

[Oh, typical Lance. He's glad the jabs have become less antagonistic over the years. How many he won't bother going into because space time is weird after spending so many in space.]

They'll think of something else to point out eventually. Kids always do.

[Keith still sometimes calls him an old timer, though; that he won't share with Lance. Let him hope.

If he knew what was going through Lance's head, he'd point out how he was the support when they needed him to be. They'd all grown so much from the time he'd met them; from their days as cadets. He couldn't be more proud of them.]

I understand.
My office is always open if that changes.

[Both on base and in the IGF-Atlas, though that likely goes without saying. Whatever's bothering him, he trusts Lance to talk about it if he needs to.]

He'll appreciate it. They all will.

[He's had Katie in his office panicking in her usual long rants at least twice this week. Will he say that? Nah. He'll find out eventually, if rumors haven't already spread.]

[ he's really glad he's talking to shiro again. it's nice. but he's conflicted: something warms over in his heart while lance simultaneously kind of feels like a moron. why did he go so long without talking to them? it's not like shiro and keith make a huge deal out of their relationship in the first place, so he's kind of just. mentally knocking himself on the head. ]

or maybe i'll just go into your office to bug you or bring you churros
that counts right

[ because haha, he's not going to tell shiro about how he wishes he had what they do!!! ]

btw i think i'm gonna pass on the shoes.
i can probably find something a lot more classy somewhere else in the mall

[If that isn't a mystery of the ages. They know how much a certain someone craves attention, and it's been weird seeing him avoid it? But he's glad that he seems to be doing relatively alright after everything that last battle took from them.

He makes a mental note to check in with Veronica later.]

I guess I could make an exception.

[Either counts. It isn't radio silence. ~~Lance no; he'll have to do an extra set at the gym.~~]

If not I heard there's a few stalls in the markets that sell decent wares. Just stay away from 51. They're still trying to convince the owner that it's called a cow.

[ lance's churros are delicious shiro. don't be like that homie. ]

good to know
i'm not getting roped into getting another cow
kaltenecker is all i need. she might get jealous

[ at least conversation's starting to go back to normal again. lance doesn't feel as nervous texting shiro, now--actually, he doesn't feel nervous at all. he's smiling down at his phone when he hits send. ]

[Lance, it's because they're so delicious that he's gonna have to work out a little harder. He can't say no... Just like he can't say no to Coleen's cooking.]

Well, we can't have that can we?
How are the niece and nephew liking her anyway?

[Last he saw they were trying to take turns riding her... poor cow.]

[Well. Another small lie to his wife, and here they are, off on another trip out into the countryside. Curran has never exactly loved hunting. He knows there are shapeshifters who seem to relish it, but it is the modern day, and food can just as easily be procured from a butcher -- and that food doesn't run away from you or require effort gutting and dressing.

He may be an apex predator, but he's also a practical man. Usually.

But, given that their quarry is the actual divine, well. Hunting it is.

Tonight that actually means roughing it. Camping is fine. Curran has spent his share of nights out under the stars. Magic is up, and with any luck will linger through the night and into the morning, if they have any chance of finding the animal god the rumors they've chased have been about.

The tent is pitched and he has a campfire started -- for his own benefit given that the spectral woman and the blade she's bound to aren't likely to care much about warmth or shelter.]

This is taking too long. [His voice is a frustrated growl.] They're getting harder to find. And Kate will start asking questions.

[And he doesn't want to lie to her. It's the last thing he wants, but if he's going to be able to save her when the time comes, what choice does he really have?] If she weren't so distracted with everything going to hell, she already would have.

[Did Erra expect to be playing marriage counselor? Well. Surprise. Now she is.]

[One of the perks of being dead: being able to simply rest within the blade made of one's bones and blood. She is more than content to stay there, but then the half-breed she now is related to by marriage keeps talking. Were it not for the sake of her niece, she never would have agreed to these hunting expeditions. Yet here they both were. She manifests opposite and to the left of him by the fire, shakes her head, and looks up at the sky. Ama, grant her patience.]

Of course they are getting harder to find. [Says the ancient princess to the former lord.] Im is having his people hunt them down as well. If we have heard these rumors, doubtless his spies have too.

[She says it in simple words. As if it weren't obvious after her nephew-in-law's first little "snack". Erra's eyes narrow, studying him.]

Are you asking me for marriage counseling?

Edited 2019-02-12 23:00 (UTC)

Then we need to move faster. Time isn't exactly on our side.

[They don't get to set the timeline. They're in a game of fucked up chicken with Roland, and whenever his father in law decides to strike, they'll be forced into his own schedule. Hell, they're lucky they've had this long. Curran doesn't like relying on luck, doesn't like all the variables so beyond his control.

He frowns.

And then he chokes on the breath he's in process of taking.] What? No. Hell no.

[Except yeah? He kind of is.] But you're around enough to see the situation. And Kate trusts you. [HOW HAS IT COME TO THIS?]

No, it certainly is not. [She agrees with him on that much.] Though it will also mean nothing if the deity is too powerful or has too many worshipers.

[And their entire plan hinges on the point that Curran won't be lost during the next technology wave. That was the danger of this little agreement of theirs.

She blinks, raising an eyebrow at his outburst. Well, could have fooled her. If he wasn't fooling himself considering the line of questioning. Were this not so terribly sad, she'd be bending forward and laughing. She may just do so yet. (Blame Im going senile; she has.)]

She likely already has noticed, cat. Yet for some bizarre reason she trusts you enough not to start asking those questions. Especially since it is the two of us.

[Considering their track record, it's not that hard to understand any potential suspicion. And she fully expects her niece to stare at her the same way her brother did whenever she got up to some sort of mischief when they were children. Kate still has no idea how alike they are in body language; it's shocking sometimes.]

Start glowing even more than the child can see and that may change.

[Another grumble, verging on a growl low in his throat.] Yeah, I'm aware. Not in the plan to wind up actually deified.

[He needs to survive Tech as long as it takes until it comes down to the final showdown with Kate's psychopath wizard father. In-laws. ...not that Kate has it easy with his adopted father, he considers.

He watches Erra now, closely, the beast inside the man dangerously close to the surface. Curran has come to trust her, somehow, or at least to acknowledge that they share the same priority in this, Kate and Conlan's safety. And he'll take whatever ally he can get in pursuit of that.]

We should be nearly done. We have to be.

[He lifts his chin now.] She'll figure it out before the end anyway.

[Maybe it'll be the final straw; maybe she'll leave him for not telling her their plan. He's pretty certain that will break him, but it doesn't matter. As long as she's alive to walk away, Curran can live with it.]

So it had better work. It had better be worth it.

[And then, less the Beast Lord, and more a petulant, tired man.] I hate hunting.

[She sees that predatory glare and fixes him with one of her own. Oh, please. She could have called him far worse and already has.]

Yes, you have made that painfully obvious the last few trips we've made out here. Thankfully for all of us, this should be the last. [Should, if their prey isn't too powerful and she certainly doesn't want to cause Kate and Conlan the pain of losing him. It all comes down to what her niece's Herald says of its magic.

and now she raises an eyebrow.] Given the fact your hair is beginning to rival that of one of my sons I sadly had to put down, I have no doubts of that.

[If only he'd had as much brains as he did those feted locks. Despite that, her tone grows serious.]

Did she or did she not stay with you despite your poor choices prior to this?

...I tried to make it painfully obvious before we even came.

[Curran informs her. He's a grown man. Sulking doesn't become him. He's aware of all these things, and yet here he is, still grumbling about it. But part of that is to distract himself from the heavier concerns on his mind.

His hair is growing. He's taller than us used to be. Subtle changes in his physical existence that cannot go unnoticed for long. Kate will see, and he won't lie to her. That's worse than conveniently leaving out the whole story.

The question that Erra asks catches him off-guard and he looks at her like he's not sure what to think of this line of questioning.]

She's still with me. We've had our rough patches. [Though in the end the roughest of them were when they were trying to save each other in the only way they knew, despite the pain it might cause.]

You know the answer to that question. Why ask it? [What're you getting at here, Erra?]

And you did, yet you also made it painfully obvious how much my niece and grandnephew mean to you.

[It really doesn't become him, yet compared to her he's still a child and likely always will be at this rate. A foolish child, who is hopelessly in love and mated to the one sane relative she has that's alive (Conlan's personality hasn't matured enough to judge yet).

She sighs, exasperated.] To point out a fact you should already know.

[Honestly, how dense can a man be? ...Don't answer that. She more than knows that answer. She's courted more than enough to know in her thousands of years. That much hasn't changed over the course of millennia.]

You fear losing her over this, yet we both know she will be angry for a while but loves you and your son deeply enough that she brought me back with her tears, begged me to betray Im and help her, then swore in the language of Power to give up her claim on Atlanta after her father and my brother is dead or sealed away. The pull of the Shar is a bitch; she nearly broke the ceiling of my mother's tomb fighting its power.

[There's a few pieces she leaves out, but that's between her and her niece.]

She is young and madly in love. Meaning she's more likely to sprout wings like your friend and take off than leave. Tell her and see if you don't believe me.

[Curran does fear losing Kate over this, but losing her because of this choice instead of losing her to death is a choice he will make every day of the week and twice on Sundays. His world doesn't have any business even existing without his wife and son in it. To his credit, Curran is quiet, listening as Erra speaks.

These are things he knows, but to hear them spelled out plainly puts it in a clearer perspective. Maybe Kate can get over this. God he hopes so. ...that pun is so unintended that he's nearly groaning at his own thoughts. He manages to stifle it.

Part of him wants to thank Erra. Hell, part of him wants to hug her -- that part is small and suicidal, apparently. But that's not what he does, instead he asks,]

Just to be clear, wings don't run in your family? [Sometimes he thinks he's funny.]

[Erra stares at him, and in the next second, he'll feel a massive amount of magical power reach out and smack him upside the head for that one.]

No. Ask that again and I won't babysit your kitten the next time you ask.

[It's an empty threat. She's too fond of him.

Ow!

[Curran tries to turn the sound into a growl rather than a startled yelp because he is a lion and a former alpha; he is not so easily caught off-guard even by ghostly millennia old in-laws.

He lifts his eyebrows at her at that.

Oh yeah okay sure, Erra.]

Please. He's your favorite person... which speaks to your taste anyway.

[His son is the absolute best thing on this planet. Thank you. If anyone would like to argue this, he will fight them.]

[Yes, good luck with that. She gives him a slightly amused smirk before shrugging it off slightly.]

And you have an entire street of spree killers to be willing to watch over him and murder anyone who so much as looks at him funny.

I will nap, and it will be wonderful.

[Watch her do it, Curran. She totally would. (...and quietly be panicking because of the sahanu still out there, but details!)]

Potential spree killers.

[Curran corrects with a grin that is all teeth, like he's honestly all too pleased by the description. And he is. He may have left the Pack, and no one owes him that duty of loyalty and obedience anymore, but he's more secure than ever that the people he has surrounded himself are people can trust without reservation to have his back, to have his family's back.

And somehow that includes Erra. Life is weird as fuck.]

But you're right. The babysitter bench is deep. So don't worry. Have your nap.

Semantics. [She waves it off. Really. Are they really going to be splitting furs like this?

It's them. Of course they are.]

No wonder my niece fell for you. You've already mastered our family grin. [Is she just needling him for the fun of it? ...Maybe. Just a little bit. Though she does sincerely mean the our part; for better or worse, as this age says.

Life and death is a bitch like that.]

I will. [Yet she doesn't return to her dagger just yet, wanting to wait to hear from her adoptive grandniece first. After which is all up to the lion, anyway.]

Open Post ☼ 04 | ❝We're going down...❞

congrats on not being a scourge fucker

shh the dawn hasn't broken here yet

don't do it twi

i needed to clean my glasses because i thought that said "do it twi" and CONCERNED

i have one (1) concern

shh it ok i'm #nevergonnafuckthestarscourge

u sure about that

i'm sure

what the fuck is UP

the ceiling

CALLING: HEY AUNT-IN-LAW

NEPHEW-IN-LAW....

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject