makingthisupasigo | And the stars look very different today...

It was a way out. But it wasn't home.

Truthfully, after Norfinbury, anything would be better than that place, but the cold truth was--there was no way to find his own universe out of the endless multiverse, even if Norfinbury's busted technology had worked properly. He was stuck, here, with a megalomaniac Flynn--granted, a Flynn that managed to open up a portal out of there. Maybe that's what it took to get out of Norfinbury.

Or, Peter thought sometimes on bad days, Norfinbury only released you once you became the twisted version of yourself it wanted you to be. A specially-designed virus inflicted on countless worlds.

Besides, he ought to know something about that.

He didn't stay long on earth, he couldn't. Maybe it had something to do with the mystery of how they were revived in Norfinbury, their bodies recreated or cloned or healed, or maybe it was something that was gonna happen to him anyway, but he could feel the Light burning inside him, inside his head almost as soon as he landed. A desperate need to take to the stars. He'd managed to create a ship and took off.

Time passes, and scientists notice something odd about several exoplanets they're monitoring, especially ones marked as 'earth-like' or other planets in zones that could make them potentially habitable. Bright bursts of light and changes in the composition of the atmosphere or surface, it was inexplicable. Possible evidence of intelligent life? If they didn't know any better, especially with the rocky planets that now somehow boasted extreme changes, it was like something was terraforming them.

There was cause for alarm when Mars suddenly turned blue and green a few months later.

Meanwhile, a small blue-and-orange ship that looked suspiciously like a slightly more organic-looking Milano was racing towards the earth.

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Despite it all, a ghost of a smile appears.

"...yeah. Y'know, yeah, you're right? Flynn would, and it would be just...ugh."

His face turns serious again.

"...if we can't, if...if I get pulled under, and I mean--really pulled under, and he never--" Stone's voice hitches for a moment, and he clears his throat. "--never come back to myself, you know I don't--I would never, ever mean to hurt you, and..."

"I know."

Ezekiel's voice cuts in uncharacteristically strong, a little deeper, a little more mature, a little more genuine; one of the rare instances of utter seriousness. There's no play here, no pretense.

"Alright? Whatever happens, whatever... game he thinks of next, it doesn't matter, okay? I just, I know. I'll always know."

It's weird to hear him so serious like this, but then again, it means all that much more that he is, in fact, serious.

"...okay." It's said with some measure of utter relief, even though he's afraid that it will happen someday and he'll be made to hurt him.

"Okay...I'm holding you to that."

"You do that."

He leans his head against the bars, the lopsided grin returning. "But if it makes you feel better, I will absolutely let you buy me drink once we're getting out of here."

Somehow, that gets a weak chuckle out of him.

"One drink, and nothin' expensive."

Because they were getting out of here.

"And a pizza." Don't go cheap on him, Stone!

And they were absolutely getting out of here.

"Five dollar cheese pizza Wednesday special from the place down the road from the Annex."

Don't go crazy now on him.

"With dessert."

This bargaining isn't over.

"You get a sleeve of oreos. Not the double-stuffed kind. And only because I already had a package of oreos so I don't have to go out and buy actual dessert."

Take it or leave it, Jones.

Wow.

"Alright, fine. But they better not be crumpled because you kept them in your pants for two weeks."

...

"...why would I keep them in my pants for two weeks!?"

"Why wouldn't you keep them in your pants? Instant snack on the go!"

He shrugs.

"You know, sitting on the pipeline, going like 'wow, I sure would love a snack now, oh wait, didn't I put Oreos in here somewhere at some point, yep, there they are'!"

...

"Why would I be wearing the same pants for two weeks!?"

...

"I don't know, for extra man points? Because oil stains are ridiculously hard to get out and at some point it's just a waste of time?"

Stone is in so much disbelief right now he can hardly speak.

Why, Jones, why?

"Extra man points!? Being lazy about oil stains!? Are you kidding me!?"

His tightly crossed arms don't stop him from shrugging nonchalantly.

"All your jeans look the same. I thought maybe you just have the one!"

"Has it ever even occurred to you once, that it might actually be possible for someone to own several pairs of the same kinda jeans!?"

Please, Jones, his blood pressure...

"You own several pairs of the same jeans? Why? That's like... tricking people into thinking you don't change your clothes."

A beat.

"Are you sure it's not the same one?"

"NO! The point of having the same jeans is because you trust the brand, and it's a sturdy staple of your workclothes--why am I justifying this to you?!"

You're going to give him the highest of high blood pressure, Jones.

"IT'S NOT THE SAME ONE!"

Edited 2018-05-28 06:26 (UTC)

"I don't know. Maybe because deep in your heart you realize it's weird?"

His expression remains innocent but his eyes are shining with barely contained amusement. It's weird; despite everything that's happened he's not afraid when Jake raises his voice like that – enjoys it, rather, because this is different. That's his Stone right there with the banter and outrage and exasperated yelling that is in its heart non-violent. And Ezekiel is not gonna let Flynn take that away from him.

"Okay, okay, I believe you."

Said in that very specific tone when you tell someone you believe them but you actually don't.

"It's not weird, it's bein' efficient!" Why are you like this, Jones?

He knows that innocent expression, there's nothing innocent about htat mischevious mirth in his eyes. And that tone of voice--

"You better believe me!"

For a few moments, everything is back to normal. And all the bad things that've happened are gone. Or at least he can pretend they are.

"You know, we should really go shopping sometime." With you just having one pair of jeans and all. "What's your size? I'm gonna get you some nice designer clothes."

Get, of course, not buy.

"Are you kidding me? Are we actually having this conversation?"

He does indeed notice the choice of words.

"You're not stealing me clothes!"

This is one of the nicest things anyone's ever said to him.

"Tell you what, I'm gonna pick some things for you and if you don't like them we can bring them back. But, you're gonna like them."

It's confident, 100% convinced like with everything he does. "Bet you ten bucks you will."

Not even gonna acknowledge your 'no'.

And the stars look very different today...

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crying

crying so much

i just can't with these two anymore

THAT ICON

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