But In The End Is Right

[Star]

Almost three years.

Long fingers ran over the top of the concession stand, remembering layers of dust they'd found when they'd picked the locks of an abandoned theater. Asp. Zoey. Nobody ever says 'Good-Bye'. It's hard. Funny when you think about how many people obsess over what's left behind when they're gone but take so little care when they're actually leaving.

You leave behind what you leave behind.

For the first time in months, though, he was smiling. A spark in blue-green eyes and a bounce to the sneakers. Looking forward with laughter instead of dread. He shifted the bundle of fabric he held and knocked on the door that led to a wonderland of blanket forts, cliches, and raspy music.

[Tuesday]

The door swings open and in a striking contrast to the room that the unicorn first claimed, it was a realm of fabric, in fort and precarious canopy varieties, and string lights and yes. She managed to sneak in an ornamental cherry.

Sort of. It was plastic. Since. Inside. Super not great for a real tree. Well it could be. But Tuesday's not equipped to keep something like that alive.

Smiling, just because Star was, even if there was muffled angry Avis-esque music coming from the depths of the fort. "Hey there Mister Upside Down Frown." was that clever? Probably not. "'Sup?" she thought that packing was, you know, happening.

[Star]

"Hey. There."

Lips compressed for a moment. Honestly? There'd been more than a few times he'd thought about knocking on this door the past few months. Curling up with the Acanthus in her fort and seeing what sort of magic might happen. Enough times that, even if he knew it would never happen now, it still felt... strange and anxious.

"Ah. So. First? Congrats. I'm bringing you your Jedi robe since you're no longer a Padawan." He held out the bundle. Sure, okay, it's totally one of the robes Truce passed out, but it's the thought that counts, right? The smile widened. Super legit happy. She's a real Guardian now, yo. "And, uh."

He waited or her to take it and then fished out something metal from his pocket and held it up. It was a silver dragon's head with a wing. Long fingers pulled it apart, revealing a swooping razor edge.

"Graduation present? Kinda fairy dragon, Eyes of the dragon. I dunno. Thought of you when I saw it. But it's pure silver, so you can, you know. Dedicate it. If you want."

He licked his lips and brows furrowed as his eyes slid around.

"It's also, ummmmm. Kind of a going away present." Cheeks puffed out. Whoooeeee. "Ah. The short version is Avis and I worked out our, ummm, you know. Problem? Aaaand some other stuff and we're kinda... gonna... go... be Us. Alone. Somewhere else."

Stabby Thing

[Tuesday]

"Hi." She says again. Or for the first time. Hi's different then Hey.

"Thanks." a silly grin, grabbing the robe that was ridiculously familiar. A bark of a laugh. Because it really was ridiculously familiar. "Yeah. I did." she's proud of that, but totally not at prideful hoebag levels. "Also mind fuck. Seriously." head shake. She slips the robe on, because, why not? Also. Totally adding it to the fort.

(she's not gonna check if it smells like star. totally not)

"...I thought the robe was my graduation present." voice small, because this was more. Star had a habbit of going from lulzy to more.

Shaky hand, twitchy fingers reach, grab, and hold it tight. "I will." Chapters, man, chapters. Lost a coin before she hit town. Got a d20 before she even met Vayrx. Now. Dragon. Since. Eyes.

The Star-nerves was making her nervous too. A tight little ball, and something hot rising, climbing up her neck.

"Oh." more small voiced the Unicorn in Black. Not Lone, not any more. "I might have been, you know. Busy. And out. Doing things. But. Me. Not blind." bitten lip. Stuff. She still wanted. But. Avistar. Them. Thingdom. "I'm glad." she says, seriously. "You two are Best, right?" she's a little sad, but she'd come to late, which means it wasn't meant to be.

"When are...when are you two heading out?" even though she really, really wanted to ask him. Them to stay.

[Star]

"Well that," a long finger pointed at the adorned robe, "Is, like. Graduation present from, you know. Guardian to Guardian. The other one's from me."

Right. Because the Jedi robe totally says serious Guardian manumission ceremony. A brow arched up in the mop with a nod. Yep. That Black Veil. Funny thing? He'd never doubted she'd pass it. Grey and Red, yeah, okay. Had a couple of doubts. Not Black. Why? Couldn't say.

"We'll, uh. Have to grab some broom handles and make lightsaber noises later."

His eyes focused on the bit lip. He knew what they felt like. The thought sent a little flush through his ears.

"Ummm. Yeah. We are." Fingers twisted as his ring and he looked down, silent. "But. Listen. I'm sorry. Not that we, you know." Yep, and there it goes to his cheeks. "That I'm not, I dunno, made like that. Or... led you on. I didn't mean for things to get weird. Or mess with your head."

He exhaled, long and slow.

"I'm kind of messing this up, but. There's this thing I want to say, and I don't know how to say it without it sounding really crappy, but... it's something I want you to know. Sooo. I guess what I'm saying is, if it sounds terrible and I sound like a jerk, I really, really only mean in the best way."

His eyes slid up from her lips, looking into hers.

"If... you know. If it weren't for Avis. You're the only other person I've ever... you know. Ummm. Really wanted to be with. And not like a rebound or one-nighter, or, whatever. That I felt super connected to. I just wanted you to know. I belong with Avis. But I could have belonged, and been happy, with you. It meant something, to me. Still does. And you do, too."

[Tuesday]

"Ahh." a breath, and a nod. "Makes sense. Not quite dollars but cents." a wink, it was almost normal. Even if it really wan't. All she knew right now, was that the robe's getting blanket forted, and the Dragon. Necklaced and Dedicated. She rubs it's silver head with a thumb.

"Oh. That, goes without saying." smile, because Star and her. And lols, and fun.

Before Stuff, this would have gone differently. Before Stuff she might have smacked him and sought those broom handles and had the Best Lightsaber Duel Ever.

But this wasn't Before Stuff. This firmly After Stuff. Not just After Stuff. But long enough that Stuff was a wistful could have been. And for her it was both a weird and a familiar feeling.

"I know." She knew Star (Even if she didn't really. Masks. Masques. Whatever) but he wasn't the sort to just mess with her head, or feels just because he could. Guardians did Casual. He got married. "You don't have to be." sorry. "I'm just glad. That me. Here. You and her and Vee Tee. It happened."

Greenish-blue eyes totally linger on her lips. It didn't make her think about kissing him again. Honest.

(that might be a small lie)

"Oh...oh." she gives a weird jerky nod. She wasn't getting flustered, or misty eyed because feelings. And Matching. "Okay. Well. I just got here too late. You already have your swan, so you can't be mine. Even if it-I..." a gusty sigh, "...want you to be." a beat. "Wanted you to be." because he belonged with Avis. "And yeah. Me too. Meaning. Meant. Whatever. But. Yeah. Me too."

She nibbles her lip and doesn't go in for a hug. If she did she might not wanna let go.

Which would be bad.

"So. Does that mean I'm not gonna be..." forgotten.

Head shake. "You'll call right? Wanna keep updated with the end of Reality?"

Also dick move. Leaving a fresh Guardian to deal with this shit alone.

Yeah. That's why she's angry.

[Star]

"Hey."

Wait for it.

" Hey, hey, hey. "

Oooooh-ooooh-ohh. It's one of those songs that's all you need. Thirty years old and still one of the best ones ever done when there's a question about... what something meant. They could probably have entire conversations with just songs.

"'Course I'll call. Maybe visit. Not so much," a hand dipped low, "For Time Cop? More," it raised up, "For Tuesday updates."

A soft laugh escaped. Had anyone else ever thought of Avis as a swan?

"I'm glad, too. That it all happened. And... I'm glad all the uh, weirdness and not-fun didn't make it not worth it." There's another song. Maybe a better one with the whole Acanthus thing, but his voice would probably crack on it. Lives better left to chance. "Ah sa-wear to Gawd, Betty Gene, when you hitch up with someone, they best deserve you. Treat you right. Else they might be havin' to reckon with your family."

He smiled and leaned against a wall. Tuesday? Deserved to be someone's first choice. Only choice. Long fingers reached up and touched the wall. It's really time for a topic change.

"What about this place? Want us to put your name on the deed, too? No pressure. Totally understand if you and Thrope want to kick off something new, start something fresh. Avis and I can just shutter it, so. Your call."

He tried to keep his voice neutral. Not just because of memories, but because of an Idea. That strangers could come together, become more than the sum of their whole. Bound by a simple, silly, disposable premise but enduring with off-the-cuff decisions and gut feelings about membership.

[Tuesday]

"You know we're gonna have to watch the Breakfast Club now, right?" she was a little teary still but, there was a smile. A little wobbly, but there. Because Star got it, and knew and by gosh golly she was going to miss him.

A nod. More then what she was expecting. People tended to leave, and never-ever visit. "Good. And Imma want Avis updates, and Star updates and Avistar updates." maybe not in that order.

She said a word well words and Star laughs. But Tuesday's sly enough to realize which one got him. Which was kinda the point. And also not. She swan'd because it sounded better then wolves.

"Star-Chris. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I thought that Dreams and the Clock were the reasons Fate wanted me here, but. I could care less. I'm glad I met you, and I met her. And all this...happened." She honestly doesn't what her life would be like if they hadn't been in it. "I am so fucking glad I bailed on Necro Dee and Necro Dumb."

A surprised bark of a laugh, that was the beginning. Fitting to bring it back up now, near the end.

Then in her bestest best twangy voice, "Wh-ell, uncle-brother Jed, Ah know you'da be there with a shotgun, Mayflower'd be right there wit' you, standin' in for Paw, an' Imogene'd be your plus one!" she brakes into a fit of giggles. Which was probably the point.

Once the gale dies down, Tuesday leans on the opposite wall.

"Oh this place is mine. Deed. My name. Well a name. Might have to shut off some parts because...yeah. But. It's mine. It's us and Vee Tee and memories, and Stuff and things and Best. So I'm keeping it. Maybe I'll be Random Recruiter Smurf next. Maybe Vee Tee'll change. Maybe it wont. But will, because people. But. Yeah. You get it. And where else am I gonna live? A house?" but seriously, she gave up houses when she hit the road.

[Star]

NecroDee and NecroDumb get a grin.

"Can you believe it's almost been a year since I saved you from a..." Wait for it. "Fate worse than Death?"

Enchanters don't have a monopoly on Bad Path Puns, yo. Humor on Aisle Four. It feels good to laugh, to fill that ache of things said and things never done that hearing his Name just reminded him of. He wouldn't have missed it, either. Laughter turned to a snicker at the thought of leaving Wayland wandering around the city.

"It's been a good place. Lots of room for alone time but big enough for cabal time. You weren't here back when Zoey was, but she used to practice her markmanship and you could barely hear her gun firing." At one point they'd talked about a hot tub. Eeeeesh. "I never really finished out a patio, not sure if that's the right word when it's on a roof, which I kinda wish I did. Got sidetracked with the garage."

Rambling Angel is rambling. Half lost in good memories, half not knowing what else to say.

"I'll miss being the Hearthmaster of Vee Tee. Kinda, I dunno, originally got stuck with it. Otherwise we'd have eaten out every night. But.. kinda grew on me."

But maybe, just maybe, he'd be the hearthmaster of a new family.

"And god help you all if you get more than one Arrow. Apparently Banner Warden is A Thing."

[Tuesday]

She'd call Wayland and Strix Necro Dee and Necro Dumb forever.

(even if Wayland was gone, and Strix was erased.)

She was sort of there for the Titanic thing.

But to see it get a Star-grin makes her give a Tuesday one.

Then a laugh, well more of a snicker. But it's a lot of happy giggly sounds.

"Oh for sure. Best roof I've ever slept under." and that's the Truth. "I'll have to keep up my own pew, pewing. Avis'd get all growly if I didn't try to bow. But yeah, I'll get something all set up and pretty. Ish. Maybe. Depends. Not the grown up diaper thing, but the word. That you probably already realized I was using and i'm just digging a hole right aren't I?" An arm crosses over her middle to grab at the one that was hanging by her side.

"I'm glad it grew on you. Not only have you made the best foods, baked or otherwise, I've ever eaten, but if fits. You know. So. This. Me. Imma learn to cook. Not because I need to feed myself, but yeah I need to do that, but because. Carrot."

A barking laugh.

"Door Warden. Banner Warden. Yep, yep. That's a convo I remember." mostly because Necro Dumb was yelled at.

A moment or two, or maybe more then that.

"So...?"