Fic: Stars; PG; Kendrix and Mike
Partially, this was Akume's fault for her hug meme. As I enjoy hugs, I wanted to do something for it. The other part of blame goes to my own warped mind.
Enjoy!
Kendrix stared up at the starry sky, perched on a large rock she’d managed to find. The Mirinoi stars looked different than the stars on earth and she wondered how many of them were the same and how many were different. The constellations were different, that was certain. She hadn’t gotten around to asking any of the natives about it, but she was certain there were some with names that they could show her. She added it to the growing list of things she needed to ask about. Flora and fauna were at the top of her list. She wanted to know if it was just the magic of the sword that brought her back or if the environment of Mirinoi had added to it.
With that, her mind headed toward other things though she tried to keep it on the stars. She’d pretended that she was okay earlier when she’d pretty much gotten tackled by her team members with smiles that probably didn’t quite reach her eyes and laughter that sounded a little forced. If the others noticed, they hadn’t mentioned it. Maya had hugged her and asked if she was permanently back which Kendrix was pretty sure she was. Damon had gone next, then Leo. Both of them had hugged her and let her know that they were thrilled she was back. Kai had been last and hadn’t let her out of his sight until Leo dragged him off to bed. Karone and she had talked a bit about things, but it wasn’t like it was with everyone else. They hadn’t really known each other. Mike had seemingly disappeared or he hadn’t been there when she got back. She wasn’t sure which but she hadn’t seen him.
So, when she heard him coming up behind him, she didn’t bother to turn her head. “What was it like for you, Mike? Dying, I mean,” she asked as a greeting. He didn’t even pause at the question, instead he kept the same pace and answered quickly.
“I didn’t actually die,” he reminded her. “Not like you.”
Kendrix sighed and stared at the stars again. “It’s weird, Mike, but I felt at peace. I wasn’t expecting the sword to bring me back.”
Mike glanced at the rock, deciding that it was big enough for both of them and climbed up it. He wrapped an arm around her. “Do you wish it hadn’t?”
Kendrix didn’t answer right away and Mike just held her as he waited for her response. Finally she looked at him. “Would you hate me if I said I do wish that?”
“No,” he answered. She nodded and leaned further into him. “I don’t want you to feel that way, but… I think I understand.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. When you get a second chance, you’re supposed to do something great with it, right?” She asked. Mike was reminded of the shy young woman he’d met years before and he wished he had the answers for her. When he came back, he was able to help as a member of the team but the fight was over now.
“Maybe you’re not supposed to know yet,” he answered. “Give yourself some time.”
“How?” She asked, sounding a little bitter. Mike blinked a bit at that since it was so unlike his friend. “The others won’t leave me alone. Leo literally had to drag Kai to bed and he looked worried himself.”
Mike was quiet. After a minute, he spoke up again. “I’ll tell them to back off,” he assured her. “And Maya and Damon will stay away if you ask them.”
Kendrix finally looked down from the stars, tears in her eyes. “Mike, what if I don’t get better?”
Mike wrapped his other arm around her and held her tightly. “You will,” he promised.
Seemingly reassured by Mike’s words, she finally let the tears fall hard and strong. The front of his shirt was wet and soft cries broke the silence of the night. Mike didn’t say anything else, though he did rock her a bit. He glanced up at the same stars she’d been watching and blinked away his own tears at her pain, realizing that no matter what she pretended they didn’t have her back yet. Maybe, in time, they would.
Enjoy!
Kendrix stared up at the starry sky, perched on a large rock she’d managed to find. The Mirinoi stars looked different than the stars on earth and she wondered how many of them were the same and how many were different. The constellations were different, that was certain. She hadn’t gotten around to asking any of the natives about it, but she was certain there were some with names that they could show her. She added it to the growing list of things she needed to ask about. Flora and fauna were at the top of her list. She wanted to know if it was just the magic of the sword that brought her back or if the environment of Mirinoi had added to it.
With that, her mind headed toward other things though she tried to keep it on the stars. She’d pretended that she was okay earlier when she’d pretty much gotten tackled by her team members with smiles that probably didn’t quite reach her eyes and laughter that sounded a little forced. If the others noticed, they hadn’t mentioned it. Maya had hugged her and asked if she was permanently back which Kendrix was pretty sure she was. Damon had gone next, then Leo. Both of them had hugged her and let her know that they were thrilled she was back. Kai had been last and hadn’t let her out of his sight until Leo dragged him off to bed. Karone and she had talked a bit about things, but it wasn’t like it was with everyone else. They hadn’t really known each other. Mike had seemingly disappeared or he hadn’t been there when she got back. She wasn’t sure which but she hadn’t seen him.
So, when she heard him coming up behind him, she didn’t bother to turn her head. “What was it like for you, Mike? Dying, I mean,” she asked as a greeting. He didn’t even pause at the question, instead he kept the same pace and answered quickly.
“I didn’t actually die,” he reminded her. “Not like you.”
Kendrix sighed and stared at the stars again. “It’s weird, Mike, but I felt at peace. I wasn’t expecting the sword to bring me back.”
Mike glanced at the rock, deciding that it was big enough for both of them and climbed up it. He wrapped an arm around her. “Do you wish it hadn’t?”
Kendrix didn’t answer right away and Mike just held her as he waited for her response. Finally she looked at him. “Would you hate me if I said I do wish that?”
“No,” he answered. She nodded and leaned further into him. “I don’t want you to feel that way, but… I think I understand.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. When you get a second chance, you’re supposed to do something great with it, right?” She asked. Mike was reminded of the shy young woman he’d met years before and he wished he had the answers for her. When he came back, he was able to help as a member of the team but the fight was over now.
“Maybe you’re not supposed to know yet,” he answered. “Give yourself some time.”
“How?” She asked, sounding a little bitter. Mike blinked a bit at that since it was so unlike his friend. “The others won’t leave me alone. Leo literally had to drag Kai to bed and he looked worried himself.”
Mike was quiet. After a minute, he spoke up again. “I’ll tell them to back off,” he assured her. “And Maya and Damon will stay away if you ask them.”
Kendrix finally looked down from the stars, tears in her eyes. “Mike, what if I don’t get better?”
Mike wrapped his other arm around her and held her tightly. “You will,” he promised.
Seemingly reassured by Mike’s words, she finally let the tears fall hard and strong. The front of his shirt was wet and soft cries broke the silence of the night. Mike didn’t say anything else, though he did rock her a bit. He glanced up at the same stars she’d been watching and blinked away his own tears at her pain, realizing that no matter what she pretended they didn’t have her back yet. Maybe, in time, they would.