Fic Post: Compromise
Title: Compromise
Author: achika_chan
Pairing: Linkara/Spoony, some Linkara/Insano
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: This AU of my AU refuses to leave me alone.
Summary: AlwaysAGirl!Linkara and Insano have different parenting ideas for Lian.
Linkara and Insano have their first real fight in ages when she sees him explaining a Junior Science kit to Lian, who is still too young to really understand what he's talking about but seems interested anyway.
Harvey, who had come into the room behind her, immediately noticed Linkara go pale and tense up at the sight and swept past her, scooping Lian into his arms.
“I think it’s somebody’s nap time. Isn’t that right, baby doll?” Harvey said to Lian as he carried her out of the room.
“What were you doing?” Linkara asked, voice tense.
Insano looked up from his task of putting everything in the Junior Science kit back. He’d been lying on his stomach on the floor with Lian by his side, the kit spread out in front of them.
“Showing her what some of this stuff could do?” Insano asked, confused and sliding his goggles back down over his eyes.
“In the future? Don’t,” Linkara said flatly.
“It’s perfectly safe. Even if I wasn’t watching her, there’s nothing in here that could actually hurt her,” Insano said, motioning to the kit.
“I don’t care how safe you think it is. Don’t,” Linkara repeated, still angry.
Insano’s eyes narrowed behind his goggles, a familiar expression of suspicion.
“What’s your problem?” he asked, standing up. The room was practically crackling with tension.
“Nothing. Just keep the Science away from the baby, that’s all,” Linkara said.
“Bah, that was hardly Science. Parlor tricks, more like,” Insano said dismissively.
“Uh…Dudes?” 90s Kid said, poking his head in. “Harvey’s, like, trying to get Lian to sleep? So if you could keep it down that’d be radical,”
They hadn’t been that loud, but Linkara was willing to bet that Lian could sense that something was wrong anyway. She nodded and grabbed Insano, dragging him into the garage, which put enough distance between them and Lian that any disturbances the baby might pick up should be blocked.
“So now are you going to tell me what’s gotten into you?” Insano asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I don’t want Lian anywhere near Science,” Linkara said.
“…You realize that sounds insane, right?” Insano asked.
“I don’t mean the stuff you learn in high school. I mean the stuff that you and Linksano do. It’s not…I can’t follow that path, and I don’t think it’s safe,” Linkara said, frustrated and unsure of how to express herself properly.
“I’d never put Lian in danger. You know that,” Insano said, defensive.
“So then stop trying to get her to take to Science!” Linkara snapped.
“Only if you stop with the Magic. That is way too unstable for a child to be exposed to it,” Insano retorted.
“That’s not the same or true. People have been doing Magic for thousands of years!” Linkara protested.
“You don’t want Lian around Science? Well, I don’t want my daughter around Magic,” Insano said, crossing his arms and not backing down.
“She’s not your daughter, she’s Spoony’s! You don’t get to issue ultimatums,” Linkara yelled, frustration finally boiling over.
Insano froze and lowered his arms. “I guess you’re right,” he said quietly.
And that’s when Linkara realized what she’d said. “Oh god. Insano, I didn’t…”
But Insano was already well on his way back into Spoony’s mind. Spoony came back, gasping like his lungs were being crushed and clutching at his head.
“Jesus. What the fuck,” he said, talking to himself.
Linkara stepped forward and reached for him, and Spoony shrugged her off instinctively. Linkara flinched and lowered her hand. He stared at her in silence for a long moment.
“I need to take a walk,” Spoony muttered to her and left, and this was not what Linkara wanted at all.
Linkara sat on the futon and waited, getting more and more anxious as the time passed. Spoony came back hours later, looking much calmer and more together.
Linkara was up in a shot. “I am so sorry I didn’t mean it,” she said, and Spoony sighed and pulled her into a hug.
“I didn’t mean it, I didn’t. Insano’s amazing with Lian and…”
“He won’t hear you,” Spoony said. “He’s slammed his door and locked it,”
“He can…he can do that?” Linkara asked.
“Yeah. I don’t think he likes to, but he definitely can,” Spoony said with a slight wince.
Linkara didn’t see hide nor hair of Insano for a long time after that. There were times, in the moments of quiet, when he didn’t realize that she was watching, that Spoony would just…stop. And he’d look lost and fragile and confused, like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself or maybe like part of him was missing.
“Are you okay?” Linkara asked him as she fed Lian her breakfast.
“Huh? Yeah. I’m great,” Spoony said, taking his meds.
“You’re lying. We agreed no more lying,” Linkara said.
“We did, didn’t we?” Spoony said, slouching a little.
“It’s weird without him. I can barely feel that he’s there, and he doesn’t say anything. Not like he used to. It’s fu-freaking unnerving,” he continued, glancing at Lian at censoring himself. He wasn’t always the best about that, but he tried.
“I shouldn’t have said what I did. Insano doesn’t understand, though. If Lian chooses Science then I can’t protect her. Magic I can handle, you know? But Science is a dangerous game,” Linkara said, sighing.
“Science isn’t a game,” Spoony said, walking over and picking Lian up. “And if you can’t protect her, then I will. Isn’t that right, Lian? Daddy’ll protect his little princess,” Spoony made funny faces at her, causing Lian to giggle and grab at his hair.
Linkara couldn’t help but smile at them. “I’m trying to do too much by myself again, aren’t I?”
“Just a smidge,” Spoony said, kissing Linkara fondly, and something about him seemed lighter.
Linkara still didn’t see Insano after that, but sometimes she heard him talking to Lian at night or saw the aftermath of something Spoony didn’t build and she knew that eventually things would be okay.
She left a note for Insano where she knew he would see it. It was only one word - ‘please’ - but she figured it would at least get his attention.
Linkara woke up in the middle of the night to being shaken lightly but forcefully. She opened her eyes slowly, and registered the labcoat and goggles resting on dark hair subconsciously. Still mostly asleep she reached out for the familiar form.
“Hey. You’re back,” Linkara murmured, smiling around a yawn.
“What do you want, Linkara?” Insano asked, frowning at her and holding the note tight in his hand. He avoided Linkara’s grasp.
“’M sorry,” Linkara said, sad and sleep slurred. “Didn’t mean it. You’re great with Lian. I just get so scared. It’s always Science, you know. Mechakara, Linksano, Vyce, you. Science,”
Insano’s expression softened slightly. “I don’t exactly have the best experiences with Magic either, you know,”
“I do. I do know,” Linkara said, sitting up. “You’re so good now, and I am so sorry,”
“Yes, I heard you the first time,” Insano said.
“So I thought…we’d compromise. I won’t teach her Magic, you won’t teach her Science, and when she’s old enough she’ll choose her own path,” Linkara said.
Insano was quiet for a long moment.
“I suppose I can deal with that,” he said grudgingly, just when Linkara was starting to get worried that he’d walk out again.
Linkara sagged with relief. “What time is it?” she asked eventually, yawning.
“3:30,” Insano said.
Linkara groaned. “Ugh, why didn’t you wait till morning?”
“Technically it is the morning,” Insano pointed out.
“Shut up. I knew you were secretly still evil, waking me up this early,” Linkara muttered.
Insano laughed quietly. “Go back to sleep,”
Linkara grabbed Insano and pulled him into the bed. He flailed a little, trying to escape, and Linkara just threw an arm over him so he couldn’t get up.
“Can’t fall asleep by myself,” Linkara said and cuddled up close to him.
“I am not a Teddy Bear!” Insano protested.
“No, that’s Bear, and he serves an entirely different purpose than you do,” Linkara said, and closed her eyes.
Insano made a displeased noise. “You are certifiable, did you know that?”
“Shhhh,” Linkara said, already back on the edge of sleep. “Don’t wake our daughter,”
Insano stilled in shock, but whatever retort he came up with fell on deaf ears because Linkara was already asleep.
Author: achika_chan
Pairing: Linkara/Spoony, some Linkara/Insano
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: This AU of my AU refuses to leave me alone.
Summary: AlwaysAGirl!Linkara and Insano have different parenting ideas for Lian.
Linkara and Insano have their first real fight in ages when she sees him explaining a Junior Science kit to Lian, who is still too young to really understand what he's talking about but seems interested anyway.
Harvey, who had come into the room behind her, immediately noticed Linkara go pale and tense up at the sight and swept past her, scooping Lian into his arms.
“I think it’s somebody’s nap time. Isn’t that right, baby doll?” Harvey said to Lian as he carried her out of the room.
“What were you doing?” Linkara asked, voice tense.
Insano looked up from his task of putting everything in the Junior Science kit back. He’d been lying on his stomach on the floor with Lian by his side, the kit spread out in front of them.
“Showing her what some of this stuff could do?” Insano asked, confused and sliding his goggles back down over his eyes.
“In the future? Don’t,” Linkara said flatly.
“It’s perfectly safe. Even if I wasn’t watching her, there’s nothing in here that could actually hurt her,” Insano said, motioning to the kit.
“I don’t care how safe you think it is. Don’t,” Linkara repeated, still angry.
Insano’s eyes narrowed behind his goggles, a familiar expression of suspicion.
“What’s your problem?” he asked, standing up. The room was practically crackling with tension.
“Nothing. Just keep the Science away from the baby, that’s all,” Linkara said.
“Bah, that was hardly Science. Parlor tricks, more like,” Insano said dismissively.
“Uh…Dudes?” 90s Kid said, poking his head in. “Harvey’s, like, trying to get Lian to sleep? So if you could keep it down that’d be radical,”
They hadn’t been that loud, but Linkara was willing to bet that Lian could sense that something was wrong anyway. She nodded and grabbed Insano, dragging him into the garage, which put enough distance between them and Lian that any disturbances the baby might pick up should be blocked.
“So now are you going to tell me what’s gotten into you?” Insano asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I don’t want Lian anywhere near Science,” Linkara said.
“…You realize that sounds insane, right?” Insano asked.
“I don’t mean the stuff you learn in high school. I mean the stuff that you and Linksano do. It’s not…I can’t follow that path, and I don’t think it’s safe,” Linkara said, frustrated and unsure of how to express herself properly.
“I’d never put Lian in danger. You know that,” Insano said, defensive.
“So then stop trying to get her to take to Science!” Linkara snapped.
“Only if you stop with the Magic. That is way too unstable for a child to be exposed to it,” Insano retorted.
“That’s not the same or true. People have been doing Magic for thousands of years!” Linkara protested.
“You don’t want Lian around Science? Well, I don’t want my daughter around Magic,” Insano said, crossing his arms and not backing down.
“She’s not your daughter, she’s Spoony’s! You don’t get to issue ultimatums,” Linkara yelled, frustration finally boiling over.
Insano froze and lowered his arms. “I guess you’re right,” he said quietly.
And that’s when Linkara realized what she’d said. “Oh god. Insano, I didn’t…”
But Insano was already well on his way back into Spoony’s mind. Spoony came back, gasping like his lungs were being crushed and clutching at his head.
“Jesus. What the fuck,” he said, talking to himself.
Linkara stepped forward and reached for him, and Spoony shrugged her off instinctively. Linkara flinched and lowered her hand. He stared at her in silence for a long moment.
“I need to take a walk,” Spoony muttered to her and left, and this was not what Linkara wanted at all.
Linkara sat on the futon and waited, getting more and more anxious as the time passed. Spoony came back hours later, looking much calmer and more together.
Linkara was up in a shot. “I am so sorry I didn’t mean it,” she said, and Spoony sighed and pulled her into a hug.
“I didn’t mean it, I didn’t. Insano’s amazing with Lian and…”
“He won’t hear you,” Spoony said. “He’s slammed his door and locked it,”
“He can…he can do that?” Linkara asked.
“Yeah. I don’t think he likes to, but he definitely can,” Spoony said with a slight wince.
Linkara didn’t see hide nor hair of Insano for a long time after that. There were times, in the moments of quiet, when he didn’t realize that she was watching, that Spoony would just…stop. And he’d look lost and fragile and confused, like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself or maybe like part of him was missing.
“Are you okay?” Linkara asked him as she fed Lian her breakfast.
“Huh? Yeah. I’m great,” Spoony said, taking his meds.
“You’re lying. We agreed no more lying,” Linkara said.
“We did, didn’t we?” Spoony said, slouching a little.
“It’s weird without him. I can barely feel that he’s there, and he doesn’t say anything. Not like he used to. It’s fu-freaking unnerving,” he continued, glancing at Lian at censoring himself. He wasn’t always the best about that, but he tried.
“I shouldn’t have said what I did. Insano doesn’t understand, though. If Lian chooses Science then I can’t protect her. Magic I can handle, you know? But Science is a dangerous game,” Linkara said, sighing.
“Science isn’t a game,” Spoony said, walking over and picking Lian up. “And if you can’t protect her, then I will. Isn’t that right, Lian? Daddy’ll protect his little princess,” Spoony made funny faces at her, causing Lian to giggle and grab at his hair.
Linkara couldn’t help but smile at them. “I’m trying to do too much by myself again, aren’t I?”
“Just a smidge,” Spoony said, kissing Linkara fondly, and something about him seemed lighter.
Linkara still didn’t see Insano after that, but sometimes she heard him talking to Lian at night or saw the aftermath of something Spoony didn’t build and she knew that eventually things would be okay.
She left a note for Insano where she knew he would see it. It was only one word - ‘please’ - but she figured it would at least get his attention.
Linkara woke up in the middle of the night to being shaken lightly but forcefully. She opened her eyes slowly, and registered the labcoat and goggles resting on dark hair subconsciously. Still mostly asleep she reached out for the familiar form.
“Hey. You’re back,” Linkara murmured, smiling around a yawn.
“What do you want, Linkara?” Insano asked, frowning at her and holding the note tight in his hand. He avoided Linkara’s grasp.
“’M sorry,” Linkara said, sad and sleep slurred. “Didn’t mean it. You’re great with Lian. I just get so scared. It’s always Science, you know. Mechakara, Linksano, Vyce, you. Science,”
Insano’s expression softened slightly. “I don’t exactly have the best experiences with Magic either, you know,”
“I do. I do know,” Linkara said, sitting up. “You’re so good now, and I am so sorry,”
“Yes, I heard you the first time,” Insano said.
“So I thought…we’d compromise. I won’t teach her Magic, you won’t teach her Science, and when she’s old enough she’ll choose her own path,” Linkara said.
Insano was quiet for a long moment.
“I suppose I can deal with that,” he said grudgingly, just when Linkara was starting to get worried that he’d walk out again.
Linkara sagged with relief. “What time is it?” she asked eventually, yawning.
“3:30,” Insano said.
Linkara groaned. “Ugh, why didn’t you wait till morning?”
“Technically it is the morning,” Insano pointed out.
“Shut up. I knew you were secretly still evil, waking me up this early,” Linkara muttered.
Insano laughed quietly. “Go back to sleep,”
Linkara grabbed Insano and pulled him into the bed. He flailed a little, trying to escape, and Linkara just threw an arm over him so he couldn’t get up.
“Can’t fall asleep by myself,” Linkara said and cuddled up close to him.
“I am not a Teddy Bear!” Insano protested.
“No, that’s Bear, and he serves an entirely different purpose than you do,” Linkara said, and closed her eyes.
Insano made a displeased noise. “You are certifiable, did you know that?”
“Shhhh,” Linkara said, already back on the edge of sleep. “Don’t wake our daughter,”
Insano stilled in shock, but whatever retort he came up with fell on deaf ears because Linkara was already asleep.