nothing stands between us here

[isntbroken]

It's time for another round of room exploring with Noatak and Lu Ten!

Lu Ten is taking the lead this time, half humming, half singing a few snatches of songs under his breath. He can't remember more than a few lines of each of them, so in the end it's just a jumble of random folk songs, popular tunes, and snippets of a few picture shows.

"

Comments

[createdequalist]

Noatak has given up commenting on his companion's musical ministrations; if ten years of wondering at his propensity for humming and singing at the oddest moments hasn't had an effect, it won't now. Besides, at some point, it became almost endearing.

"What is it?" he asks, following him to right outside the door.

His Lieutenant is there, in full uniform--mask on, goggles unbroken--and he finds himself smiling as he looks at him. It doesn't hurt, anymore, to look back on the way they were--

Yes, it doesn't hurt him.

Still watching Lu Ten, Noatak steps over the threshold.

The uniform is tight against his skin, rubbing against his scars. The hood is warm on his head, negating the slight chill of the tea room.

The mask feels unnatural on Amon's face.

[isntbroken]

He looks back, sees Amon, and feels a pang as he remembers the circumstances in which they last saw each other like this - he even hopes, for a selfish split second, that they haven't found their way back. What would they be going back to?

Seeking equality, of course. What a dumb question.

But there's only one door out of the room when there should be two - "Guess it's a false alarm," he murmurs, gesturing at the lack of a second exit. But the small stove, the kettle and teapots are still here--

Impulsively, he pulls off his mask, setting it down carefully on the less sticky end of the crooked little table, and smiles. "How about some tea, Noatak?"

[createdequalist]

Noatak smiles back at him, even though Lu Ten can only see it in his eyes. "It would be my pleasure, Lu Ten." Reaching back to take his hood off, untie his mask--and it doesn't matter that Lu Ten has seen him unmasked for months, he still hesitates a moment before removing it.

Sitting down across from the Lieutenant, he cocks his head at his reflection in the teapot. He's in full makeup as well. "Heh. This was only for special occasions," he says, gesturing to his face. He moves to wipe away the makeup before it reminds them both of how deep Noatak's lies went.

Hmm. That feels--odd.

He wipes at it again, a little harder.

[isntbroken]

With a small smile, he reaches for Amon's removed mask, lightly runs a finger over the lines--

Wait.

Lu Ten hastily reaches up, catches Noatak's hand. "Noatak, stop." He's seen enough of his real scars to know--

He runs his other hand down the side of his face to make sure. "It's... real," he says softly, eyes wide.

[createdequalist]

Amon stares at him. "What?" He runs his fingers over his cheek, feeling for the familiar texture of theater makeup and gum--

He's right.

Pulling the teapot closer, he stares at his face. The mess of ugly scars, the missing brows, even the unnatural curl of his lip--everything he had painstakingly created the illusion of.

"So they did look realistic," he murmurs, wide eyes reflecting back at him.

If the spirits wanted to humble him, they had already done a far better job than this.