Fic: Reconcilable Differences (S&S)
15 Mar 2013 03:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thisbluespiritTitle: Reconcilable Differences | on AO3
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lost_spook
Rating: All ages/PG
Word Count: 4954
Characters/Pairings: Silver, Steel, Sapphire (Silver/Steel)
Notes/Warnings: Some canon-type weirdness involving drowning and a ref. to suicide.
Summary: Steel’s lost inside the plot of a romantic novel and Silver’s been sent after him. It should be simple enough, but the narrative’s out to bend them to its will – one kiss and the world might end…
Written for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
unconventionalcourtship from Mills&Boon/Harlequin summary #28. I also kept the title, because why not?
Six years vanished in a heartbeat...
...as Silver gazed down at the unconscious Steel. But the specialist/technician had to steel himself against this irresistible Element who’d walked out on him and was now up to his beautiful neck in a deadly game of international terror.
How many nights had he dreamt about him?
Silver was back in his life, sweeping him from harm’s way, but he believed he was part of a global conspiracy and he had to prove him wrong. Winning his trust again was Steel’s most important mission as danger and desire collided between a technician and an operator determined to turn the mistakes of the past into a promise for the future.
***
“Are you ready yet, Silver?”
Silver was busy threading several long metal strands together – strands that had shortly before been two clocks, a digital watch and the telephone wire – and all his attention was on his work. “Hmm? Oh, Sapphire. Very nearly now.”
Sapphire paced about the lawn.
“Just one thing,” said Silver, frowning intently as he twisted the threads about his fingers. “You did say you’d lost Steel inside a romantic novel, didn’t you?”
“Not inside it, precisely,” Sapphire said, leaning against the high stone wall of the garden and watching him work. “It’s escaped – it’s attempting to impose its reality on the world – creating temporal dissonance. At the moment it’s containable. It’s January here, but it’s last July where Steel is and I can’t reach him. It’s been growing worse ever since it took him, only by minutes at the moment –”
“But minutes add up to time we can’t afford to lose?” Silver smiled back at her. “Don’t worry. With your help, I should be able to follow this along into the affected area, and Steel and I will be back in an instant. You’ll hardly know I’m gone.”
Sapphire put a hand to his shoulder, catching him as he tried to move away. “Silver. Narratives have power – and this one has had sufficient time to work on Steel, to use him. Don’t underestimate it.”
“Ah, but it’s not expecting me,” said Silver. He held up the “rope” and it shone, despite the overcast night. “Besides, it’s hardly what you’d call Steel’s natural habitat, is it? And I have a lifeline – leading me back to you, Sapphire.”
She had to smile and leant against him momentarily. Silver. We need Steel back. It can’t be allowed to keep him.
“Yes,” he said softly. I understand, Sapphire.
*
Silver tied his makeshift rope to the gatepost and unwound it, using it as a conduit through to the isolated area around the swimming pool that had been moved out of time. He followed it along, feeling time shift around him until he passed from the cold, cloudy winter’s night into a bright summer’s day.
“Steel?” he called, finding his path ended at the swimming pool’s edge. He frowned as he stared about him. Where was Steel? It was only a small area that had been affected; this one section of the grounds. He should be able to see Steel. Realisation followed the thought and he looked down into the pool. Steel was there, underwater.
Silver crouched down and tried to reach out for him, but he was too far away and his fingers touched nothing but water, missing Steel by inches.
He tried again: Steel! Steel, surely you can hear me?
Steel was drowning, Silver realised, even though that shouldn’t be possible. It certainly shouldn’t be possible in a pool shallow enough for a person to stand upright in. Well, Silver amended, Steel might have to go on tiptoe, but even so…
“It’s got you, hasn’t it?” he said aloud, and surveyed the pool with misgivings. Chlorinated water, very likely not anywhere like as clean as it should be and certainly containing unwanted vegetation and dead insects if nothing worse. And Steel really shouldn’t need his help. On the other hand, in this situation, it could destroy him if it wanted. Perhaps it had already finished with him and was ready to turn to Silver.
Silver pulled a face in distaste and then lowered himself into the water, which was at a level just below his shoulders. Then he caught hold of Steel, raising him back to the surface and dragging him across to the side. He casually hooked Steel’s arm over the ladder before climbing out. Then he looked warily back down at Steel. Silver wasn’t built for heavy lifting and Steel’s slight stature was misleading.
Steel? Can you hear me now? “Steel!” Then Silver sighed and supposed he would have to try. With much effort and complaining that he hoped would provoke a response from the other, he hauled Steel up and over the edge, dragging him onto the patio stones.
Then Silver let go and looked down at himself. He was wet through, up to his shoulders, and even if he concentrated he couldn’t change that – and he should be able to. He glared at Steel.
“I draw the line at trying to drag you all the way back,” he told him, leaning over him and giving him a shake. “Come on, Steel. Wake up.” Steel? Can’t you hear me?
There was no response, so Silver sat back on the stones with a sigh and looked at his watch, and waited. At least the sunshine was already starting to dry him out.
He watched Steel hopefully and noted with a mixture of wariness and amusement that Sapphire was right about the narrative. It was intruding into his mind already, nibbling away at the edges. His thoughts as he looked at his unconscious colleague were a little… unconventional, even for him. He’d certainly never found himself contemplating whether or not the other’s neck was an attractive feature. Silver laughed and shook himself.
“Careful,” he said under his breath and decided he should check on his rope instead. As he returned, he saw with relief that Steel was beginning to stir. Good, he thought. Steel would know what to do. He usually did.
Silver knelt down beside him. “Steel –”
Steel looked up at him, evidently dazed, and then as their eyes met, the world around them stopped.
*
“What happened?” Steel asked finally, as sound and movement returned.
Silver glanced back up and outwards, his features lined with anxiety. “Nothing good, I’m afraid. We must have lost more time – quite a lot of time. I’d estimate it was about six years.”
“I… don’t understand,” said Steel, frowning. “And I know you… don’t I?”
Silver tilted his head sideways, watching the other. “Of course you do. It’s Silver. Come on, Steel, we need to make our way back to Sapphire before it becomes impossible – if it isn’t already.”
Steel only frowned at him and put up a hand to his face before letting it fall back. “Silver? No, I don’t think that’s right.”
“Oh,” said Silver. “Oh.” He tried speaking telepathically instead in the hope that would reach the real Steel. Steel, don’t you remember? You’re caught inside the narrative – you think you’re a character inside a story, but you’re not.
Steel didn’t respond to the mental contact. “I was drowning – you rescued me?”
“Well, yes, I suppose I did. What were you doing in the pool if you can’t swim?”
“I think… somebody knocked me out.”
Silver patted his shoulder. “Hardly, Steel. We’re the only ones here. Now, do get up and let’s see if we can leave.”
“Don’t you believe me?”
Silver got to his feet. “Steel, really, this isn’t the time. Any more of this and the break could become catastrophic.” He looked back down at Steel. Do you understand? We need to stop it.
Was there a flicker of understanding in Steel’s eyes, or was it only his wishful thinking? Silver crouched back down. Sapphire’s waiting for us at the other end. Sapphire, Steel.
Sapphire?
Silver smiled. Good. You’re still in there. I was beginning to wonder.
It’s very… confusing.
Silver had to laugh, but softly. Yes. I imagine it is. This really isn’t your sort of thing, is it, Steel?
How did you get here?
I made a rope of sorts. Well – it’s complicated, but – Silver stopped as he looked across at his lifeline. It had faded, he was sure of it. He leapt up and hurried over to it, but when he tried to take it in his hands, it went right through his fingers. Silver stared at it in alarm.
“Steel,” he said aloud. “Whatever it was we did then – we need to find a means of undoing it or there’s no way out. Everything will be finished, unless Sapphire can close this down from the outside – and to do that she’d have to destroy us with it.”
“You’re not making any sense. I told you, somebody hit me and you – I don’t know.”
“Oh, no,” said Silver, with an impatient sigh. “Oh, Steel.” It would be much easier, he thought, if he could have brought Sapphire with him.
“I know we’ve had our differences,” said Steel, cautiously sitting up, “but I wouldn’t have expected you to hold a grudge at a time like this. There are things I need to tell you.”
“No,” said Silver in frustrated dismay. “No, no, no.” He made an attempt to pull Steel up, but it was useless. It was another mistake, because Steel caught at his hand and even if he didn’t know who he was, he still had his strength.
Steel leant forward. “We used to be better friends than this.”
“No, we didn’t,” said Silver. “Or at least, that’s not the way you’d put it.” He managed to pull his hand free and gave the other an impatient scowl. Whatever he usually thought of Steel’s cold and utilitarian attitude to everything, this was very inconvenient. He felt sure they’d lost another precious few minutes in the second Steel had touched him. Steel! If there was ever a time for you to be your usual ungracious self, it’s now.
Steel gave him a puzzled, hurt look and Silver turned his head away and stared hard at the walled area they were in. He wasn’t immune, either. His hand tingled where Steel had put his own to it and there were other things. His heart was beating faster – and that really was quite ridiculous. He should move further away, but he seemed caught. Like magnets, he thought. Unlike poles attract. If only they could be two like poles this once and repel each other to break the power of the narrative.
The thought amused him – be like Steel? Why not? He got up and moved sharply away, leaning against the wall.
“I’ve told you this isn’t my fault. What is it you think I’ve done?”
Silver glared at him. “It doesn’t matter. Just stay there – away from me.”
“Clearly you don’t trust me. You think I’m working with them.”
“In a way, you are,” said Silver. Be cold, he told himself, but it wasn’t the way he worked. He couldn’t help being amused at the ideas intruding into his mind, couldn’t help being curious as to what would happen if he followed their promptings. It was his nature. “And I can’t trust you, not like this.”
Steel got to his feet. “I promise you, I’m not working with anyone! As I keep telling you, someone tried to kill me.”
Silver tried to edge away along the wall as Steel walked towards him. Steel, I really would appreciate it if you could control yourself!
Steel reached him and then gave him a long look. “I wouldn’t have thought that would alarm you.” He shrugged. “Sometimes it takes over. Or it has since you arrived. What did you do, Silver?”
Silver sagged back against the wall, but he thought it was terribly unfair that the moment Steel was relatively free of the story’s influence, he started blaming Silver.
“I think,” said Silver, with a waspish note to his voice, “my mistake was saving you.”
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Steel said, turning around and surveying the pool area. There was, however, no visible sign of the danger they were in. To anyone else, it would all have looked perfectly innocent. “It’s a romance narrative, Silver. You’ve given it what it needs to work – two of us.”
Silver gestured over at his barely visible rope. “I had a lifeline. We should have been able to leave and then we could have closed down what was left. Without you in here, it wouldn’t have been difficult. However, I didn’t bargain for what it did when I arrived.”
“What was that?”
“When I rescued you, I inadvertently played along to the story,” said Silver. “I allowed myself some leeway with the rope’s length, but not enough, apparently. It’s not entirely in the same point in time as we are any more.” Silver paused and turned his head to look at the other, who was distinctly closer than he’d been moments ago. “Steel. In the circumstances, I would prefer it if you didn’t lean against me like that.”
Steel registered his current position without surprise or comment and moved away. “It seems to be putting pressure on us to play along, doesn’t it? Perhaps it doesn’t have much time, either.”
“No, maybe not,” said Silver. “But sitting here and waiting it out isn’t an option.”
“No.”
They exchanged a glance; a moment of acknowledgement. Silver knew what Steel meant by the pressure. He couldn’t maintain eye contact, so he looked downwards and became absorbed in rearranging his handkerchief in his breast pocket. Yes, yes, he told himself impatiently, Steel was quite attractive in his own way, but that was hardly reason to be entertaining such very human thoughts concerning him.
However, before he could say anything, or Steel could ask more useful questions, they were interrupted by a nearby gunshot.
Silver swung around and opened his mouth to say that that was quite impossible, that no one else was here and that they should ignore it - no bullets could be real here – and that by proving that, they might even shake the narrative’s hold on them and the area. What he did instead, as the unseen – non-existent – assassin fired again was to clutch at Steel and pull them both to the ground.
Silver…
Silver closed his eyes, frustrated by his own actions. He didn’t need Steel to tell him he’d made another mistake. He’d felt the ensuing further time shift as much as the other had. “I know.” Worse, he wanted to stay holding onto Steel, and even express unnecessary concern for his safety. Silver pulled a face and let go before sitting and shuffling away from Steel. He was annoyed. His mind was a precise instrument and these escaped tawdry words were getting themselves into the cogs and gears of his thought processes – to use a crude analogy – like so many pieces of dirt or fluff in the machinery.
“If it happens again, we’ll know what to do,” was all Steel said, and then he stood.
The narrative tugged at Silver’s mind. He felt the need to immediately leap to his feet, tell Steel to be more careful, get himself somewhere safe, and let Silver hunt for their unseen and armed enemy. All of which was entirely illogical, so Silver remained where he was and searched instead for something else to concentrate on.
Unfortunately, he had to admit that the narrative was not working without some assistance from the two of them. It was vital, after all, to possess and analyse all the facts, so it had to be admitted. Steel could be something of a blunt instrument (Silver was so much subtler) but he had his attractions and Silver… well, he noticed and appreciated such things, and why not? He would like to comfort himself now with assurance that Steel never entertained such ideas, but, thought Silver, wrinkling his nose, it wasn’t that simple, was it? Steel would never put it like that – sadly – but even he might acknowledge a curiosity about Silver or recognition of his usefulness, their shared efficiency, or even annoyance. Taking into account their very different nature, those might amount to the same thing. And then, of course, there was Sapphire; Sapphire who connected both of them. Silver sighed.
“Silver?” said Steel. “Do you have any ideas?”
“I found a way in,” said Silver, getting to his feet. “And I provided us with a way out and if it hadn’t used us like that – well, that’s all I was sent here for, I’m afraid.”
You seem to be less affected. Can we use that?
Silver laughed to himself at that, given the irony of what he’d been thinking only moments before. I’m not sure that’s true, Steel. It’s just –
He halted, struggling to explain it in words. Silver had had his lifeline, he’d deliberately worked his way in here. And it was in his nature to see the structure, the technicalities. Even now, with his head as muddled as it was, he could dimly see the escaped words lurking somewhere behind this reality, bending it and twisting it. He could at least see what he was fighting and that helped.
“First,” said Steel, “we need to find out who’s trying to kill me. You must agree with that much, surely?”
Silver rounded on him. “Steel! Stop doing that!”
“You still don’t believe me, even after someone’s tried to kill me twice? How can you even think I’ve got anything to do with – with -?” He stopped and caught at Silver’s arm, burying his head against his jacket.
Silver’s eyebrows shot up and he looked at the other with a mixture of alarm and disbelief. Really, he thought, of all the things he had ever feared the universe might throw at him, he had certainly never dreamt that one such threat would be a shaken Steel on the verge of tears. It was really too much, he decided, even while he had to clench his hands into fists in order not to obey the instinct to put his arms around him.
“Steel,” he said, “if you don’t stop this right now; if you dare cry on me – if you even can – I shall – I shall – Well!” Words failed him. Steel, you are the most immovable, unemotional being I have ever met and you can’t – you can’t just leave me to fight this alone!
Silver stopped again, not having intended to finish up with such a plea, but he saw, much to his relief, Steel glance at him and raise an enquiring eyebrow before stepping back to a safer distance.
“Yes, well,” said Silver and they exchanged a look which agreed firmly without words that if Steel ever mentioned Silver begging him for help, Silver would keep the mark on his jacket as a souvenir and explain to everyone precisely how he’d acquired it.
“It seems to worsen and then fade again,” Steel commented. “Its hold even on this area can’t be complete.”
“It’s bad enough, it seems.”
“I could try forcing a way out,” Steel said. “If you’ve no better ideas.”
Silver shook his head. “Sapphire thinks that would be disastrous. At least at the moment the disturbance is contained. It won’t be if you break through this – this bubble we’re in.”
“Better to let her crush it from the outside?”
“Well,” said Silver and let his mind drift as he tried to think of an answer. “Anyway, you should go somewhere safe and let me find out who’s been shooting at us.” He reached inside his jacket for a gun he didn’t have, coming back to himself at the realisation, even as Steel grabbed his arm roughly.
“Silver!”
Silver sighed. “Yes, it is getting worse, isn’t it? And do let go of my arm, Steel.” Or else, he thought irritably, the temptation to kiss Steel would become overwhelming – and the way things had been going that would probably send this area adrift in time by a hundred years and a dangerous irregularity would become a fully fledged break.
“Is this normal?” Steel asked.
Silver raised his head again, startled out of his thoughts and unable to understand what the other meant. “Normal?”
“For a human courtship – whatever you want to call it,” said Steel. “Some of the ideas it’s putting my head are… unexpected.”
Silver leaned back against the bricks of the wall again and, very carefully, did not laugh. “No,” he said, “it’s fictional. Some of it may be not atypical, but other aspects are… well, it’s just another fantasy of sorts.”
“If they knew the damage these things do –”
“But they don’t,” Silver countered. “And they have to have their means of escape, Steel. Isn’t that the point? You know that.”
Steel nodded. “Silver.”
“Yes?”
“You’re holding my hand. Don’t.”
Silver glanced down, gave a sheepish laugh and then hastily let go. “Yes. Well, as I said, I see what you mean.”
Steel clutched at Silver’s arm in sudden alarm, breaking into his attempts at mental communication and clearly not himself yet again. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” said Silver, failing to pull free of the other’s painful grip. “Or very probably us losing half an hour more.” Steel – He stopped, the contact allowing him to see what was passing through Steel’s mind. Getting an impression of what Steel currently wanted Silver to do caused him to raise both eyebrows. An interesting idea, of course, but not advisable in these circumstances. And if it came down to it, he wasn’t entirely sure it was anatomically possible.
“No, there was something – someone.”
Silver tugged his arm out of Steel’s hold with an effort, nearly losing his jacket in the process. “No,” he said. “There isn’t. And, if you don’t mind, I’m going to talk to you from the other side of the pool.”
*
This isn’t a solution, Silver.
Silver was sitting in the flower bed, up against the opposite wall with his arms round his knees. He’d been there for the past half-hour, keeping his distance from Steel. No, but it’s safer.
Safer won’t get us anywhere. You said yourself – the narrative is using us. We need to do something to break it.
Silver smiled. I can’t help it if you find me irresistible, Steel. I’m doing my best to keep out of your way.
What happened when you arrived? In detail, Silver. I need to know. That was the crisis point.
Silver shrugged. You were drowning –
Impossible.
Not necessarily, Steel. Not in a situation like this. I pulled you out of the water –
Can you see enough of it to follow the narrative? What form does the story take?
Silver had to stop and think about that. It hadn’t occurred to him, but he could, or at least vaguely, for a chapter or so. Yes. There’s a conspiracy and you’re – you’re the protagonist. The heroine, in fact.
Even from this distance, Silver could tell that Steel was glaring at him.
The whole thing’s really rather predictable and tedious, Silver added. Anyway, you should be thankful, Steel.
Why?
Well, these sorts of stories do seem to follow similar patterns – dreadfully stereotypical. The hero tends to be rather more, er, forceful. And given our relative strengths, Steel, if it had been the other way round we might have been in even more trouble. Although, that’s a thought... Silver stopped, considered his idea, and then shook his head. No, probably not.
“What?” said Steel, suddenly standing over him. “What is it, Silver?”
Silver started and looked up. “I could probably reshape things enough to swap our roles over. It might break the narrative.”
“Then try.”
“Yes, but, Steel, it might merely leave us no further on and with even more difficulties to contend with.”
Steel crouched down beside him. “Silver. We don’t have much time.”
“Only if you promise to keep your hands off me. I understand the temptation, of course, but –”
Silver.
“Sweep me off my feet and the world will probably end.”
“If it breaks its influence on us, it won’t be an issue. Silver.” Steel stopped. Then, unwillingly, he added: It’s getting stronger. If we don’t try something, it’s only going to result in the same ending. Do it, Silver. If you can, that is.
“Of course I can,” Silver returned. Nevertheless, he hesitated before obeying. It was growing harder to see through the reality it had imposed on them, through to the words; words that came from a printed, machine-made book. The world around them blurred momentarily – the air itself seemed to soften and glow. He could shift the words a little, alter their positions in the narrative and change places with Steel.
“There,” Silver said, once he’d finished, breathless at the effort.
Steel turned. “That was it?”
“Yes. How do you feel now?” He knew he wasn’t free of its influence, but maybe Steel would be. Steel was always different – and he was stronger. Silver was still experiencing unfamiliar thoughts; they were merely slightly different now. Why they clung to such tiresome and frequently untrue clichés, he didn’t know.
Steel considered his question, leaving a long silence before replying. “Things seem clearer now. You must have broken through. Go find that rope of yours and see.”
“But I haven’t,” said Silver, taking a nervous step back. It occurred to him then that the change would presumably have also removed Steel’s fictitious head injury. That might account for the apparent improvement –
Steel interrupted Silver’s thoughts by catching hold of him.
“Steel!” Silver felt their surroundings become utterly still, as if everything was waiting, holding its breath. The story was making an unfair move and about to win. Silver would have moved away, but there was no escaping from Steel’s hold and he was suddenly at the mercy of alien emotions. His knees were suddenly unreliable and he felt light-headed. They had illnesses that were considerably less troublesome, he thought, annoyed at how tangled in the story even he seemed to be.
Then, as Steel didn’t stop, Silver did the only thing he could, hanging onto Steel’s lapels and, as the other moved in nearer, Silver leant to the side and overbalanced both of them into the pool.
*
Under the water, he kept hold of Steel, fighting to make them both stay under the surface. It made sense; it was what he should have done in the first place – let Steel drown.
Silver…?
Silver wouldn’t let go, hanging on in desperation. There wasn’t time to explain, but even as he began to try he felt that spark of their minds meeting and knew that Steel understood.
Both of us? Steel asked, not questioning the solution. You might not… Silver…
Silver relaxed and let Steel keep them weighted down. This was Steel’s sort of thing, not his. Oh, don’t worry about me, Steel.
I’m not.
Both the thoughts intruding into Silver’s mind and his own consciousness began to dim. Some humans would think this is terribly romantic, too.
Even they can’t think murder is romantic.
Silver laughed inwardly and sent one last thought to Steel: Lovers die in suicide pact.
The last thing Silver knew as his world darkened further was Steel’s annoyance, seemingly everywhere.
*
When Silver opened his eyes again, he was lying on the paving stones on an icy night, sodden and instantly sorry for himself at the discovery. Indignation at the sheer improbability of such a situation propelled him to sit upright.
Steel was standing there, not far from him, and Sapphire was walking towards them, trailing Silver’s rope through her fingers as she moved along.
“I was beginning to worry,” she said, as she reached them, giving a smile.
She looked first at Steel, who was also dripping wet. She touched his sleeve and then his hair, giving him an amused glance. He looked down at himself as if he hadn’t registered the fact until then and moments later he was dry again.
“Silver’s arrival caused a problem, but we dealt with it.”
Silver looked up. It was very unfair, he thought. He was wet, battered, freezing, and he wasn’t even sure the story’s influence had entirely gone, as he still felt rather regretful that acting on the narrative’s suggestions would have been so dangerous. “Well! You wouldn’t have got out without me. You were the one who –” He stopped and scowled instead. “I think you might have damaged me.”
“I should have been more careful when I was drowning you?” From Steel, that was probably a joke.
Silver couldn’t help but laugh and then, even as Sapphire also turned to look at him with a smile, his attempt at sulking evaporated as did the water in his clothes. He bounced to his feet and grasped Sapphire’s outstretched hand.
“Has it gone?” Steel asked. “Once it lost the characters it lost its power, but is it safe yet?”
Sapphire raised her head. “There’s still a discrepancy, but it’s only a minute or two now.”
“That’s dangerous enough.”
“So we’ll seal the breach,” said Sapphire, smiling at him. “I can do that.” She directed a distinctly amused look at Silver and Steel. “I see you two have unfinished business.”
Sapphire. Steel failed to appreciate her humour.
As she left, Steel glared at Silver, who held out his hands and looked as innocent as he could manage. Then he shrugged and set about winding the wire around his arm.
Steel walked up and down the paved area a few times, watching his surroundings carefully. Eventually, he turned back. “Did I hurt you?”
“Momentarily,” said Silver, pocketing the coiled wire. He vaguely remembered how he’d felt on coming round, but that had gone now. “Don’t worry, Steel. It was unavoidable, given the circumstances.”
“Yes. Back there –”
Silver gave a laugh. “Believe me, I have no wish to tell anyone about it, either.”
“No,” said Steel, dismissing that idea as irrelevant. “Silver –” He hesitated, apparently considering words but in the end, merely gave Silver a nod, possibly even the smallest of smiles, before heading off to find Sapphire.
Silver decided to interpret that as a thank you of sorts. He beamed instantly, and followed after the other two.
And who knew, Silver thought, ever optimistic, maybe some other place, some other time? After all, it couldn’t always mean the end of the world, could it?
***
Author:
lost_spookRating: All ages/PG
Word Count: 4954
Characters/Pairings: Silver, Steel, Sapphire (Silver/Steel)
Notes/Warnings: Some canon-type weirdness involving drowning and a ref. to suicide.
Summary: Steel’s lost inside the plot of a romantic novel and Silver’s been sent after him. It should be simple enough, but the narrative’s out to bend them to its will – one kiss and the world might end…
Written for
unconventionalcourtship from Mills&Boon/Harlequin summary #28. I also kept the title, because why not?Six years vanished in a heartbeat...
...as Silver gazed down at the unconscious Steel. But the specialist/technician had to steel himself against this irresistible Element who’d walked out on him and was now up to his beautiful neck in a deadly game of international terror.
How many nights had he dreamt about him?
Silver was back in his life, sweeping him from harm’s way, but he believed he was part of a global conspiracy and he had to prove him wrong. Winning his trust again was Steel’s most important mission as danger and desire collided between a technician and an operator determined to turn the mistakes of the past into a promise for the future.
***
“Are you ready yet, Silver?”
Silver was busy threading several long metal strands together – strands that had shortly before been two clocks, a digital watch and the telephone wire – and all his attention was on his work. “Hmm? Oh, Sapphire. Very nearly now.”
Sapphire paced about the lawn.
“Just one thing,” said Silver, frowning intently as he twisted the threads about his fingers. “You did say you’d lost Steel inside a romantic novel, didn’t you?”
“Not inside it, precisely,” Sapphire said, leaning against the high stone wall of the garden and watching him work. “It’s escaped – it’s attempting to impose its reality on the world – creating temporal dissonance. At the moment it’s containable. It’s January here, but it’s last July where Steel is and I can’t reach him. It’s been growing worse ever since it took him, only by minutes at the moment –”
“But minutes add up to time we can’t afford to lose?” Silver smiled back at her. “Don’t worry. With your help, I should be able to follow this along into the affected area, and Steel and I will be back in an instant. You’ll hardly know I’m gone.”
Sapphire put a hand to his shoulder, catching him as he tried to move away. “Silver. Narratives have power – and this one has had sufficient time to work on Steel, to use him. Don’t underestimate it.”
“Ah, but it’s not expecting me,” said Silver. He held up the “rope” and it shone, despite the overcast night. “Besides, it’s hardly what you’d call Steel’s natural habitat, is it? And I have a lifeline – leading me back to you, Sapphire.”
She had to smile and leant against him momentarily. Silver. We need Steel back. It can’t be allowed to keep him.
“Yes,” he said softly. I understand, Sapphire.
*
Silver tied his makeshift rope to the gatepost and unwound it, using it as a conduit through to the isolated area around the swimming pool that had been moved out of time. He followed it along, feeling time shift around him until he passed from the cold, cloudy winter’s night into a bright summer’s day.
“Steel?” he called, finding his path ended at the swimming pool’s edge. He frowned as he stared about him. Where was Steel? It was only a small area that had been affected; this one section of the grounds. He should be able to see Steel. Realisation followed the thought and he looked down into the pool. Steel was there, underwater.
Silver crouched down and tried to reach out for him, but he was too far away and his fingers touched nothing but water, missing Steel by inches.
He tried again: Steel! Steel, surely you can hear me?
Steel was drowning, Silver realised, even though that shouldn’t be possible. It certainly shouldn’t be possible in a pool shallow enough for a person to stand upright in. Well, Silver amended, Steel might have to go on tiptoe, but even so…
“It’s got you, hasn’t it?” he said aloud, and surveyed the pool with misgivings. Chlorinated water, very likely not anywhere like as clean as it should be and certainly containing unwanted vegetation and dead insects if nothing worse. And Steel really shouldn’t need his help. On the other hand, in this situation, it could destroy him if it wanted. Perhaps it had already finished with him and was ready to turn to Silver.
Silver pulled a face in distaste and then lowered himself into the water, which was at a level just below his shoulders. Then he caught hold of Steel, raising him back to the surface and dragging him across to the side. He casually hooked Steel’s arm over the ladder before climbing out. Then he looked warily back down at Steel. Silver wasn’t built for heavy lifting and Steel’s slight stature was misleading.
Steel? Can you hear me now? “Steel!” Then Silver sighed and supposed he would have to try. With much effort and complaining that he hoped would provoke a response from the other, he hauled Steel up and over the edge, dragging him onto the patio stones.
Then Silver let go and looked down at himself. He was wet through, up to his shoulders, and even if he concentrated he couldn’t change that – and he should be able to. He glared at Steel.
“I draw the line at trying to drag you all the way back,” he told him, leaning over him and giving him a shake. “Come on, Steel. Wake up.” Steel? Can’t you hear me?
There was no response, so Silver sat back on the stones with a sigh and looked at his watch, and waited. At least the sunshine was already starting to dry him out.
He watched Steel hopefully and noted with a mixture of wariness and amusement that Sapphire was right about the narrative. It was intruding into his mind already, nibbling away at the edges. His thoughts as he looked at his unconscious colleague were a little… unconventional, even for him. He’d certainly never found himself contemplating whether or not the other’s neck was an attractive feature. Silver laughed and shook himself.
“Careful,” he said under his breath and decided he should check on his rope instead. As he returned, he saw with relief that Steel was beginning to stir. Good, he thought. Steel would know what to do. He usually did.
Silver knelt down beside him. “Steel –”
Steel looked up at him, evidently dazed, and then as their eyes met, the world around them stopped.
*
“What happened?” Steel asked finally, as sound and movement returned.
Silver glanced back up and outwards, his features lined with anxiety. “Nothing good, I’m afraid. We must have lost more time – quite a lot of time. I’d estimate it was about six years.”
“I… don’t understand,” said Steel, frowning. “And I know you… don’t I?”
Silver tilted his head sideways, watching the other. “Of course you do. It’s Silver. Come on, Steel, we need to make our way back to Sapphire before it becomes impossible – if it isn’t already.”
Steel only frowned at him and put up a hand to his face before letting it fall back. “Silver? No, I don’t think that’s right.”
“Oh,” said Silver. “Oh.” He tried speaking telepathically instead in the hope that would reach the real Steel. Steel, don’t you remember? You’re caught inside the narrative – you think you’re a character inside a story, but you’re not.
Steel didn’t respond to the mental contact. “I was drowning – you rescued me?”
“Well, yes, I suppose I did. What were you doing in the pool if you can’t swim?”
“I think… somebody knocked me out.”
Silver patted his shoulder. “Hardly, Steel. We’re the only ones here. Now, do get up and let’s see if we can leave.”
“Don’t you believe me?”
Silver got to his feet. “Steel, really, this isn’t the time. Any more of this and the break could become catastrophic.” He looked back down at Steel. Do you understand? We need to stop it.
Was there a flicker of understanding in Steel’s eyes, or was it only his wishful thinking? Silver crouched back down. Sapphire’s waiting for us at the other end. Sapphire, Steel.
Sapphire?
Silver smiled. Good. You’re still in there. I was beginning to wonder.
It’s very… confusing.
Silver had to laugh, but softly. Yes. I imagine it is. This really isn’t your sort of thing, is it, Steel?
How did you get here?
I made a rope of sorts. Well – it’s complicated, but – Silver stopped as he looked across at his lifeline. It had faded, he was sure of it. He leapt up and hurried over to it, but when he tried to take it in his hands, it went right through his fingers. Silver stared at it in alarm.
“Steel,” he said aloud. “Whatever it was we did then – we need to find a means of undoing it or there’s no way out. Everything will be finished, unless Sapphire can close this down from the outside – and to do that she’d have to destroy us with it.”
“You’re not making any sense. I told you, somebody hit me and you – I don’t know.”
“Oh, no,” said Silver, with an impatient sigh. “Oh, Steel.” It would be much easier, he thought, if he could have brought Sapphire with him.
“I know we’ve had our differences,” said Steel, cautiously sitting up, “but I wouldn’t have expected you to hold a grudge at a time like this. There are things I need to tell you.”
“No,” said Silver in frustrated dismay. “No, no, no.” He made an attempt to pull Steel up, but it was useless. It was another mistake, because Steel caught at his hand and even if he didn’t know who he was, he still had his strength.
Steel leant forward. “We used to be better friends than this.”
“No, we didn’t,” said Silver. “Or at least, that’s not the way you’d put it.” He managed to pull his hand free and gave the other an impatient scowl. Whatever he usually thought of Steel’s cold and utilitarian attitude to everything, this was very inconvenient. He felt sure they’d lost another precious few minutes in the second Steel had touched him. Steel! If there was ever a time for you to be your usual ungracious self, it’s now.
Steel gave him a puzzled, hurt look and Silver turned his head away and stared hard at the walled area they were in. He wasn’t immune, either. His hand tingled where Steel had put his own to it and there were other things. His heart was beating faster – and that really was quite ridiculous. He should move further away, but he seemed caught. Like magnets, he thought. Unlike poles attract. If only they could be two like poles this once and repel each other to break the power of the narrative.
The thought amused him – be like Steel? Why not? He got up and moved sharply away, leaning against the wall.
“I’ve told you this isn’t my fault. What is it you think I’ve done?”
Silver glared at him. “It doesn’t matter. Just stay there – away from me.”
“Clearly you don’t trust me. You think I’m working with them.”
“In a way, you are,” said Silver. Be cold, he told himself, but it wasn’t the way he worked. He couldn’t help being amused at the ideas intruding into his mind, couldn’t help being curious as to what would happen if he followed their promptings. It was his nature. “And I can’t trust you, not like this.”
Steel got to his feet. “I promise you, I’m not working with anyone! As I keep telling you, someone tried to kill me.”
Silver tried to edge away along the wall as Steel walked towards him. Steel, I really would appreciate it if you could control yourself!
Steel reached him and then gave him a long look. “I wouldn’t have thought that would alarm you.” He shrugged. “Sometimes it takes over. Or it has since you arrived. What did you do, Silver?”
Silver sagged back against the wall, but he thought it was terribly unfair that the moment Steel was relatively free of the story’s influence, he started blaming Silver.
“I think,” said Silver, with a waspish note to his voice, “my mistake was saving you.”
“You shouldn’t have come here,” Steel said, turning around and surveying the pool area. There was, however, no visible sign of the danger they were in. To anyone else, it would all have looked perfectly innocent. “It’s a romance narrative, Silver. You’ve given it what it needs to work – two of us.”
Silver gestured over at his barely visible rope. “I had a lifeline. We should have been able to leave and then we could have closed down what was left. Without you in here, it wouldn’t have been difficult. However, I didn’t bargain for what it did when I arrived.”
“What was that?”
“When I rescued you, I inadvertently played along to the story,” said Silver. “I allowed myself some leeway with the rope’s length, but not enough, apparently. It’s not entirely in the same point in time as we are any more.” Silver paused and turned his head to look at the other, who was distinctly closer than he’d been moments ago. “Steel. In the circumstances, I would prefer it if you didn’t lean against me like that.”
Steel registered his current position without surprise or comment and moved away. “It seems to be putting pressure on us to play along, doesn’t it? Perhaps it doesn’t have much time, either.”
“No, maybe not,” said Silver. “But sitting here and waiting it out isn’t an option.”
“No.”
They exchanged a glance; a moment of acknowledgement. Silver knew what Steel meant by the pressure. He couldn’t maintain eye contact, so he looked downwards and became absorbed in rearranging his handkerchief in his breast pocket. Yes, yes, he told himself impatiently, Steel was quite attractive in his own way, but that was hardly reason to be entertaining such very human thoughts concerning him.
However, before he could say anything, or Steel could ask more useful questions, they were interrupted by a nearby gunshot.
Silver swung around and opened his mouth to say that that was quite impossible, that no one else was here and that they should ignore it - no bullets could be real here – and that by proving that, they might even shake the narrative’s hold on them and the area. What he did instead, as the unseen – non-existent – assassin fired again was to clutch at Steel and pull them both to the ground.
Silver…
Silver closed his eyes, frustrated by his own actions. He didn’t need Steel to tell him he’d made another mistake. He’d felt the ensuing further time shift as much as the other had. “I know.” Worse, he wanted to stay holding onto Steel, and even express unnecessary concern for his safety. Silver pulled a face and let go before sitting and shuffling away from Steel. He was annoyed. His mind was a precise instrument and these escaped tawdry words were getting themselves into the cogs and gears of his thought processes – to use a crude analogy – like so many pieces of dirt or fluff in the machinery.
“If it happens again, we’ll know what to do,” was all Steel said, and then he stood.
The narrative tugged at Silver’s mind. He felt the need to immediately leap to his feet, tell Steel to be more careful, get himself somewhere safe, and let Silver hunt for their unseen and armed enemy. All of which was entirely illogical, so Silver remained where he was and searched instead for something else to concentrate on.
Unfortunately, he had to admit that the narrative was not working without some assistance from the two of them. It was vital, after all, to possess and analyse all the facts, so it had to be admitted. Steel could be something of a blunt instrument (Silver was so much subtler) but he had his attractions and Silver… well, he noticed and appreciated such things, and why not? He would like to comfort himself now with assurance that Steel never entertained such ideas, but, thought Silver, wrinkling his nose, it wasn’t that simple, was it? Steel would never put it like that – sadly – but even he might acknowledge a curiosity about Silver or recognition of his usefulness, their shared efficiency, or even annoyance. Taking into account their very different nature, those might amount to the same thing. And then, of course, there was Sapphire; Sapphire who connected both of them. Silver sighed.
“Silver?” said Steel. “Do you have any ideas?”
“I found a way in,” said Silver, getting to his feet. “And I provided us with a way out and if it hadn’t used us like that – well, that’s all I was sent here for, I’m afraid.”
You seem to be less affected. Can we use that?
Silver laughed to himself at that, given the irony of what he’d been thinking only moments before. I’m not sure that’s true, Steel. It’s just –
He halted, struggling to explain it in words. Silver had had his lifeline, he’d deliberately worked his way in here. And it was in his nature to see the structure, the technicalities. Even now, with his head as muddled as it was, he could dimly see the escaped words lurking somewhere behind this reality, bending it and twisting it. He could at least see what he was fighting and that helped.
“First,” said Steel, “we need to find out who’s trying to kill me. You must agree with that much, surely?”
Silver rounded on him. “Steel! Stop doing that!”
“You still don’t believe me, even after someone’s tried to kill me twice? How can you even think I’ve got anything to do with – with -?” He stopped and caught at Silver’s arm, burying his head against his jacket.
Silver’s eyebrows shot up and he looked at the other with a mixture of alarm and disbelief. Really, he thought, of all the things he had ever feared the universe might throw at him, he had certainly never dreamt that one such threat would be a shaken Steel on the verge of tears. It was really too much, he decided, even while he had to clench his hands into fists in order not to obey the instinct to put his arms around him.
“Steel,” he said, “if you don’t stop this right now; if you dare cry on me – if you even can – I shall – I shall – Well!” Words failed him. Steel, you are the most immovable, unemotional being I have ever met and you can’t – you can’t just leave me to fight this alone!
Silver stopped again, not having intended to finish up with such a plea, but he saw, much to his relief, Steel glance at him and raise an enquiring eyebrow before stepping back to a safer distance.
“Yes, well,” said Silver and they exchanged a look which agreed firmly without words that if Steel ever mentioned Silver begging him for help, Silver would keep the mark on his jacket as a souvenir and explain to everyone precisely how he’d acquired it.
“It seems to worsen and then fade again,” Steel commented. “Its hold even on this area can’t be complete.”
“It’s bad enough, it seems.”
“I could try forcing a way out,” Steel said. “If you’ve no better ideas.”
Silver shook his head. “Sapphire thinks that would be disastrous. At least at the moment the disturbance is contained. It won’t be if you break through this – this bubble we’re in.”
“Better to let her crush it from the outside?”
“Well,” said Silver and let his mind drift as he tried to think of an answer. “Anyway, you should go somewhere safe and let me find out who’s been shooting at us.” He reached inside his jacket for a gun he didn’t have, coming back to himself at the realisation, even as Steel grabbed his arm roughly.
“Silver!”
Silver sighed. “Yes, it is getting worse, isn’t it? And do let go of my arm, Steel.” Or else, he thought irritably, the temptation to kiss Steel would become overwhelming – and the way things had been going that would probably send this area adrift in time by a hundred years and a dangerous irregularity would become a fully fledged break.
“Is this normal?” Steel asked.
Silver raised his head again, startled out of his thoughts and unable to understand what the other meant. “Normal?”
“For a human courtship – whatever you want to call it,” said Steel. “Some of the ideas it’s putting my head are… unexpected.”
Silver leaned back against the bricks of the wall again and, very carefully, did not laugh. “No,” he said, “it’s fictional. Some of it may be not atypical, but other aspects are… well, it’s just another fantasy of sorts.”
“If they knew the damage these things do –”
“But they don’t,” Silver countered. “And they have to have their means of escape, Steel. Isn’t that the point? You know that.”
Steel nodded. “Silver.”
“Yes?”
“You’re holding my hand. Don’t.”
Silver glanced down, gave a sheepish laugh and then hastily let go. “Yes. Well, as I said, I see what you mean.”
Steel clutched at Silver’s arm in sudden alarm, breaking into his attempts at mental communication and clearly not himself yet again. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” said Silver, failing to pull free of the other’s painful grip. “Or very probably us losing half an hour more.” Steel – He stopped, the contact allowing him to see what was passing through Steel’s mind. Getting an impression of what Steel currently wanted Silver to do caused him to raise both eyebrows. An interesting idea, of course, but not advisable in these circumstances. And if it came down to it, he wasn’t entirely sure it was anatomically possible.
“No, there was something – someone.”
Silver tugged his arm out of Steel’s hold with an effort, nearly losing his jacket in the process. “No,” he said. “There isn’t. And, if you don’t mind, I’m going to talk to you from the other side of the pool.”
*
This isn’t a solution, Silver.
Silver was sitting in the flower bed, up against the opposite wall with his arms round his knees. He’d been there for the past half-hour, keeping his distance from Steel. No, but it’s safer.
Safer won’t get us anywhere. You said yourself – the narrative is using us. We need to do something to break it.
Silver smiled. I can’t help it if you find me irresistible, Steel. I’m doing my best to keep out of your way.
What happened when you arrived? In detail, Silver. I need to know. That was the crisis point.
Silver shrugged. You were drowning –
Impossible.
Not necessarily, Steel. Not in a situation like this. I pulled you out of the water –
Can you see enough of it to follow the narrative? What form does the story take?
Silver had to stop and think about that. It hadn’t occurred to him, but he could, or at least vaguely, for a chapter or so. Yes. There’s a conspiracy and you’re – you’re the protagonist. The heroine, in fact.
Even from this distance, Silver could tell that Steel was glaring at him.
The whole thing’s really rather predictable and tedious, Silver added. Anyway, you should be thankful, Steel.
Why?
Well, these sorts of stories do seem to follow similar patterns – dreadfully stereotypical. The hero tends to be rather more, er, forceful. And given our relative strengths, Steel, if it had been the other way round we might have been in even more trouble. Although, that’s a thought... Silver stopped, considered his idea, and then shook his head. No, probably not.
“What?” said Steel, suddenly standing over him. “What is it, Silver?”
Silver started and looked up. “I could probably reshape things enough to swap our roles over. It might break the narrative.”
“Then try.”
“Yes, but, Steel, it might merely leave us no further on and with even more difficulties to contend with.”
Steel crouched down beside him. “Silver. We don’t have much time.”
“Only if you promise to keep your hands off me. I understand the temptation, of course, but –”
Silver.
“Sweep me off my feet and the world will probably end.”
“If it breaks its influence on us, it won’t be an issue. Silver.” Steel stopped. Then, unwillingly, he added: It’s getting stronger. If we don’t try something, it’s only going to result in the same ending. Do it, Silver. If you can, that is.
“Of course I can,” Silver returned. Nevertheless, he hesitated before obeying. It was growing harder to see through the reality it had imposed on them, through to the words; words that came from a printed, machine-made book. The world around them blurred momentarily – the air itself seemed to soften and glow. He could shift the words a little, alter their positions in the narrative and change places with Steel.
“There,” Silver said, once he’d finished, breathless at the effort.
Steel turned. “That was it?”
“Yes. How do you feel now?” He knew he wasn’t free of its influence, but maybe Steel would be. Steel was always different – and he was stronger. Silver was still experiencing unfamiliar thoughts; they were merely slightly different now. Why they clung to such tiresome and frequently untrue clichés, he didn’t know.
Steel considered his question, leaving a long silence before replying. “Things seem clearer now. You must have broken through. Go find that rope of yours and see.”
“But I haven’t,” said Silver, taking a nervous step back. It occurred to him then that the change would presumably have also removed Steel’s fictitious head injury. That might account for the apparent improvement –
Steel interrupted Silver’s thoughts by catching hold of him.
“Steel!” Silver felt their surroundings become utterly still, as if everything was waiting, holding its breath. The story was making an unfair move and about to win. Silver would have moved away, but there was no escaping from Steel’s hold and he was suddenly at the mercy of alien emotions. His knees were suddenly unreliable and he felt light-headed. They had illnesses that were considerably less troublesome, he thought, annoyed at how tangled in the story even he seemed to be.
Then, as Steel didn’t stop, Silver did the only thing he could, hanging onto Steel’s lapels and, as the other moved in nearer, Silver leant to the side and overbalanced both of them into the pool.
*
Under the water, he kept hold of Steel, fighting to make them both stay under the surface. It made sense; it was what he should have done in the first place – let Steel drown.
Silver…?
Silver wouldn’t let go, hanging on in desperation. There wasn’t time to explain, but even as he began to try he felt that spark of their minds meeting and knew that Steel understood.
Both of us? Steel asked, not questioning the solution. You might not… Silver…
Silver relaxed and let Steel keep them weighted down. This was Steel’s sort of thing, not his. Oh, don’t worry about me, Steel.
I’m not.
Both the thoughts intruding into Silver’s mind and his own consciousness began to dim. Some humans would think this is terribly romantic, too.
Even they can’t think murder is romantic.
Silver laughed inwardly and sent one last thought to Steel: Lovers die in suicide pact.
The last thing Silver knew as his world darkened further was Steel’s annoyance, seemingly everywhere.
*
When Silver opened his eyes again, he was lying on the paving stones on an icy night, sodden and instantly sorry for himself at the discovery. Indignation at the sheer improbability of such a situation propelled him to sit upright.
Steel was standing there, not far from him, and Sapphire was walking towards them, trailing Silver’s rope through her fingers as she moved along.
“I was beginning to worry,” she said, as she reached them, giving a smile.
She looked first at Steel, who was also dripping wet. She touched his sleeve and then his hair, giving him an amused glance. He looked down at himself as if he hadn’t registered the fact until then and moments later he was dry again.
“Silver’s arrival caused a problem, but we dealt with it.”
Silver looked up. It was very unfair, he thought. He was wet, battered, freezing, and he wasn’t even sure the story’s influence had entirely gone, as he still felt rather regretful that acting on the narrative’s suggestions would have been so dangerous. “Well! You wouldn’t have got out without me. You were the one who –” He stopped and scowled instead. “I think you might have damaged me.”
“I should have been more careful when I was drowning you?” From Steel, that was probably a joke.
Silver couldn’t help but laugh and then, even as Sapphire also turned to look at him with a smile, his attempt at sulking evaporated as did the water in his clothes. He bounced to his feet and grasped Sapphire’s outstretched hand.
“Has it gone?” Steel asked. “Once it lost the characters it lost its power, but is it safe yet?”
Sapphire raised her head. “There’s still a discrepancy, but it’s only a minute or two now.”
“That’s dangerous enough.”
“So we’ll seal the breach,” said Sapphire, smiling at him. “I can do that.” She directed a distinctly amused look at Silver and Steel. “I see you two have unfinished business.”
Sapphire. Steel failed to appreciate her humour.
As she left, Steel glared at Silver, who held out his hands and looked as innocent as he could manage. Then he shrugged and set about winding the wire around his arm.
Steel walked up and down the paved area a few times, watching his surroundings carefully. Eventually, he turned back. “Did I hurt you?”
“Momentarily,” said Silver, pocketing the coiled wire. He vaguely remembered how he’d felt on coming round, but that had gone now. “Don’t worry, Steel. It was unavoidable, given the circumstances.”
“Yes. Back there –”
Silver gave a laugh. “Believe me, I have no wish to tell anyone about it, either.”
“No,” said Steel, dismissing that idea as irrelevant. “Silver –” He hesitated, apparently considering words but in the end, merely gave Silver a nod, possibly even the smallest of smiles, before heading off to find Sapphire.
Silver decided to interpret that as a thank you of sorts. He beamed instantly, and followed after the other two.
And who knew, Silver thought, ever optimistic, maybe some other place, some other time? After all, it couldn’t always mean the end of the world, could it?
***