i'll rig the game for you

Flora

Flora snorts. "Honestly? Same," she admits, flipping Ever’s note around to show the meticulous little diagram he’d added to illustrate the aerial stabilisers. "This is, like, four types of magic. I thought I was buying a boat, not a group project with godsdamn midterms."

She leans against the edge of the helm and resumes scanning the page, curls fluttering in the breeze. "Okay—Step 6 is..." Her nose scrunched. "‘Cross-reference wind arc trajectory against pre-charted astral drift’? Mateo. Babes. I hate this."

With a sigh that's more dramatic than defeated, she crumples slightly forward, forehead resting on the edge of the chart table. "Tell me again why I didn't just stick to cocktails and questionable decisions? Or better yet, where do I get a cute aviator to fly me around?" Or, well, a different one to the one she'd had?

'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Mateo

"You do not think he is just making it seem more difficult than it is, do you?" Mateo raises his eyebrows and winces towards the (yes, incredibly meticulous) little diagram Ever has drawn. "Because it does not look as though he does all of this stuff when he is out here flying." Harrumphing dramatically and slumping against the wheel, eventually Mateo resorts to sticking his finger in his mouth and holding it up in the air, like that will tell him everything he needs to know. Which, it's as good as it's getting okay?

"Step 6 seems fine," he decides. "Besides, your ship is like... some weird hybrid, right? It can sail on the sea and in the sky. So do you even have all of these weird things?" he asks. As for cute aviators, Mateo can't help the shit-eating grin that spreads across his face as he turns towards his sister. "You think Ever is cute, huh?"

i've told you time and time again
i'm not as think as you drunk i am

Flora

Flora watches Mateo’s makeshift weathervane impression with a slow blink that turns into a wheeze of laughter she can’t quite stifle. At his question about the Sugar Tide’s hybrid nonsense, Flora just shrugs, a sun-drenched, unapologetic gesture. "Maybe? I don’t know. She's definitely got some bells and whistles, but I was sort of busy not dying the last time I tried to fly her. I'll do a vibe-check later." As if that were an appropriate substitute for knowing how her ship functioned.

But when Mateo turns on her with that shit-eating grin, Flora meets it full-force, flashing her own in return. "Hot, Teo. Not just cute." She fans herself dramatically with Ever’s poor, abused instruction note. "I flirted with him mercilessly at the bar, too, for all the good it did me. Guy could give a whole glacier a run for its money."

She tucks the paper against her hip and leans conspiratorially closer. "Honestly, the fact he managed to bag Isla was probably the most surprising thing I've ever heard. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen them together for myself."

'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Mateo

"Listen, for all of the dials and crystals and things you just informed me my ship has, I have not seen a single bell or whistle yet. So the Sugar Tide is already seeming more complicated than La Verbena," Mateo informs his sister with a waggle of his finger. (There are actually bells and whistles, in fact, but they aren't integral to the ship's navigation or flight, so much as they're just things Mateo likes to use to make noise).

To hear that his best friend is hot, too, fills Mateo with utter pride, as if he had anything to do with it. Which, did he? Fuck it, he'll take some credit. "Yes, well, if you had flirted with him before he had gotten with Isla, you would have found him to be a decent kisser. I ought to know, because I taught him how," he says. Granted, yes, that would have put them a dangerous few steps removed from kissing each other, but he stands by his teaching.

Leaning in as well and widening his eyes in agreement, the botanist lets out a low whistle. "He did not just bag her - she is in love with him even now," he says with a shake of his head that manages to be surprised and delighted at the same time. "She was good for him. I hope that they can be together again soon."

i've told you time and time again
i'm not as think as you drunk i am

Flora

Flora gasps, hand to heart, as if Mateo’s comment about his ship's simplicity is the most scandalous thing she’s heard all day. "Teo," she whispers, stage-horrified, "are you saying La Verbena is easier to operate than the Sugar Tide?" A slow, wicked grin unfurls. "Babes, maybe that’s because your ship is like a man—two buttons and some hopeful enthusiasm and you're off. The Sugar Tide," she purrs, gesturing vaguely toward her own vessel, "is a woman. Complex. Gorgeous. Full of mysterious mechanisms that require careful attention and skillful hands if you want her to really fly." She lets that sit, biting her lip as if she’s pretending to be demure and failing spectacularly.

However as he goes on, Flora goes still. "Wait. Wait wait wait." Her hand shoots out, grabbing his sleeve like she’s physically restraining him from escaping the interrogation she’s about to unleash. "You made out with Ever?" Her voice jumps half an octave. "When? Where? How? Was he any good? Did you see his abs? Did you—gods, how far did you go?"

She’s grinning, borderline feral now, like this is the best gossip she’s gotten all week. "And you never told me this why??" she demands, as if personally offended.

But when he brings up Isla again, some of that heat flickers out of her expression. Flora glances down, fiddling absently with the corner of Ever’s instructions still tucked at her hip. "Nice that she stuck by him, though," she mutters, almost too quiet to catch. "I do hope they figure it out," she says genuinely. "They deserve that. Maybe I should go check in on her sometime. Just to see how she’s doing. I mean… if she wants to talk about it."

'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Mateo

Happy to listen to Flora wax lyrical about their respective ships, regardless of how true he thinks her opinions are, Mateo crosses his arms - and it's a good thing they aren't actually flying yet, because no one would be fucking steering any more - and regards the lavender wall behind them. "If La Verbena is a man," he says, "she is the prettiest man I have ever seen, put it that way. And she is gorgeous and complex no matter how many buttons it takes to get her to fly. And if the Sugar Tide is a woman, then you are currently handling her like a sixteen year old boy."

Huffing and turning back to the wheel, it's about at that time that Flora grabs him by the sleeve, almost yanking him away from it entirely. "Wh--" he begins, before barking out a laugh. "Yes, I made out with Ever. I taught him how to make out, in fact. It was just after he had gotten infected. I found him here taking all my Thirdeye. He got naked and laid down in the lavender up there." Pointing helpfully and knowing exactly how much he's likely to cause the Doubletake to combust by doing so, he grins at her helpfully.

"That was hardly the first time I had seen him naked, though. We grew up together, you remember." He winks.

But then the subject rolls back onto Isla, and Mateo's expression softens. "Me too," he says. "And maybe, yeah. I kind of thought that dad would have it covered, but... it is always better to double check when it comes to him, I suppose."

i've told you time and time again
i'm not as think as you drunk i am

Flora

Flora sputters. "Excuse me? First of all, how dare you." Her eyes go cartoonishly wide, one hand flying to her chest in mock affront. "You wish you had half my finesse, Mateo. The Sugar Tide is just—shy. She’s waiting for the right moment to let loose and absolutely blow everyone’s minds." Honestly, none of it was even remotely true. Mateo had absolutely more sexual and aerial experience than she did.

But any follow-up is obliterated the second he starts talking about Everest. Naked. In the fucking lavender.

Flora lets out a strangled squeal and practically launches off the bench. "He got naked?!" She whirls to stare at the patch of lavender like it’s suddenly become sacred ground. "Gods, Mateo, you gotta give a girl some warning. I could have sat there!" Her voice hits octaves usually reserved for startled birds and people finding out they’ve been unknowingly blessed by a wandering spirit.

"And you taught him?" she presses, eyes narrowing with scandalized fascination. "I—what—how?? You just made out while he was naked and on drugs and then nothing else happened?" She looks genuinely overwhelmed, and somehow delighted, horrified, and impressed all at once. Mid-rant about to spiral deeper to demand to know when her brother developed that sort of willpower, when Mateo’s voice quiets and the name Dad cuts through, just like that, her dies away.

"Yeah, well.." she says, brushing her curls back with a faint sigh. "He's never really been good at fixing things. I mean, have you even spoken to him since LongNight?" Flora sighs, shaking her head.

'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Mateo

"Mmmmhm," Mateo drawls, grinning to himself. "I have no doubt that your beautiful little ship is waiting for the right moment to show her true potential. I am just questioning whether you have the ability to tease it out of her, sorellina." Clearly enjoying his gentle bullying, his dimples only deepen as they return to the subject of Everest rolling around naked in the lavender. "Come, now. You talk as if I have not been naked in every part of the ship you touch or sit on," he says with what's meant to be a careless wave of his hand.

It isn't often he gets to play the role of shit-eating big brother, after all, and he's trying to embrace it.

"But - yes - you are correct. And nothing else happened. And - Flora, I am struggling to hear you now, you know." Trying to reply to all of her questions at once whilst simultaneously wiggling a finger in his ear as if to better interpret the sky high tone of her voice, Mateo leans casually against the wheel and shrugs. "It was his first time on drugs and his first time making out," he says fondly. "I know I am a cad, Flora, but I did not feel comfortable taking advantage of him, however good he looked. Besides, it meant he was able to share that with Isla in the end." He waggles his eyebrows at her.

Ah, but then it always comes back to the Remi of it all, doesn't it? Grumbling and shrugging and gesturing to the paper in her hands as if Step 7 is much more preferable to all of this, he does, of course, offer a response in the end. "No," he admits. "I have not. What happened to Seren blew all of the wind out of my angry sails, but I still do not know if I want to speak to him, or what I would even say. What do you say to someone who is going to do anything to fix what is broken, but also just... not be there the next time it matters?" Mateo says it as if it's already a done deal, as if he expects nothing less from their father now and in the future.

i've told you time and time again
i'm not as think as you drunk i am

Flora

Flora lets out a theatrical huff, flipping her curls over one shoulder like the very suggestion of incompetence has bruised her soul. "Excuse me, but I’ll have you know that now that since I’m officially in my single era, working on my touch is basically a full-time job." Her grin sharpens, impish and pointed, looking entirely too pleased for someone making such a blatant masturbation reference simply to win an argument.

But when Mateo waves off his ship-wide nudity like it’s just another Tuesday, Flora lets out a groan and nearly drops her forehead to the wheel. "Yeah well you're my brother," she counters, "so it's different." Was it tho? She might’ve kept going—more teasing, more raised eyebrows over Ever’s firsts—but then Mateo says what he does about their dad, and the humour slides quietly out of her like the last of the tide.

"Yeah," she says, voice quieter now, words carrying more weight than sparkle. "When I died—" she says it plainly, like a weather report, which is only a touch horrifying, "—I asked them to bring me back. Told them I’d forgive them for everything if they revived Jack too." She watches the horizon a moment, lashes low. "I got what I wanted, right? I came back and he did too. But I think there’s always going to be this little part of me that’s still pissed at them. "

Turning her head, she meets Mateo’s gaze, her smile returning—but it’s different now, cracked around the edges. "So yeah. I get it. Wanting them to show up, and even when they do...still being mad about all the times they didn't." She bumps his arm lightly with her shoulder. "At least you got the best hair genes out of the deal. And dimples."

'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Mateo

"As someone who has never left my single era, I can assure you that experiencing as many different touches as possible is tantamount to learning about yourself and other people," Mateo says haughtily, clearly unbothered by any subject Flora wishes to broach aboard his ship (and off it, for that matter). "And that goes for you and your ship," he adds with a wink. "Good for you, though, either way."

Reaching out to snag the instructions back to her since they apparently aren't going beyond Step 6 otherwise, Mateo scans the next three bulletpoints before rolling his eyes and stuffing the paper into his back pocket. There is such a thing as being too thorough when giving instructions, and the botanist is of the opinion that a tug here and a click there and maybe a little tickle (eyooooo) should  be more than enough to get La Verbena going.

And, whether or not he's correct, the skyship does begin to ease out of her berth at last, much to his delight. The success is enough to take the edge off their new subject of conversation, at least. "Mm," he says with reluctant agreement. "I always find myself thinking that perhaps I should have been better. Maybe then they would have shown up more," he admits, before promptly giving his great hair a little toss. "Ah, do not be so down on yourself. Blondes have more fun, or so they say."

i've told you time and time again
i'm not as think as you drunk i am

Flora

"Oh, I am having fun," Flora assures him, tone positively dripping with innuendo before she just cuts right to it. "Nothing quite like trying to gaslight yourself into thinking everything is fine in order to go to sleep like trying to erase thoughts of your ex with a particularly quick orgasm."

When Mateo snatches the instructions back, she mock-pouts, stretching out dramatically across the nearest bench like a woman resigned to fate. "Fiiiiine. Abandon me mid-training montage." But then La Verbena begins to move—slowly, smoothly—and Flora props herself up on one elbow, watching the deck slip free of its berth with an approving hum. s[ay]"See? She likes it rough and improvisational. She’s definitely a Torchliner."

Her smile falters, though, as his voice does, and when Mateo speaks next, her expression softens—not into pity, but into something more aching and familiar. "Mateo," she murmurs, sitting up properly now. "You were better. You are better. That’s not the problem." She leans forward, resting her arms on her knees as the wind picks up around them, tugging playfully at her curls. "You could’ve been perfect and they still would’ve missed things because as much as everyone else sees them as these perfect demigod heroes, they're actually pretty shit." Her voice is quiet but steady, like a truth she’s had to repeat often enough that it’s stopped hurting as much.

She gives him a sidelong glance, lips quirking. "Also, I bet you'd look stunning as a blonde. You can't tell me you haven't tried on a blonde wig at least once and loved it."

'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Mateo

Pinning Flora with a look that wonders, very briefly, how much fun she's actually having, eventually Mateo scoffs a laugh under his breath and leans in to elbow her affectionately. "We have got to get you laid," he decides, his tone breezy. "It is difficult to gaslight yourself when you are being fucked to sleep by someone. I am sure there are many cute aviators or sailors you have not met yet that could do the job, if you wanted to stay on brand." And if that cuts too close to home? No problem, not for Mateo. You name it, he's probably fucked it. (Shut up).

"We had been out of any training montage for quite some time, sorellina. Now shut up and pretend to learn from me," he quips, grinning - because they are both learning together and they all know it. Still, Flora is right about his ship and the way she responds to his instinctive touch, not that he has ever known her to be anything but compliant under Ever's more meticulous handling. Either way, whatever preparations they'd done before have evidently come to fruition, because soon they are joyriding around The Falling on a very pleasant little outing, if he does say so himself.

Forced to concentrate on actually keeping them airborne now, it's a good excuse not to have to meet Flora's eyes and the truth burning from her lips. Nevertheless, however tight Mateo's expression or his nod of agreement, the words do sink in. "They are, aren't they?" he says, rather sharply. "Luckily we did not inherit that trait."

As for being blonde, he bounces his eyebrows at her playfully. "You know that I have. I was treated very well that night, too. I doubt my curls would survive a permanent colour change, though, and that would be criminal."

i've told you time and time again
i'm not as think as you drunk i am

Flora

"Oh my gods." She buries her face in her hands, laughing helplessly behind her fingers. "You can’t just say that like you’re offering to book a massage. Though I do appreciate the sailor-on-brand synergy suggestion." She lifts her head, trying to stifle a grin. "Maybe I’ll put up flyers. ‘Lonely queen seeks emotionally unavailable man with a nautical kink and a strong jawline. Must like drama and not ask questions.’ " Which of course was not at all what Flora needed, but she was quite certain that any amount of tenderness or intimacy would have her in pieces.

Her laughter fades into something softer as they rise steadily over the Falling, wind catching the sails and pushing them higher into the cloud-washed sky. It’s a good kind of quiet—the kind that feels earned—and she lets it stretch for a moment, watching the coastline fall away beneath them, a quilt of light and forest and stone.

But when Mateo finally speaks again, his voice sharp, Flora glances over with a wry little smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. "No," she agrees. "We're basically the best." For Mateo that was certainly true and Flora doubted if there was anyone who'd say anything to the contrary. For her, though? She could readily name more than a few people who'd have scrawled her name as their top pick for being the worst.

She turns to face him fully again, eyes narrowing with bright amusement. "Gods I wish I could have seen that," she agrees, lifting her chin and flashing him a smirk. "Your curls are absolutely sacred though, you're right. Torchline would revolt if you lost them. There’d be an uprising." She paused, grinning. "I might even lead it."

'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
They said, "Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did

Code stolen from Queen Sky

Mateo

"Molly's does offer a wonderful massage," Mateo fires back with a beaming smile. "And they will fuck you to sleep as a bonus. Even if there are no legitimate sailors there, I bet we could have somebody put on an outfit for you." Already the (sleazy) cogs in his mind are starting to turn, and its with a wicked look in his eyes that he angles them out to sail the clear skies at a leisurely pace. It's one that will give other ships ample time to see them coming - and get the fuck out of their way - and offer Flora a chance to take in the view should she want to.

"That is a dangerous thing you just did," he purrs as she reels off her flyer description. "Now I know what you are looking for, I can go and find it for you. Should have kept that to yourself, sorellina." Hells, if Mateo had known that Flora had just essentially described Bassian, he'd have already been sending a raven.

Puffing out his chest, his shawl billowing around his shoulders as she affirms that they are the best, in Mateo's eyes at least, Flora will find no complaints at all. And when it comes to the wig, he offers her a fiendish, dimpled grin. "Stay tonight and I will wear it. We can go out," he offers. "I still have it somewhere in the cabin. But you must promise to let me also fuck a sailor, if the offer comes along."

i've told you time and time again
i'm not as think as you drunk i am