are you scared, because i am too

// i'm pedal to the metal make no mistake, this is my pity party, pity party
and i'm living out of time, eternal heatstroke, spiritual revolt from the waist down //

She’s come back to the Climb. A soul searching mission, so she imagines it to be. Leaving a note for Chulane and Deimos to tell her that she’s heading here and that she’ll be fine and that she just… Needs to be alone. She needs to come to terms with this place, needs to realize that sometimes you couldn’t avoid your fears if you wanted to grow.

And so, the Harpy, alone and with nothing but the shirt she wears and the throwing knives at her belt, head to the Climb. It’s warm, so much so that her systems spark warnings with it, but she can’t feel it the way she had before. It’s separating in the way that Kiada didn’t know she needed. But then she spies where Tanau had been trapped, she spies the pool of lava where she’d died, engulfed and pained, feathers turned to flame.

And now she comes back a phoenix.

To come to terms with it, right? That’s what she tells herself, at least.

But she doesn’t stay in that space long. Just enough until it hurts her heart to bear it, before she explores further. She never had the chance to, of course, her death had come far too soon for her to indulge in the rest of the Climb’s offerings. And when she spies the cavern of gems, where the heat is more humid than anything and her systems have calmed, Kiada can do nothing but stare at it all in surprise, in awe.

i'm just a full tank away from freedom. spitfire

KIADA

NATE

Gems in the Climb, get it yourself. It’s a dark mantra Nate’s been mumbling under his breath as he wanders caverns, getting himself hopelessly lost. There are places he thinks he might almost remember, a path that might lead into the Obsidian Cathedral, and the shrine hovering there, but he knows that he won’t find what he wants that way.

Pemota hovers close to his shoulder, opposite to the crossbow that’s strapped to his back. Gods only know what you’d find in a molten hell hole, even underground. There’s no such thing as too careful here. Nate pulls his jacket tighter around himself and chooses another direction at random, echoed whispers and twinkling light announcing his presence long before he actually arrives in the sparkling cavern.

”Well fuck me.” Honestly, he’d thought Deimos had been fucking with him, saying anything to get him to fuck off, maybe to get offed. But here it was. Now all he has to do is pick out a diamond, and he’ll be bifocal again in no time.

Celebration will have to wait though, because no sooner does that triumphant thought cross his mind than he sees someone else, a shape in the sparkling darkness, and his hand lifts to grab the stick of his crossbow. ”Who’s there?”

didn't know i'd be so late
drinking all night, numbing that shame

// i'm pedal to the metal make no mistake, this is my pity party, pity party
and i'm living out of time, eternal heatstroke, spiritual revolt from the waist down //

Truth be told, Kiada’s so struck in awe by the glittering gems that she doesn’t hear Nate’s approach. She doesn’t hear it until a voice pipes up, distracting her, sending her mind in to a sudden bout of fear, and rather than feathers that would’ve popped out along her shoulders as she might have done in a previous life? This time it’s armor, and this time it’s her additional speed that has her reaching for that throwing knife and throwing it directly at the owner of the voice before she’s darting behind a pillar.

When she’s sure that the knife has struck its target, she pokes her head out around the pillar to spy the owner, a sinking realization flooding her senses and she’s already moving toward him. “Shit, fuck, Nate?!” She chimes, brows drawing together as she activates her speed upgrade and she’s at his side in a second, her iceberg gaze looking him over to see where her knife has hit him.

i'm just a full tank away from freedom. spitfire

KIADA

NATE

A second too late, Nate realizes he's made the oldest mistake in the book, and given himself away. It's gotten increasingly common for his mistakes to come back and bite him in the ass, though this one is far more immediate than most, a blade stopping with a wet thud in his shoulder. Stumbling back from the force of it, Nate's lips curl around the shape of a curse that he can't quite get out before he's on his ass.

The hand that had originally lifted to grab his crossbow instead drops to poke at the blade of the knife, his teeth gritting at the strange pressure of it. Nothing vital has been hit, but it has dug into his clavicle. A not so strange voice rings out, drawing his gaze up as Kiada appears at his side like a whirlwind. "Oh." He offers her a lopsided grin, one that doesn't quite reach the simmering anger in his eyes, and cocks his head. "Hey Kiada. Been a while, huh?" His gaze drops again, hand poking at the blade in him. "This yours?"

didn't know i'd be so late
drinking all night, numbing that shame

// i'm pedal to the metal make no mistake, this is my pity party, pity party
and i'm living out of time, eternal heatstroke, spiritual revolt from the waist down //

It sinks into Nate’s shoulder and Kiada’s already darting toward the doctor, brows rising in her surprise and also hissing quiet curses at both herself and Nate as she comes to a stop, knelt beside him. His hand pokes at the blade and Kiada winces, visibly, before remembering that the Ascended don’t feel pain – still something she’s trying to get used to. “Yeah.” She begins, huffing a sound from her nose that sounds like frustration as she stares at the blade, unsure whether to pull it out or not.

“You scared me.” She snaps at him, spying the grin that’s at odds with the anger in his eye. “Thought you were something else. Sorry.” That’s probably about as much of an apology as he’s going to get from her as she moves to pull the pack from her shoulders, drawing out a piece of fabric that should be long enough to be tied around him until his body starts to heal itself.

She remembers that much at least.

But she second guesses herself as she holds the cloth and stares at the blade before her iceberg gaze darts to his own electric blues. “So… I pull it out, yeah?” She wasn’t good at this sort of thing. It’s precisely why she had sought him out so many LongNights ago.

i'm just a full tank away from freedom. spitfire

KIADA

NATE

"Something else?" Not someone? Curious. The doctor is smart enough to not ask questions, and not only because she's already stuck a knife in him. Kiada is the last person he would expect to see here, given her... circumstances, lets say. Really, Nate isn't sure if he should be worried or impressed. He can decide later though.

Through the simmering irritation pressing out from under his skin, there's a flash, a suggestion of surprise. It had been so long ago since that impromptu first aid course, and yet she remembers enough to get a dressing, to ask before pulling the blade out of him. "Well, usually no, but I'm not going to bleed out or get an infection, and I'm a doctor, so... go for it." The tone in his voice says Nate would shrug if he could, but instead what he does is grit his teeth, steadying himself for the tug of pressure that will come with the withdrawal.

What he doesn't expect (for some reason) is the sound, a wet kind of pop that makes him wince. Nate doesn't move at all though, leaving it to Kiada to see if she remembers what to do. "So what brings you to the Oven, hm?"

didn't know i'd be so late
drinking all night, numbing that shame

// i'm pedal to the metal make no mistake, this is my pity party, pity party
and i'm living out of time, eternal heatstroke, spiritual revolt from the waist down //

The question is aired and Kiada’s too busy staring at the knife in Nate’s shoulder to think about her words before she responds. “I don’t know. A fire creature or something.” Her lips quirk in a frown and she pushes past it to look at him as she tears the strip of fabric in such a way to promptly forget what the fuck to do next. But he’d taught her before, and he certainly could again if he were so inclined.

“Okay. Okay, I can do that.” She says, bracing herself as much as she’s sure he’s bracing himself, and she tugs it out. She winces just as much as he does, sending the fluid coated knife clattering to the glittering floor before she’s immediately moving to press the cloth to the wound after she’d bunched it a few times there to soak up any fluid that chooses to slip out. Then she moves to wrap it around his shoulder and ties it off with a firm enough pressure that he could be able to move his arm, but still tight enough to remain in place and staunch any leaking fluid.

She sits back on her heels with a huff of a sigh, hands braced on her thighs as she just realizes what Nate had asked what currently feels like forever ago. “Uh. I… Died here, as you know, I’m sure. It was a Thing.” She’s babbling because she’s partially freaked the fuck out and she’s quite worried. “But… I’ve been kind of scared of it and I just wanted to prove that I could come here again without… Dying. I don’t know. It sounds stupid.” An awkward laugh leaves her, a fanged grin sent Nate’s way that absolutely does not meet her eyes.

“Why’re you in the Oven, huh?” She points out instead with a tone that seems to say stop looking at me and asking me questions.

i'm just a full tank away from freedom. spitfire

KIADA

NATE

”Some kind of fire monster asking who’s there?” Nate chuckles, leaning back on an outstretched hand and letting Kiada take the reins. He should probably be more worried, gods know his systems are shouting sullenly in his head, far too used to being ignored by now. Teeth clenched as the blade is pulled out, Nate’s eyes closing while bandage is wrapped around him, closing off the wound.

”I know. I uh... saw Ru right after.” Nate gives Kiada the room to talk though, let’s her get everything she can off her chest before he offers his two cents. ”Its not stupid.” He assures her first, licking his lips and letting his gaze slip pst her, as if there’s something truly interesting embedded in the far wall. ”It’s uh... it’s brave. And... probably good for you, honestly.” A too sharp blue eye focuses on her again, honest and quietly proud. It lingers long enough for his point to be made before his gaze is slipping away again, understanding the urge to not be looked at.

”Some towering fuck refused to do me a favour, and I need a diamond so...” He gestures up at the glittering ceiling with his injured arm, forgetting to wince with the motion. ”Here I am.”

didn't know i'd be so late
drinking all night, numbing that shame

// i'm pedal to the metal make no mistake, this is my pity party, pity party
and i'm living out of time, eternal heatstroke, spiritual revolt from the waist down //

“I don’t know. Maybe.” She protests, flashing a half smile despite her anxieties swirling in her gut as she pulls the knife out from his shoulder and promptly wraps it in a way that he’d still be able to move it without it falling off. And she thinks she’s done a pretty good job, all things considered, despite her blabbering about what she’s actually doing out here.

He explains that he knows about her death, and she nods, ignoring it for the most part until his two cents are aired and he tells her that it isn’t stupid. Her iceberg gaze tentatively lifts to his one eye, finding that he looks past her and she finds she can breathe a bit easier. She doesn’t expect his gaze to snap back to her and offer some hint of pride within it. She swallows hard with a small nod, looking away until he begins to gesture. “Thank you.” She offers quietly, before she’s sitting back on her heels, watching the way his hand drifts around the glittering cavern.

“Oh?” She asks, tilting her head and scans the walls behind him. “What kind? Something big or something small?” A pause before a ghost of a smile tilts up the corners of her lips. “I think I could help given I just threw a knife in your shoulder.” Her smile is still slightly apologetic, a slight wince given to him at the poor joke.

i'm just a full tank away from freedom. spitfire

KIADA

NATE

Ever skilled at navigating awkward situations, Nate just shrugs, his nose wrinkling. ”Don’t fuckin’ mention it. Everyone needs it sometimes, nobody pays it enough attention. It’s fine.” It wasn’t like he’d reached out and dragged her out of the lava himself, he’d just... recognized that that was what she was out here doing.

”Eyeball sized.” Nate answers immediately, pushing himself to his feet again and narrowing his one good eye at the walls around them, trying to pick out a diamond by looks alone. ”Preferably my eyeball sized, but y’know, I’m sure the Voice can do touch ups.” Kiada’s offer draws his gaze back to her, and a grin over his lips. ”I don’t mean to sound like an ass, but I kind of expected it. You stabbed me.”

A holographic arm appears and reaches above his head, tapping at a crystal before deciding nah, that’s not quite big enough and moving on. ”Y’know, I could have fucking had this before. Way back before I even left home.”

didn't know i'd be so late
drinking all night, numbing that shame

// i'm pedal to the metal make no mistake, this is my pity party, pity party
and i'm living out of time, eternal heatstroke, spiritual revolt from the waist down //

The wrinkling of Nate’s nose and the commentary certainly does alleviate some of the awkwardness that sprouts in her chest. And she can’t help the slight dip of her head, a nod given when she accepts his words. “It’s fine.” She repeats, offering a soft laugh, a breath to relieve the tension suddenly tight in her chest.

At least he’s got other things to focus on. Other things she can also focus on to ignore the rest of it.

“As big as your eye. Got it. And yeah… I guess that’s fair, stabbing and all.” She comments with a soft laugh, standing up in a fluid motion and walks toward the wall, parting from Nate to scan the wall of gems, pouring over the edges of sapphires and emeralds when something clear catches her eye too. And she hadn’t quite realized how close she’d gotten to where Nate was when the holographic arm rises to prod at it. “Oh shit.” She says with a snicker of surprise.

Her gaze drifts back toward Nate with the raise of a brow, before she’s shaking her head and stepping past him to another section, finding something roughly what she imagines eyeball sized. “Why didn’t you?” She asks as she reaches out to the clear gem, plucking it from the wall and inspects it.

Even if it didn't work for Nate, it was still pretty, and she'd certainly be taking it home.

i'm just a full tank away from freedom. spitfire

KIADA

NATE

A surprisingly warm laugh leaves Nate as his terms of repayment are agreed to. It seems fair, a single diamond for the trouble of a little stabbing. She doesn’t even have to be the one to find it. ”Oh shit what?” He questions, turning away from the rock on the curling to look at the harpy, holographic arms folding neatly behind him, hidi by without disappearing.

”I got cock blocked by a surly fuckin’ mountain of a jackass, I said that.” Faux irritation colours his voice, hovers in his eye as his head snaps to look at Kiada, his brow lifted. ”Not like I fucking asked for a lot, not like it’d be fucking hard. Motherfucker gave me a magic jacket for less, and I would’ve jer-“ Nate stops abruptly, squinting at Kiada suddenly as if he’s trying to figure something out, and then shrugging, turning his gaze back to the ceiling. ”I would’ve paid him back. But nooo.”

High doesn’t seem to hold anything of note, so Nate decides to go the opposite direction, dropping into a sudden crouch and creeping along the base of the cave, looking for something shiny and transparent and big.

didn't know i'd be so late
drinking all night, numbing that shame

// i'm pedal to the metal make no mistake, this is my pity party, pity party
and i'm living out of time, eternal heatstroke, spiritual revolt from the waist down //

A warm laugh leaves Nate and Kiada simply stares at him with a raise of her brow, before she rolls her eyes at his question. “The extra arms.” She says, turning away from him to inspect the wall. She hears his words, hears his frustrations, lets them settle in the air between them until he mentions a magic jacket and then she laughs when he cuts himself off. “Oooh, no. Not an image I wanted, Nate.” She says, laughing, shaking her head before she’s plucking the diamond from the wall and turning to look at him with amusement glittering in her pale gaze.

Something clicks, though, and as he crouches along the base of the cave, she steps over to him surprisingly deft, before she’s crouching beside him and handing him the diamond she’d found, wondering if it’s big enough to be an eye. “Was it Deimos?” She asks, looking back at the wall while he goes to inspect the diamond, and plucks a pretty emerald from the wall to pocket.

“How would you have paid him back?” She asks, turning to fully look at him now, close enough that she’s definitely in his space, but feeling better for the conversation.

i'm just a full tank away from freedom. spitfire

KIADA

NATE

Even as she answers him his gaze doesn’t turn back to Kiada. ”Oh, right.” Nate looks at his own holographic arms like he’s never seen them before, like he’s merely considering the idea of them. ”Thought there might’ve been a bug or something.” A laugh huffs out of him, his attention turning back to the glittering walls.

”Its not my fault you knew what I was gonna say.” Nate defends himself, finally looking up as he reaches to accept the diamond, holding it up to his eye to examine it. That close inspection pauses a moment so he he can let a curious gaze drop to his companion. ”Got it in one. How’d you know? Is it the fact there’s not another dickhead over six foot in this place?” Himself not included, obviously.

”This might work.” He says of the diamond, pocketing it easily and turning his gaze back towards the base of the room, searching for anything other alternatives and not making a show of how close they’ve gotten. If Kiada is anything like hi, bringing attention to it will only make it weird, uncomfortable. ”I would’ve figured something out.”

didn't know i'd be so late
drinking all night, numbing that shame