fatealteration | Last Train to London

Reigen told himself that he'd celebrate every good thing that came his way from now on--no matter how small. He wouldn't celebrate it in want of something but for it's own sake. After all, there was no higher power to bargain with. It was just him.

Him and two kids.

Him and two kids and a giant VW Bus he was 60% comfortable handling. And a magical piece of paper that kept their entire lives packed neatly and lightly.

He kept reminding himself of how far he'd come in just a few weeks whenever he started really missing a nice matcha. He had Doppio on a strict assignment to look out for even the instant stuff. Every day was a new lesson in unpredictability but they'd found that there were clusters of stability. Some towns had mostly escaped the rupture unscathed and others were like patchwork from a monkey's hands. You just took what you got, hustled, and hoped for the best.

Today--today wasn't bad. They'd lucked out with a highway cutting through a sprawling plain with small patches of life in the distance. There was no telling how long the road would last, but word had spread across the town they'd just left that it went on for awhile. The street signs weren't in a language he recognized but it's not like they'd serve their purpose even if they did. Reigen spared a thought for all the taxpayer dollars gone to waste.

"Quartermaster," he snapped his fingers and adjusted the thick technicolor shades on his nose, "coffee me."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

espresso_doppio

The lid fully separated with a ‘pop’ and went clattering to the ground. Doppio wasted no time in holding it to the lantern.

“…Paper?” He picked it out and turned it around in his fingers. It was folded and matte to the touch. He looked at Hitomi and carefully unfolded it. On its surface was a bunch of letters that were oddly spaced out. He couldn’t read them, but even if he could, he was sure they wouldn’t have made sense. “Is this…more English?”

From:

aoihitomi

"I think so, but my English isn't good enough to read it." She knew the very basics from school, but there were definitely characters or even whole words missing from the message. She couldn't possibly figure it out at her level of English.

"We should see if Max can read it."

From:

espresso_doppio

“Good idea.” Doppio folded it back up and slipped it back into the tin. “…In a little bit. Hey, I’m gonna check out the hats. I think I saw snow earlier.”

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

~~

Reigen hadn’t noticed immediately—not until a few flakes had gotten stuck to his eyelashes. He blinked them away and squinted up at the sky. The smoke from the campfire mingled with the snowfall.

“First rainstorms, now snow, huh?” Reigen exhaled a stream of warm breath. “You know…for better or worse, I’m a little nostalgic. I had plenty of family camping trips that looked just like this.”

From:

throughthelookingmax

"What? Stormy?" Max asked. A Snowflake landed on her cheek, then quickly melted.

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

“I was gonna say snowy, but…that too.” And he whined to no end when he was little, but now he could at least take some comfort in feeling nostalgic about it instead.

Reigen hopped into the back and dug out a shearling jacket for himself along with an autumnal chevron blanket. He returned to the fire and folded the blanket over the back of Max’s shoulders. “Here. I know you’re dressed the part but you’ve also been out in the cold all day.”

From:

throughthelookingmax

"Thanks," Max said warmly. "Did your folks take you camping a lot?"

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

Reigen collapsed into his chair, sinking so far back his nose disappeared into his scarf. He groped around lazily in the cooler beside him. “Yeah, though not so much these days.” He paused. “Well. Not family trips anyway. My work takes me to some weird places.”

From:

throughthelookingmax

"What kind of weird places?"

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

“Well…before I came here, I was on an assignment with my student to seek out the Hibagon. It lives deep within a sacred mountain.” Reigen pulled out one of the fortified wines they had stored away and took a swig. He had resisted drinking up until now since it had been just him and two kids, but now…

The redness hit his cheeks immediately and he extended the bottle to Max. “Want some? It’s sweet.”

From:

throughthelookingmax

"Sure. Don't mind an indirect kiss, do you?"

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

Reigen’s face went from slightly flushed to beet red. He fixed his jaw to open to clear his throat and laugh it off.

“Do I look thirteen to you?” He jostled the bottle. “And here I thought Americans were more libertine.”

From:

throughthelookingmax

Max laughed. "It's not like I asked for my benefit." She took a swig from the bottle, then offered it back to Reigen.

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

“Do I look shy to you?” Reigen took it back and stared at the rim for a moment before guzzling some down.

From:

throughthelookingmax

"More like not into kissing girls."

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

PBSTHH!

The sweet wine was much less sweet when it was being ejected from between his teeth.

From:

throughthelookingmax

"You okay there?" Max pat his shoulder with legitimate concern.

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

Reigen wiped his mouth with his sleeve roughly. He looked at her and then down at himself. Some of the wine had stained the colorful pattern that peaked out via the pointed collar beneath the jacket.

"...Okay, I can see how the shirt gave you the wrong impression. But it's what I found in the back of the van. Honest."

From:

throughthelookingmax

"It's not the clothes." Though the clothes were nice. "I have a sixth sense about it."

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

"Oh, okay. Sure. More powers. What's next? Laser vision? Invisibility? A legendary sword you pull out of your chest that you'll use to slay the jabberwocky?"

From:

throughthelookingmax

"My powers are never wrong. But if you must know, my power comes from being queer myself. It makes it much easier to locate my own kind."

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

Reigen sniffed, still tasting grape on his lips. The buzz was taking over now.

“Ah…that so?” He bowed his head. “Sorry. I was being immature.”

From:

throughthelookingmax

"Hey, it's fine," Max reassured him.

From:

mp_strikinglyblessed

“Still…” Reigen straightened himself up in his seat. “It takes a lot of confidence to wager what’s going on in someone’s heart. Besides, I don’t think I’m in a position to prove you right or wrong.”