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 Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:15 am
In many ways, Riker was predictable.
In many ways, he was unpredictable, too, but Cassidy couldn’t brag about how clever he was when Riker was deviating from the track he’d carefully laid out.
It had started with a text message: ‘Don’t come over and surprise me tonight.’
He laid on his stomach, admiring his nails. Counted to thirty. Riker wasn’t attached to his phone the way Cassidy was but he’d gotten used to timely responses. He liked to think it was because Riker was eagerly awaiting his next message. By thirty one, Cassidy started texting again. He wanted Riker to have just enough time to build up a little panic. And–he would. Because Riker was a professional overthinker.
‘I’m at my mom’s,’ Cassidy lied. He hadn’t spent the night at her apartment in four months, and even then he’d sulked on the couch the whole time while she chatted on the phone in her bedroom.
He let that sit for a few seconds, too–and then sent the real hook. ‘And there’s something weird by my house. I think it’s a dog. Called animal control but they’re closed so be careful if you go by the park.’
And that was it.
He scrolled on his phone for about fifteen minutes, rolled out of bed, made himself pretty, and left.
He snuck out of the neighborhood and powered up a few blocks away before leisurely strolling to the park nearest to his dad’s house. And then, he waited. Except, it was hard to pretend like he wasn’t waiting. All he could do was pace in a wide circle around the park and stay mindful of the distant energy signatures that occasionally flickered onto his radar.
Really, he only cared about one–the very distinct energy signature of a Knight making his way over.
So, he stood up a little straighter. Fixed his hair so it fell just right.
Tried to hide the little smile on his face.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:18 am
The problem was… Riker had been planning on stopping by to see Cassidy. He’d shoveled down his dinner and had told Evan and Julian not to wait up for him, that he’d be back in the morning probably. He didn’t bother taking the bike Evan always lent him.
The reason why he didn’t respond to Cassidy right away when he got the first text was because, well, he didn’t know what to say. ‘Oh, okay’? He already had his shoes on and a bag of clothes. He stared at the screen, thumb hovering, trying to figure out if Cassidy actually meant it or if he was supposed to read between the lines. It wasn’t like him to tell Riker to stay away.
And then the next message about being at his mom’s…
Riker frowned, still standing in the driveway. Cassidy didn’t like going to his mom’s. He complained enough about it last time that Riker almost asked for the address now, just so he could go pick him up.
But before he could type anything, another message came in.
Something weird.
Cassidy probably knew it was a youma. What he didn’t know was that Riker also knew it was a youma. What else would seem like a weird dog-like animal?
‘Okay, gonna watch a movie so might not answer my phone,’ he lied, thumb moving cast this time. He just didn’t want Cassidy wondering why he wasn’t responding. He definitely didn’t want a youma wandering around Cassidy’s home, so he would just have to make sure it was gone.
He powered up a few blocks away. No youma in sight or aura felt. There was a moment of relief… until another aura prickled against the edge of his senses.
Not Chaos. Not a youma. Another knight.
He slowed, unease in his chest. He knew he was likely being paranoid for being suspicious, but he didn’t like the idea of another knight lingering so close to where Cassidy lived.
“Hey, uh… there were reports of a youma in the area. Did you see anything?” he called out when he got closer. He could only see the other’s outline in the dark and dim light of the streetlights nearby.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:24 am
Oh, there it was. Lyon didn’t have to turn around to know it was Riker, he’d know that voice anywhere. He did his best not to look too eager, but that meant falling into standard habits. A flirtatious smile, calculated eyelash batting.
Positioning himself under the glow of a streetlight so Reims could do nothing but bask in how lovely he looked, kissed by the pale glow of cheap bulbs. At least there weren’t too many bugs out tonight. He wasn’t sure if mosquitoes had a taste for magic blood but he didn’t really want to find out.
“Oh, you just missed it, sorry.” He held up his hands and brushed them together, as if he were still shaking loose the dust. “Do you get a lot of reports to check things out? I’ve sort of just been wandering wherever my feet took me.” He laughed good-naturedly, like that might chase away some of the awkwardness of introductions.
Not that Lyon knew what it was to have shame.
Reims was still walking towards him, so Lyon thought he’d be a gentleman and meet him halfway.
“Too bad, I could have used a handsome Knight to come and rescue me. It gets easier to fight them, right? I need to up my game or,” he waved his trowel like he was testing its weight, “I’ll be digging my own grave one of these days.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:26 am
Reims slowed to a stop when the other knight stepped into the light.
The clothes, the symbol -- Ganymede, same as him. It should have been a relief to see something familiar. Instead, his focus was drawn to the shorts, the tights, the easy smile that looked like it belonged in the glow of a spotlight, not under a flickering streetlamp.
He was staring. He realized it too late and snapped his gaze away and cleared his throat.
“You’re -- uh… You’re a Ganymede knight.” As if that wasn’t already obvious.
He tried again, a little more confident this time.
“That’s… good. I mean, it’s better than running into a youma.”
The other knight was still smiling, still looking almost effortlessly composed while Reims felt like his tongue was suddenly tied into knots.
Handsome.
It felt like a rock had just been dropped into his stomach, and he couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be a joke or not. Surely it was a joke. Who flirted in the middle of patrols? And why would anyone do it with him?
“I don’t… uh… really get reports,” he finally managed, crossing his arms tight across his chest. “I just try to not ignore things.”
He glanced down at the trowel, then back up -- only to find himself caught again looking at the shorts and tights and long blond hair and--
He looked away too quickly.
“And, uh. You shouldn’t-- I mean, don’t joke about graves. It’s… not funny. And you probably don’t need rescuing.”
The words left his mouth before he could stop them, and he immediately wished he could take them back. He shifted on his feet, suddenly very interested in the cracks in the pavement as his ears burned. Anything to keep from looking up and staring again.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:32 am
Lyon did his best not to look smug and pretended like he wasn’t aware of how good his legs looked when he adopted a thoughtful pose–arms crossed over his chest, hip popped out.
Reims was cute. But Lyon already knew he would be.
“Oh, not a fan of dark humor? Well, I’ll try to reel it in a bit. Of course, if you’re so worried about something bad happening to me, I could really use somebody looking after me. You’re the first Ganymede Knight I’ve met. You look good. Feel good, too.”
He smiled, too pretty to be smug, and the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly.
“You know, your aura. That tingly sensation. I knew I liked it even before I got to see you. I feel like I’d be safe with you. But I’m sure you get that a lot, huh?”
He offered his hand, low and within Reims’ line of sight no matter how interesting he was pretending to think the sidewalk was. “You can call me Lyon. Charmed, I’m sure. I’m really glad our paths crossed.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:33 am
Reims stayed frozen where he was. If anything, the more Lyon smiled at him, the more his suspicion grew. It was too easy. Too friendly. No one he’d ever met talked like this. At least not to him.
He shifted his weight back a step, not necessarily retreating, but not closing the distance between them either. The offered hand was there between them, and Reims found himself staring at it far too long. Who even shook hands anymore? It wasn’t dangerous but… it felt like something he was supposed to understand, but didn’t.
“You don’t… know me,” he said finally, slow and cautious, his eyes moving from Lyon’s hand back up his face. “So I don’t know why you’d say all that. About me looking good. Or feeling safe.”
His arms folded tighter over his chest, defensive. He wished he could sound as calm as Lyon looked.
“You shouldn’t just… trust people because they’re the same kind of knight as you. Or because their aura feels nice,” he said, the words a bit sharper than he meant them to be, but he couldn’t take them back. His ears burned hot and he once again looked away from Lyon and back to the cracks in the sidewalk. Anywhere that wasn’t Lyon’s easy smile.
“I mean…” he muttered after a moment, clearly flustered. “It’s not that I don’t, you know, appreciate it. Just… you don’t know me.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:35 am
Lyon’s hand remained offered but Reims didn’t take it. He let his hand hover for a moment before huffing, “Wow.”
Reims! So rude! Whatever, all Lyon had to do was start crying or something. He’d change his whole tune, probably.
“I mean, I get it, but I don’t have cooties.” Instinctively, he wiped his hands off on his shorts. “Does it bother you when someone says nice things about you? No, you don’t have to answer that.” He suspected he already knew the answer, anyway. “But just so you know, it’s a little hard to get to know someone when they don’t want to swap names. No pressure. You can be Mr. Mysterious. But, if I’m not supposed to trust a Knight like me, who am I supposed to trust? Seems a little counterproductive–’don’t trust Chaos but also don’t trust Knights’?”
He pressed his lips together contemplatively but his eyes lingered on Reim’s face. He wasn't shy about staring.
“Am I just supposed to do this all on my own, or…? I didn’t get an etiquette book, I got a spade, and even that wasn’t easy. I was running for my life one minute and fighting for it the next, so I’m still figuring all this out. I mean, you can tell me if I’m doing it wrong. Especially now, while I’m still new. I’d hate to look stupid down the road. Oh–or, you know. Get killed.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:36 am
Reims stared, a little stunned by the downpour of words. For a moment, all he could think was that Lyon talked as if he didn’t have to breathe between sentences.
Oddly… it reminded him a lot of Cassidy.
He hoped they’d never meet, otherwise they might end up talking someone to death.
When the rest of the words caught up to him, especially the bit about trust, about being on his own, about not wanting to look stupid, the tension in Reims’s shoulders eased a bit.
“No, I didn’t mean--...” He lifted a hand to rub awkwardly at the back of his neck, grimacing at himself. “I didn’t mean you shouldn’t trust anyone. I just… meant not to, you know, immediately believe everything you hear.” He frowned a little at himself, not quite happy with how that sounded. “That didn’t come out right either.”
He let out a breath and shook his head, as if to recalibrate his thoughts.
“Look, of course you’re not supposed to do this on your own. It sucks to try,” he said, feeling as if the words came out a little more rushed than he meant, almost like he was afraid Lyon might already think otherwise. “And it’s not that I don’t want to help. I do. You just--... I mean… came on kinda strong,” he admitted with a cringe, his voice lowering with sheepishness.
He hesitated, and then finally reached out his hand to offer it. The gesture was slow and deliberate, like he was concerned it might startle Lyon if he moved too fast.
“Reims,” he said after a moment. His expression softened a bit, even if it was still guarded. “And you’re not doing it wrong. You just… talk a lot.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:36 am
Lyon raised a brow, and there was almost the spark of annoyance. Almost.
Instead, a slow, pressed smile spread across his face. “Oh, do you think? I thought I’d have been a bit boring if I didn’t say anything at all. Would you prefer that? I can be quiet,” he said.
A part of him wanted to be a d**k about it. He could have looked at Reims’ hand and ignored it, just like Reims had done to him. Let him hold it out awkwardly, see how long it took before he gave up and let it drop. It would have served him right!
But, Lyon wasn’t some jumpy little bunny rabbit. He wasn’t scared of a hand. And definitely not one he’d held before.
A testament to his ability to be quiet, he did not tell Reims it was nice to meet him.
But he did shake his hand.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:36 am
Reims hadn’t actually expected Lyon to take his hand.
The grip was warm and confident. And close… too close, maybe, because Reims suddenly couldn’t figure out where to look. Every time he tried to glance away, he found himself catching on some new detail. Like how bright Lyon’s eyes were under the streetlight, or the way the beading at his throat and across his chest shimmered, or the faint curve of a smile that didn’t seem to fade no matter what he said.
“Uh… Right,” he somehow managed, but had to clear his throat. “Quiet probably wouldn’t suit you anyway.”
He meant it as a joke, maybe, but it came out more serious, almost like a confession.
And then he realized, belatedly, that they were still standing close, still holding hands. He pulled back gently, rubbing at his wrist as if to keep his fingers busy.
“So, uh… that youma.” The change of subject was fast and almost desperate. “You said I just missed it?”
He glanced over Lyon’s outfit, looking for tears or bruises. Nothing. Not even a smudge of dirt.
“You didn’t get hurt?” he asked, surprise making his tone a bit softer. “You’re a Page, right? No magic, just a… spade?” He had to make sure, because… well, he was impressed. And he didn’t bother trying to hide it. “You took it down by yourself? That’s…”
He hesitated, realizing how much it probably sounded like praise. But… he said it anyway, quiet and sincere. “That’s not easy. Most people would’ve run. I mean… just run, not try to fight it, too.”
He meant it -- genuinely impressed and not patronizing -- but as soon as the words escaped, he seemed to realize how earnest he sounded. He abruptly shut his mouth, and he glanced off towards the shadows of the nearby trees as his ears burned.
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:37 am
For a moment, Lyon considered being petty and staying quiet.
But it wasn’t in his nature.
One day, Reims would learn that Cassidy and Lyon were one in the same, and he wasn’t going to sour this interaction with dramatics. Not that sort, anyway.
So, his smile sweetened, because at the end of the day, he knew Reims.
He knew how awkward he was. He knew how hard it was to meet new people.
Cassidy was so spoiled to have his affection now that it was easy to forget how difficult it had been in the beginning.
So this was just the beginning again.
His smile relaxed again.
“What, I don’t look like a big, tough hero?” He twirled the spade between his fingers like it was a pen, although with somewhat less impressive results. He wanted to pop out a leg just as an excuse to show off how lovely and strong they were but he might as well just say, ‘Hello, it’s me! Cassidy!’ and Lyon was already so much.
“I would have run if it got to be too much to handle. But I got lucky. It’s sort of my thing,” he shrugged. “I’m okay, though. Thanks for asking.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:38 am
“Lucky,” Reims repeated, quiet but slightly skeptical. His brow furrowed a little, though it wasn’t quite disapproval… more like he was trying to piece a puzzle together that he didn’t have the picture for.
He glanced down the street again, then back at Lyon. No dust, no scorch marks, no sign of a fight. Either Lyon had handled himself perfectly, or something about his story didn’t add up.
Still… he didn’t seem hurt. And the way he spun that spade -- okay, it was a little showy, but not clumsy. There was control in the movement. Maybe he didn’t have the experience, but there seemed to be good instincts.
Reims let out a slow breath, letting his shoulders ease.
“You make it sound like it happens a lot,” he said finally. “Getting lucky, I mean.”
He immediately regretted that it might have sounded like he was making a genuine observation about Lyon’s skill, rather than just making a general comment. He pressed his lips together and cleared his throat.
“Not that that’s a bad thing. Just, you know, most people don’t run into youma and walk away without a scratch.”
He hesitated, and then added a little more quietly. “How long’ve you been a knight, anyway? You said you didn’t get an etiquette book. But you’ve got… decent aim, if you took one down on your own.”
Reims glanced over Lyon again -- from the shimmer of the beads on his uniform to the definition of his legs under the tights -- before he caught himself staring and quickly looked away. “You, uh… Have anyone else around? Someone who’s been helping you?”
While he meant the question to be casual, there was a quiet earnestness under the surface -- part concern, part curiosity, part… something else he couldn’t quite place his finger on. When he glanced back at Lyon, his tone softened a bit, like he was trying to sound more helpful than he was wary.
“It’s a lot to figure out alone. I didn’t exactly have a guide, either.”
He paused, realizing he might be oversharing. He made a face and shook his head, hoping it wasn’t too weird.
“Anyway. You should, uh… I mean… in case another one shows up. Maybe I should stick around for a bit. Not that I’m saying you couldn’t handle it.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:38 am
Lyon tilted his head just slightly. If he were being honest, he was a bit impressed by Reims’ observation. But then, Lyon knew he was smart. When he wasn’t getting all flustered and stuck in his head.
And there was that sweet tone, the one you only got if he liked you, or felt safe around you, or felt bad for something he’d done or said.
Lyon wasn’t sure which it was tonight but he’d take it.
“Oh, I’ve got scratches. But if you’re shy about a handshake, I don’t think I can show you where I’m hiding them” He didn’t laugh but his smile said enough about that. “I’m not entirely on my own. I’ve only been a Knight for a week or so. A youma came after me, and when I took care of that, I met a Velencian. He gave me some first aid for it. I think we’re friends. Don’t tell me they’re the bad guys, he was very sweet, and very convincing.”
Even if Reims said they were the bad guys, Lyon might not have listened. Maybe Aliez was the exception? But if there was even just one good one, that should have been enough.
“I got lucky that I ran into him, too,” he said, making sure Riker caught the emphasis. He did get lucky often, and he wasn’t ashamed of it. “That youma spit some acid on me, I thought it might eat right through me. It might have, if I hadn’t run into him. But he doesn’t know much about Knight things, just first aid. You’re the first Knight I’ve ever met, though. And you did it all on your own? You sound like you’re more than competent. Would you stick around for a bit? I’m lucky, not stupid. I know there’s plenty out there that I’m not going to be able to handle on my own. Honestly, I’m still a bit surprised that I got picked to do this.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and cupped his chin in one hand. “Feels like someone made a mistake. Maybe it’s only a matter of time before I get my special privileges revoked. Does that happen much or is this a ‘no-takebacksies’ situation?”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:38 am
“You-- what?” he sputtered. The words came out before he could stop them, his expression flickering between disbelief and an embarrassed flush.
“I wasn’t--! It’s not--! I’m not shy about a handshake!” he said, quickly, and too defensive. “I just don’t--... usually shake hands with people I don’t know yet. That’s all.”
It sounded like a weak excuse even to his own ears, but he powered through it, folding his arms tight again like he was trying to squeeze the embarrassment from existence.
He listened while Lyon explained, frowning slightly, pretending that his ears weren’t still red.
“Velencian,” he repeated under his breath. “Don’t know enough about them to know if they’re the bad guys or not. They helped us in a big fight earlier this year, but I think they’re also with the Negaverse. Do you know anything about the Negaverse?” he asked, suddenly very stressed that Lyon knew nothing about this magical war he got pulled into.
And then the mention of acid made him wince. But Lyon kept talking. About being picked, about it maybe being a mistake. Reims’s expression softened a bit.
“It’s not a mistake,” he said, firm enough that he almost startled himself.
He shifted and glanced down at the pavement with a shrug, the motion a little stiff. “It doesn’t work that way. It’s in your blood, or your soul. You power up, you’re a knight. No take-backs. If you don’t want to be one, then don’t power up. But you don’t lose it. It’s just… yours now.”
Reims glanced back up, catching Lyon’s eyes for a second too long before looking away again.
“Anyway. A week’s not long. You’ll figure it out. And uh… I guess I could help. If you have any questions, I mean. Doesn’t have to be now.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:40 am
Oh, Reims was cute. In his awkward, brutish way. Like he had to be tough to–what, to protect his heart? His pride? The corner of Lyon’s lip twitched into a crooked little smile. It was too difficult to force it back into place so he didn’t try.
“Oh, do you mean that? I’d appreciate it. Quite a bit, actually. Can I shadow you sometime? I’d really like to learn more about all of this. I’ve only been able to piece together bits and pieces.”
Well, and everything Reims had already told Cassidy, but he didn’t need to spill the beans on all that just yet.
“I might not be able to offer much, but I can tell you about the Velencian I met. Doesn’t have to be now,” he parrotted. “If I don’t have to worry about all this power being revoked, let’s make plans to meet up again sometime. I can clear my schedule for you. And we can talk about the Negaverse, or Ganymede, or the weather, if that’s better for you.”
He shrugged. He’d broken through Reims’ shell once before. He could do it again. A hundred times. A thousand.
Briefly, he thought about offering to make him food as a little treat, but he knew Reims wouldn’t eat Lyon’s food. He’d be too worried about coconut. And anyway, one bite of Lyon’s food and he’d know it was Cassidy. It wasn’t often you got authentic Italian food, after all.
And if Reims couldn’t tell the difference, shame on him. Lyon didn’t want to know.
“Would that be okay, do you think? Although, I don’t really know how this whole ‘planning to meet up’ thing works. Do you just get lucky and hope you cross paths again, or pre-plan and mark it on your calendar, or…?”
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