Work Text:
Ivybranch: uh… Ankle?
Ivy was going through a lot of first. First time in the desert, first time on the spies, and their first time being alone. It was strangely nice, a lot nicer than they expected. The empty halls seemed somehow homey even with how annoying the hum of the lights were. No matter the amount of black tape covering the files, no matter how many files were out of their reach— both comprehensively and physically— it felt nice.
But the silence started to make their ears ring. Going from coddled and praised to facing the world on their own. Ivy was starting to feel cramped. It had only been a few days, but it was a lot of change. Like being dunked in ice water after a day at the beach. It was a lot, so they tried to reach out.
Ivy had only briefly known Ankle Halifax from their time on the Georgias. Ankle had been shadowed for that time but the team spoke about them, and nothing but praises for the kid at that. And playing against them was a treat too.
They were around the same age, but there was always something in Ankle’s eyes when they looked at them. Ivy couldn’t place it.
Ivy didn’t expect a text back, but they were trying at least. They could always try to reach out to Steals, but that would bring more coddling and they weren’t ready for that again. Not yet, not after their new feeling of freedom.
Their phone was silent for a good few hours. They had forgotten about the text to be honest. They were sitting in the surveillance room trying to reboot the systems. The feeling of some sort of protection in this strange form of the realm gave them some sense of security. But they jumped out of their skin, dropping a cut it board as their phone buzzed on the desktop.
Ankler_fish_: who is this?
Ivy through the username they had given themselves was a pretty good give away. But they were stressed, Ankle was probably too.
Ivybranch: It’s Wyatt IV, Ivy, I was on the Georgias when you were in the shadows.
Ankler_fish_: oh hey ivy
Were they always a dry texter? Ivy could deal with it. They were probably too used to how the Tacos texted, all caps and emojis just became too easy to slip in.
Ivybranch: So Charleston, huh? How’s it going?
Ankler_fish_: it’s fine i guess
Ivybranch: Ankle, are you okay?
Something seemed off, Ivy squinted at their screen. Bubbles formed from Ankle, stopped, started again and stopped again. Charleston’s outpost in the desert wasn’t too far, the mapping the old spies left was extremely helpful.
The bubbles came up and down for the next few minutes, Ivy tried to keep working. Their eyes drifted from the circuit to their screen. Eventually their nerves got to them, grabbing their phone still seeing no response.
Ivybranch: Screw it, I'm coming over.
Ivy slung their bag over their shoulder and set out for the Coux. The void like sky made the passage of time seem much longer but much shorter all at the same time. As soon as the light blue hue of the Coux came into view Ivy’s pace quickened.
They slid down the sandune, fumbling to keep their hat on as they tumbled to a stop. Patting the sand off of their shorts they walked to the door. Ivy gave the door a heavy handed knock.
“Ankle! Ankle let me in!” They shouted against the door, pressing their ear against the cold metal to see if they could hear from the other side. They could make out something , not sure what, but there was the least noise on the other side. That was a good sign at least.
“I hear you Ankle! Come on dude let me- AHG!” Ivy was pressing so much into the door that when it started to open they fell with it. Like a scooby doo clips Ivy’s arms flared at the dropped to the floor with an oof.
Ivy groaned, rubbing their head and looked up to a small glow that wasn’t there before. It was Ankle, looking over them. Ivy could tell they were holding back a laugh by the way their cheeks started to puff out and shoulders fought to stay still.
“If you don’t laugh I’ll feel even more stupid,” they groaned, repositioning their hair back under hat. They chucked a little bit and Ankle finally did let out a laugh and it only made Ivy laugh some more. It became a laughing feedback loop. As soon as Ankle started to compose themselves Ivy picked it back up and it all started over.
Ivy started to wheeze, holding at their side as they tried to calm down. Ankle seemed to be doing the same, tears started to peek at the corner of their eyes. They leaned over and wiped at their face before looking at Ivy.
“Ankle if you fall on the floor neither of us are getting up.” Ivy barked out between laughs. They let out very exaggerated breaths to center themselves, that sent Ankle over the edge. They crumbled to the ground, laughing and clutching their stomach right as Ivy was starting to get back together.
“Ankle! Ankle no please!” Ivy snorted and shoved at Ankle’s shoulder, “I don’t want to pass out! You’ve gotta breathe, Ankle! Breathe!” Ivy continued to joke, rocking them back and forth.
It felt nice, just laughing and joking. They were feeling like a kid, it was something Ivy hadn’t really been able to experience on their own. Falling out of the void felt strange to be the only reason for Ivy to feel this way. Either way it was nice, they were glad it was with Ankle.
Ankle started to even out their breathing as random chuckles still spilled out, “Did you just come over here to give me an asthma attack?” They sat up holding their chest and looking over at Ivy with a smile on their face.
“No, you goofus,” Ivy punched at their shoulder as the last few chuckles pittered out, “I was… just making sure you were okay.” They shrugged and picked at the strap of their backpack. Out of the corner of their eyes they saw Ankle looking at them. There was a smile on their face, but there was something else there too.
“Well, thanks Trip I think I needed that,” Ankle didn’t even notice what they had said, just continuing to chuckle to themselves. But Ivy noticed, the words felt like an icy dagger that cut into their chest. Their own laughs fully died as they looked down at their lap.
“You have no idea how much I needed it. Things have been-” Ankle stopped talking when they looked at Trip, no wait. Ivy, they were looking at Ivy, talking to Ivy . The look on Ivy’s made them realize what they had done. Ankle’s eyes went wide, reaching out to put a hand on Ivy’s shoulder.
They flinched, not on purpose of course, Ivy just started getting too wrapped up in their head. They had gotten used to being called Wyatt but the tacos when they first showed up. It was their name of course, but they were never that Wyatt. Never the Wyatt that they wanted them to be, Ivy was never a Wyatt that everyone wanted them to be.
It was a lot. A lot to unpack and comprehend and Ivy always tried to keep it away from the front of their mind. But here it was on full display under the black hole sky.
“Ivy… I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” Ankle tried to pull their hand away, but Ivy didn’t let them. Instead they held it tight, tight enough to startle Ankle, “are you okay?” The light dangling from their head lit up Ivy’s face as they turned.
“You’re the first person to genuinely apologize for that.” small pricks of tears shined, this time not from laughing but heartfelt surprise. Ivy held Ankle’s hand down into their lap, absentmindedly fiddling with the scales on the back of their hand.
“Thank you.”
“You shouldn’t be thanking me for accidentally calling you a dead clone of yourself!”
“But that’s the thing!” They squeezed Ankle’s hand and pushed closer to them, “You know that I’m not Trip!” Ivy sounded desperate.
And they weren’t, Ivy wanted to be their own person. They and MaX were different enough that people didn’t mix them up, but in personal conversation it was different. Getting called different nicknames, called Wyatt, hell they got called NaN a few too many times.
It was so tiring. Feeling like their own person for the first time since they existed, just to hear what they feared shook them fierce. But Ankle’s surprise on their face was genuine, their words sounded true. Ankle squeezed Ivy’s hand back and their head whipped up.
“Because you’re not…? Do people think you are?” Ankle seemed confused, well they were more concerned. They moved to sit closer next to Ivy, clasping their other hand over the two’s interlocked ones.
“I mean… no? I don’t think so? I… they just wish I was Wyatt… I think.” Ivy shrunk into themselves and Ankle pressed into them. They rested a cheek against Ivy’s shoulder.
“I know people miss all of the Wyatts, I miss Trip, but we actually have you,” Ankle knocked their head to the side to press into Ivy’s cheek. “And I’m glad to have you, Ivy. I know we never really got to know each other on the Georgias, but I’ve always liked you Ivy. Not because of Trip, but because you weren’t.”
“What does that mean?” Ivy sniffled, looking back at Ankle almost feeling offended on Trips behalf.
“Well, you’re a lot more bold. You face planted on my floor because you thought something was wrong even though my phone keeps dying.” Ankle snickered.
Ivy pouted, their cheeks turned red in slight embarrassment, “Well it’s your fault for being a trash texter,” they muttered into their shoulder.
“Huh? Huh? What was that?” Ankle probed, poking at their cheek, “Come on Ivy speak it with your chest! Huh? You talking trash?” Ankle slipped their hand out of Ivy’s hand and went to their side for a tickle.
Ivy tried so hard, biting the inside of their cheek, to not laugh. But Ankle had a mission, tickled under their ribs and tried their best. They grumbled to themselves, “You’re no fun,” they huffed.
“Well you're trying to ha-” Ankle caught Ivy off guard, tickling their ribs again. Ivy really thought they were safe, but with Ankle jabbing at their sides they started to kackel.
“Cat got your tongue? You good over there?” Ankle teased, continuing the tickles. Ivy wheezed, laughing again and trying to pull away from Ankle. They tried their best to push them away but it was fruitless, tumbling to the ground.
“Ankle I— hahahaha — I’m gonna pee dude! Oh my gods! Uncle uncle! I call uncle!” They punched at Ankle’s shoulders trying to get some sort of reprieve. The hiccups started to come as Ankle finally retreated.
They looked over Ivy with a goofy smile, their sharp fangs sticking out from behind their lips. Ivy was kinda cute like this, seemingly relaxed and just enjoying the company. Ivy had a nice smile if they were being honest, they liked how the blush on their face brought out the streaks in their hair. They also like that—
“Earth to Ankle, you there fishboy?” Ivy said, swatting at the light falling into their face. A look of oh shit crossed over Ankle’s face as they got off of Ivy, offering a hand to help them up. They’ll have to figure out thoughts later.
“Oh, uh, sorry about that,” Ankle helped Ivy up as they grabbed their hand, bringing the both of them to a stand, “Do you wanna, uh, since you’re here and all, wanna play some animal clrossing? Or something?” Ankle scratched the back of their neck as Ivy still hiccuped.
“Oh! Um, sure why not,” Ivy smiled, not letting go of their hand, “lead the way!”
And Ankle did.