Chapter Text
This was not how Aventurine wanted to start out his return to work after Penacony. It was about 2 months ago, and albeit, the IPC was generous in giving him so much time off in the first place, yet he still hasn't really recovered from the events that took place there.
He has spent most of his time those past months leeching off of Dr Ratio, living in his apartment to avoid any contact with the IPC. The arrangement was… interesting. Aventurine knew the two of them had some tension since Penacony that wasn't exactly resolved, yet they seemed closer than ever.
Perhaps his near-death brought them to a deeper level of understanding. No, just wishful thinking, Aventurine often told himself. Dr Ratio couldn't be bother with some lowly gambler like him. He was likely only allowed for this arrangement to take place out of pure pity. Yet, every gentle interaction between them screamed anything except for pity, but rather something that left Aventurine afraid.
Not in the sense where he feared Ratio, but rather whatever they had between them. The unfamiliar meal times spent together, resting side by side on the couch as Ratio read his book aloud to Aventurine, the unspoken words they left in the air as they seemed to grow more and more intimate.
That was aside the point though. What mattered is that he had some sort of break after the disaster that was Penacony, meaning he was back in business, slaving away for his superiors. And of course the first thing they wanted him to do was go to and old abandoned planet, once under the IPC's control, and investigate a bunker that was evacuated for undocumented reasons.
Being the person he is, Aventurine didn't say no, rather accepted and internally grimaced at his people-pleasing actions. Though, it brought a smile to his face when Jade informed him that Ratio has volunteered to join in on the mission.
So here he is, sitting in a relatively small IPC ship, with Ratio across from him. Ratio was reading a book that Aventurine wasn't familiar with, but that wasn't out of the ordinary.
"Reading anything interesting there, Veritas?"
The name sat heavy on his tongue. Despite using Ratio's proper name, Veritas, for around a month or so, it always felt weird to say. Though, Aventurine won't deny that being permitted to use the name pulled on his heartstrings. The fact that Ratio trusted Aventurine enough to entrust his name with him made his keen. It's a shame that Aventurine couldn't do the same. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't manage to tell Ratio of his true name.
"Nothing that you would understand, Gambler."
The answer was short of clipped, and any outsider would assume it was a way of brushing off Aventurine's attempt at conversation, but Aventurine knew otherwise. Should Ratio really want to brush him off, he wouldn't have bothered with a response at all, so his response was an invitation.
"Want to wager on that?"
Ratio looked up from his book and seemed to think for a moment before responding once more, "Let's not make an unreasonable bets, particularly under our current circumstances."
The circumstances he mentions is the very mission they are on. As if on cue, the ship beeps, indicating their arrival on Perak, the abandoned IPC planet.
Their conversation is cut short by this, so Aventurine doesn't bother with trying to revive it. Instead, he stands up, getting ready to leave the ship. Ratio does the same, putting his book down and following Aventurine in standing, before the two of them leave.
Harsh winds assault Aventurine's face the moment he steps off the vehicle, causing him to slam his eyes shut and guard his face with his hands.
After a moment of adjustment, he opens them back, turning to see Ratio had put his stone bust on.
"Too afraid of harming your handsome face that you had to put on that fancy bust of yours, huh, Veritas?"
Ratio shakes his head, feigning annoyance, "Perhaps you should worry about the well being of your own facial features instead of uselessly commenting on my self-preservation methods, Gambler."
"I jest!" Aventurine smiles widely, "Though I will miss that attractive face, but I suppose I'll live, won't I?"
Instead of answering the tease, Ratio starts walking away. Sputtering on his words, Aventurine clumsily follows suit.
It was a long walk, he noticed. Perhaps his 2 month absence left him out of shape, as Aventurine finds himself struggling to keep up with Ratio, panting uselessly.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrive at the bunker. The first thing that Aventurine notices is the faint glow of light coming from inside the structure. This place was supposed to be abandoned, right? Though, as he looks at Ratio, the worries leave him. He'll be fine.
Not even 5 steps into the bunker, a loud clatter sounds from their left, along with the sound of pattering feet.
Great, Aventurine thinks to himself, there's people here…
When he turns to Ratio to ask if they should follow the unknown person, he finds that Ratio has removed his bust, revealing his dazzling gold eyes. They stare deep into Aventurine's eyes, just as stoic as always.
"It is best that we pursue the unknown individual. They may have gotten ahold of important IPC files."
With a nod, they walk to their left, careful to make as little noise as possible. Yet, when the noises stop, instead of finding an intruder, the pair find a small girl, curled up in the corner, clutching something in her hands.
The girl's hair is matted and full of visible knots. Her skin is covered in dirt and grime. The dead look in her eyes feel sickeningly familiar to Aventurine. The sound of shackles and crying fills his ears. Fear. The fear when his family was slaughtered before his eyes. The fear as they dragged him away in chains and had their way with him. The fear as he fought for his life.
There's the sound of talking, but he can't make out what they are saying. He can't breathe. He's not safe. He needs to leave, he needs to hide. They'll find him.
"-turine!"
Huh? Who was that? Has someone come to save him?
"Aventurine!"
No, that voice is familiar. It was Veritas. Right, they're on a mission. He isn't there. Not again. Blinking away the visions, Aventurine looks up at Ratio, trying to not wince at the face of concern on the other.
"I'm fine, I was just…" The words don't come to him, but Ratio doesn't press him.
Instead, Ratio focuses on the girl before them.
"Can you understand me?" Ratio asks the girl.
There is no sign of recognition, only wide and fearful eyes staring deep at him.
Aventurine finds himself spacing out as Ratio tries to communicate with the girl. He watches absently as he attempts at multiple languages and eventually resorts of nonverbal communication.
He isn't sure what Ratio did, but the girl seemed less afraid, now only guarding the thing in her hands. When Ratio's hand grows a little to close to it, she flinches away. Ratio notes this and retracts his hand.
Time passes in a blur as Ratio drags Aventurine out of the bunker, the girl in tow, boarding them onto the ship they arrived in.
Aventurine finds that he is unsettled by the whole thing. Not by the child but rather the sickly familiar behavior and appearance of the girl.
Ratio gently places his hand in Aventurine's, not saying anything, but there is a quiet understanding between the two.
Neither of them notice the soft glow between the girl's hands as she eyes Aventurine down with a look of bold recognition in her eyes.