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They’re walking down near the docks. He has a bunch of rope in hand and is unraveling it as they walk. She’s making sure none of it bunches up, a few feet behind him.
“So what’s this all about, Kyr?” she asks. “And why couldn’t Markus help?”
“He’s writing some new ballad,” he says, looking over his shoulder at her. “And I need your help on this one, Ashe. Markus and I tend to run off with new ideas constantly-”
“Oh, so you do know you do that.”
“Yeah.” He looks sheepish, but just for a moment. “But this is something that I need to be exact and focused on. Which means I need your help.”
She smiles. Even if she’s a little hesitant about helping with any of his experiments, for fear of getting burned or shocked or shot out of a cannon, she still appreciates that he would come to her. “Glad to provide it, then.”
They walk in silence for a bit longer. Finally, they reach the end of the rope. He tugs it over to the water, letting the end sit there.
“So what’s this even about?” she asks. “We brought the rope from the bar….”
“Well…!” He bounces a little on his feet, excited. “I had this idea, what if we could get a charge to the water! Like lightning. So I set up a rod-” Ashe pales a little, remembering that the other end of the rope was tied around a pile of metal near the bar. “-And when the storm rolls in-” She looks to the heavy gray clouds rolling in off the sea. “-It’ll hit that, and maybe run along the rope, and into the water!”
“But why would we want that?” she asks, trying to remain calm.
“To see if the lightning’ll jump into the water, and help catch fish! Or scare of boats. Or any potential death shrimp.” He grins. “C’mon, we gotta get back to the bar. Make sure nothing’s messed with the line while we set up. Rope might not work well, but at the least it’s a start. You’re still helping me, right, Ashe?”
She rolls her eyes, but nods. “Yeah, sure, Kyr.” She knows this is going to end badly. But she’s also used to the redhead and his ridiculous resilience, so she decides not to scold him. It’ll just make him think he needs to make it a bigger experiment, instead, and she doesn’t want that either.
By the time they return to the bar, thunder’s rumbling directly above them. He goes to check the knots on the lightning rod one more time, bracing his shoulder against the metal while he does. Rain starts pelting at them, heavy and fast, a sheet of water that quickly soaks both of them.
“Maybe you should-” Ashe starts, and then she feels it. The first burst, building and then releasing within a second. “Kyr!” she shouts, too late, as the lightning crashes down at him, the first bolt perfectly placed to be drawn by the rod.
He stiffens as it runs through him, then falls back. His hair’s standing on end, and his cape’s smoking a little at the shoulder. Ashe hurries over and drags him away from the lightning rod. “You really need to be more careful,” she mutters, even though he seems unconscious. “One of these days this’ll really do some harm.” She checks his breathing and pulse, both seem fine. Peels his cape away, and rolls up his sleeve to check his shoulder; there’s no actual burn on his skin. She sighs with relief, and sits back to wait for him to wake up, while they continue to get drenched by rain.
She notices a paper sticking out of one of the capsules on his belt. “Well that’s no good, it’s gonna get ruined,” she comments, tugging on it so she can put it away in her own pocket, or tuck it behind her armor, where it might stay dry. But she notices a word of writing on it, and curiosity gets the better of her. “Why’re you writing about me, hm?” she says, even though he’s still out.
It seems to be a letter, or maybe the starts of a speech. Half of it is all crossed out. The entire thing is disjointed. I wonder if you might join me for too formal I want you to maybe try and be direct! Ashe would you ever make it now! Ashe you’re lovelier than Markus NONONONO FOCUS ON ONE DUMMY I really like you and I want to maybe too direct. ASK MARKUS FOR ADVICE he knows
The rain makes the ink run together before she can read more. She’s red, unsure how to react, a little stunned by this new information.
He finally stirs, and she crumples the paper up and throws it towards the trees, hoping the storm will finish destroying it. “Kyr,” she says sternly. “You really need to be more careful.”
He sits up, laughing. “But that was amazing! I had a bunch of new thoughts- maybe I can use them, but I have to get to the lab, before they disappear!” He tries to stand, but is a bit too stiff. “Okay, maybe not. Can you take some notes for me, Ashe?”
She shakes her head, and helps him to his feet. It’s a little awkward because of the height difference, her supporting him, but they make it work. She helps him back to his lab under the bar, trying to figure out if she should say something. He’ll notice the missing paper eventually.
“You know, you…” The words die in her throat. She can’t give affection, not how he wants. Not until he actually says it, and forces her to react. Until then, she’ll stay apart, and changes what she wants to say. “I’m really glad you trust me, Kyr,” she says.
He looks at her as he settles at a desk with paper and ink and quills. “Yeah, of course! You do…” Something flickers across his face, rare hesitation. “You do a lot, for me. For all of us. Thanks again, Ashe.”
She waves. “Sure you’ll be alright?”
He’s already writing furiously, filling up pages quickly. “Yep! See you later!”
She leaves his lab, and goes to sit outside again. Maybe she can go back to the sea, and check if his experiment will do what it’s supposed to. Maybe that connection can work.