A weathered flag that's by the sea // OTA

[dauntless_son]

WHO: Declan Lynch dauntless_son and YOU!
WHERE: De Chima mostly
WHEN: February
WHAT: recovering from CNC2020, out and about in De Chima, Valentine's Day maybe
WARNINGS: brief mention of suicidal ideation, violence; will update.



I. Now different lives I lead, my body lives on lead

With Ronan back at the Meadows, Declan is back at work.

Most of his morning is spent planning an exhibition with an artist, going over the logistics of how and where to install it, how much space to take up, and so on. His early afternoon lunch break happens at a nearby cafe; the weather is just nice enough to justify sitting outside. He spends some of that time at his little table with an open notebook, jotting notes for potential advertising avenues for the new show.

After lunch, his afternoon is split between acting as a docent for people visiting the gallery and paperwork. It beats folding pamphlets for a politician, but only just. His ambitions are buried deep enough that he's not entirely sure how to uncover them again, or if he should at all. In his gray suit with his bland smiles, Declan is background noise in the gallery. Charming during conversation and immediately forgettable after. It's for the best.

When the gallery closes for the night, Declan locks up and takes himself for a walk down one of De Chima's busy stretches. He stops to look at menus posted in windows, thinking he doesn't really want to go back to his empty apartment yet.

II. I despise you sometimes, I love to hate the fight

A. One of Declan's first orders of business not long after arriving had been to find a boxing club or gym, somewhere he can hit a bag until his shoulders burn and his hands go numb. With everything that happened in the week after his return from that other City, that other life, Declan's had a lot of things to work out. Every hit on the bag is a thought lingering in his head.

Ronan's suicidal spiral, which started with his brother showing up drunk on the floor of his aparment, ended with the return of Kylo Ren. He hasn't heard much from Ronan since then (wham, the bag swings hard on that one). At least Ronan is alive. If nothing else, that is true.

Done with his warmup, or just bored of hitting something that can't hit back, Declan re-wraps his hands as he heads for the currently empty ring. He might not look like much, but Niall Lynch made sure his sons' second language was violence. Declan speaks it fluently, though rarely.

"Hey, go a few rounds?"

B. Later in the week, Declan finds a shooting range. The pistol is a relatively new acquisition and it's been a few months since he had any target practice. He knows there are people here with extraordinary power, but given what he's recently learned about his own, having backup is just common sense.

How many people depend on their gifts? Kylo Ren lost his mind the moment he was cut off and now Declan has memories from another life that have shown him exactly how his ability can be weaponized. Declan's survival has depended on being innocuous for so long and this is no different.

He feels a little better after he's emptied a clip.

III. I felt I was invincible, you wrapped around my head

[Want to go on a blind date with Declan Lynch for Valentine's Day? Let's do it. All genders welcome, new CR and old CR. You can say a friend somehow made it happen or they met on a random dating app or something. Ping me at givemedragons if you want to go over ideas.]

IV. Wildcard

[Find Declan around town in De Chima or message me to plot a scene.]

Comments

[dauntless_son]

[ If Declan has any more bruises, they are well-hidden by his clothes, which might be considered just on the casual side of business casual. He was surprised to hear from Sophie and couldn't bring himself to turn her down. He doesn't really have a reason to. And, maybe, getting the invitation feels kind of nice. Her concerns aren't entirely out of the realm of possibility: most days, Declan goes to work and then goes home. Sometimes he eats out, but he usually does that alone.

He tucks his hands into his pockets as they walk. De Chima, like the parts of Virginia he grew up in, can't seem to decide if it's spring or not. ]

There's a good Thai place up the block, [ he suggests. ] Or a diner I haven't tried yet. I'm pretty easy.

[ And no way is he letting Sophie pay. ]

[ficcion]

[ She'll literally jump at the waitress to pay first, because Sophie is ridiculous like that. ]

I've never had Thai.

[ She's never really had anything but Norwegian, so she's open to pretty much anything. ]

This is all new to me, so maybe somewhere you can guide me through the menu? And some other day we can go explore a place you haven't been at.

[ Later, much later, she'll realize that she's more or less planing a second outing already, and feel weird about it. Not now though. ]

[dauntless_son]

[ Declan gently steers them in the direction of the place he has in mind. It's a nice little cafe - keyword being little - and they're shown to a table just a few seconds later. ]

I think most of them have a little description, but keep an eye out for little chili peppers next to the name. The more there are, the hotter a dish is. If you like sweet drinks, the Thai iced tea is good.

[ He sits back after a quick glance at the menu. He likes the curried noodles and he knows that's what he wants. He orders chai green tea for himself when someone comes by to take their drink orders. ]

[ficcion]

[ Sophie sits down and takes up the menu. ]

Little chili peppers equals bad, then.

[ No spiciness for her just yet, please. ]

Um, I guess I'll got for the iced tea and...chicken with cashew nuts? [ She looks at the waiter. ] Not spicy.

[ She's done all in her power, the next is out of her hands.

Once the waiter leaves with their orders, Sophie looks around before focusing on Declan again. She's dressed in jeans and a sweater, although she did have the good sense to clean and iron her clothes. It's... a bit plain, with the sweater being thin, yet not tight at all.

All in all, she feels slightly underdressed. ]

Have you come here before then? It's nice. Cozy.

[dauntless_son]

I have, a few times. Reminds me of a place in Alexandria, little hole in the wall. I'd go there sometimes with my brother.

[ Usually Matthew, but sometimes Ronan, too. Declan is plain in his own way. Clean-cut, bland. A mannequin might be more interesting in the clothes he's wearing. Their drinks arrive just a few minutes later. ]

I like it. I don't cook a lot at home. Do you? Cook, I mean.

[ficcion]

Alexandria?

[ You'll have to forgive her, she has little to know world experience from anywhere but Norway. ]

I've helped my mother a bit, so I can cook some dishes. I have considered trying to make something from back home... maybe I'll cook sometime.

You can taste test!

[dauntless_son]

It's right outside of Washington, D.C. On the Virginia side of the river.

[ He doesn't expect that to mean too much, but at least DC is a big city with a recognizable name. He smiles faintly when she talks about cooking. ]

My kitchen is at your disposal.

[ficcion]

Hmmm.

[ She's so sorry, Sophie knows a bit of the names he's saying, but that's about it. ]

Maybe we can go check what's there in this place? It could be fun.

[ Her face lights up at his offer though. ]

It's a deal then.

[dauntless_son]

You know, I hadn't actually thought to do that, [ he confesses. ] Visiting Alexandria or seeing if there's anything else familiar outside of De Chima.

[ He's had a lot on his plate since arriving, but it seems like Ronan is okay, for now, so there's nothing stopping him from traveling on the weekends. It isn't like he'll be invited back out to the Meadows any time soon.

He still regrets everything that happened that night. He wants to be part of Ronan's life, but maybe that was too much to hope for, even in a new world. Nothing's changed. Ronan just has a boyfriend that gives Declan a sense of existential dread and is publicly known. Just a few of his worst nightmares combined. ]

If you want to go, I'd be happy for the company.

[ficcion]

I mean, I can't promise we will find much of anything, but it could be interesting.

[ Different world, kinda-sorta same streets. Who knows? Sophie nods eagerly. She needs to get out more herself, anyway.

That's when their food arrive. Sophie gives the dish a cursory look before grabbing her fork. ]

Here goes nothing...

[dauntless_son]

[ Declan actually waits for Sophie to try her meal, genuinely curious and hoping she likes it. When she finishes her first bite, he lifts his eyebrows expectantly. ]

What's the verdict?

[ficcion]

I expected it to be a lot spicier.

[ So she gives it a pretty damn awkward thumbs up. ]

Yours? I suppose you already knew what you were getting into...

[dauntless_son]

[ He smiles faintly and looks down at his own dish. ]

It's good. You're welcome to try some if you're feeling brave.

[ It isn't a spicy dish, just a bit of heat. The kind that might make one's nose run but won't burn on the way down. ]

[ficcion]

[ After a moment of hesitant chewing, Sophie takes a sip of her drink and extends her fork tentatively. Just a bit, just to see.

Her eyes widen at the not-spiciness, but it's not unbearable. That said, she's a lightweight when it comes to spicy foods.

There's some generous drinking afterwards. ]

...I guess it's an acquired taste. Not bad, though. You want some of mine?

[dauntless_son]

[ Declan successfully suppresses a smile when Sophie gets that look on her face and practically dives for her drink. ]

It kind of is. I grew up with stuff like this available.

[ They'd have "take out" at home, or he'd have it when he traveled away from the Barns and Henrietta. Dutifully, he reaches across the table to take a small forkful from Sophie's plate. It's good. More mild than he's used to, but good. ]

We'll try the diner next time.