Ari gestured behind him, accidentally connecting with Orin’s chest with an audible slap, his mind a chaotic swirl of joy and confusion, voice catching in his throat.
“Oh, I—I do apologize. Allow me to introduce Mr. Orin Stone, my most capable pilot. Mr. Stone, my brother, Dr. Theophrastus Campbell.”
Orin retreated a step at Ari’s words, as if belatedly remembering to put space between them. Ari glanced over his shoulder at him in bewilderment, but his attention was returned to Theo as he made a thoughtful, and, for him, ominous hum.
Theo’s thoughtful hums only ever led directly to disaster.
To Ari’s astonishment, Theo seemed quite his usual self, entirely unchanged by his ordeal, if one were to discount his strange apparel. One would never have known he had recently been the unwilling victim of a terrible crime against his person.
Then again, Theo had always been rather resilient in nature.
Orin still stood close enough behind him that Ari could feel the rumble of his voice run up his spine like a bolstering hand. “Pleased to meet you, Theo. Nice to be able to put a face to the name.”
Theo sparkled up at Orin with a cheeky grin. “Charmed, Mr. Stone.”
Laughter colored Theo’s voice in a warm tone Ari had been terrified of never hearing again, the sound of it filling his hidden wells of sadness as if they had never been.
Theo turned back to Ari with a waggle of his eyebrows that was the polar opposite of subtle, one slim finger tapping at the tip of Ari’s nose lightly. “I have found that one can benefit from a spot of trouble now and again, wouldn’t you agree?”
Ari’s mind finally snapped into focus as Park stepped closer, the lurking bulk of his black-clad form reminding Ari of the danger they were in with a sudden chill through his bones.
He pushed Theo behind him with shaking hands, Orin tensing and moving by his side immediately, small blade held out between his massive knuckles. “Don’t worry, Theo, we will liberate you from this villain!” Ari assured him in a voice that hardly shook at all.
Theo just walked around him, cocking his head to check Ari over in uncharacteristic silence before turning to point a finger at Park, advancing on him at a rate Ari found inadvisable, long locks of hair whipping behind his head like the vengeful snakes of a gorgon.
“You didn’t tell them you were rescuing them?” Theo yelled, digging his finger into the solid wall of Park’s chest, appearing entirely unfazed by Park’s fearsome scowl.
Park shrugged, face a portrait of unconcern as he scratched at his chin with the barrel of his pistol. “No.”
Theo waved his arms like he might yet discover the secret of flight, smacking the back of one against the meat of Park’s shoulder but receiving no visible reaction from Park in return.
“Whyever not?” Theo’s voice squeaked beneath the sheer force of his indignation, hands continuing to churn up the air around him.
Park shrugged again, tucking his pistol into the holster under his arm as he leveled dark eyes on Theo, just a hint of a smile crinkling them at the corners.
“It was funny.”
Theo frowned, settling his weight back on one heel as he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at Park.
“You can’t do that to him! Ari isn’t like me. He’s sensitive. Sweet. Dare I say, unassuming. Easily frightened. Picture a helpless baby rabbit with a rock collection, and you would have my brother. You cannot treat him like this and expect to get away with it; I won’t let you. He doesn’t have the constitution to put up with your nonsense, Jun!”
Ari stared at Theo, a wave of every terrible feeling he had endured since his brother’s disappearance rising up inside of him, bringing him to an absolute boil.
“I’m sorry. Was dropping everything and jumping the Verge in desperate search of you not brave enough, Theo?” Words tumbled out of his mouth like hot lava before he could stop himself. “Should I have perhaps done the whole thing blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back? Although, I did spend a shocking amount of time in wristcuffs, now that I think on it.” Ari’s voice petered out at the same rate as his anger, ending on a quiet mumble directed at Theo’s steel-capped toes.
Theo remained unaffected by Ari’s outburst, mouth quirking up slyly, gaze sliding from Ari to Orin and back. “Oh, did you? How interesting,” he said, voice like treacherous silk.
Ari blanched, glancing over at Orin to find his face nearly split in half by amusement, every dimple on full display as he watched their exchange, thumbs looped in his braces and giving every appearance of enjoying himself thoroughly.
The little blade was nowhere to be seen, presumably tucked back into its hiding place.
Ari’s face burned as Theo and Orin’s grins just grew wider and wider.
“No. Not like— Nothing like that. We were held by Enforcers and raiders, and then your Mr. Park here. It was all very harrowing, I assure you.”
Park’s face twisted into a forbidding frown at that. “Captain Park.” His deep voice cut, sharp vowels hinting at the accent Theo had written into his notes. “And I’m not his.”
Theo’s grin fell away as he squinted up at Captain Park, who appeared to be making a concerted effort not to look back at him, instead turning away to walk behind the dented ship he had brought them in.
Theo followed for a few steps before throwing his hands up in the air, voice tight with exasperation. “Where exactly do you think you are going? We have guests to accommodate!”
Captain Park threw his words over his shoulder like a dagger. “I’m unhooking your stupid little ship.”
Orin perked up at the words, casting Ari an excited glance before trotting over behind the ship after Captain Park.
His joyful exclamation sent answering joy sparking through Ari, followed by distress, and immediately after, shame.
Orin started crooning love songs to Delilah as Ari’s heart sank deeper and deeper into the toes of his boots. If Captain Park had brought their ship along, then that meant— Well. It meant everything was as it should be, to Ari’s disgraceful despair.
He followed them, rounding Park’s beat-up rescue vessel just as Theo caught up to him, linked their arms, and rested his head on Ari’s shoulder. Ari could feel how much he had missed him in the tense grip of his fingers around Ari’s arm, like he was afraid of letting go even for a second.
Theo was ever the one to run his mouth, but when it came to his true feelings, they were best expressed through his actions. Words were the armor he hid behind, just as solitude had always been for Ari.
Would soon be again, it would seem.
Ari covered Theo’s hand on his arm, squeezing lightly. “How are you, truly, Theo?” He pitched his words to be kept just between them. “You must tell me if you have come to any harm.”
Theo shook his head, rolling his bony skull against Ari’s shoulder and tickling his neck with his unruly hair.
“No harm at all. Nothing worth noting anyway. The Captain has done his best to keep me safe, and he can be quite formidable when he puts his mind to it. You should see him in action, Ari, he’s like a dancer. That is, if the dancer were bristling with weapons and maintained a perpetual black mood. And absolutely despised dancing. And music, for that matter. He’s actually not much like a dancer, upon further consideration.”