![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
The Golden Years Return [élDLIVE / エルドライブ] [ranty/introspection fic] [spoilers]
I don't really know what this is. I just really want there to be élDLIVE fanfics out there, okay?
Fandom: élDLIVE / エルドライブ
Characters: Rain Brick, Dr. Love
Word Count: 1.8K
@AO3
It's mostly just every scene from the manga that contains both Rain and Dr. Love with a heavy dose of fanfic thrown in. Introspection, freeform. You know, PWP, but sans the porn. This is canon up to Season 5 Chapter 3, but it only follows Rain and Dr. Love, so... all the major plot points are avoided, except for the circumstance of Dr. Love himself. Title is from (P. B.) Shelley's Hellas.
--
Rain had met Dr. Taklamakan Strange Love before, though briefly. He had perhaps become a little stuck on the knowledge that he was meeting a legendary genius, and he had stuttered his way through the introduction that his chief had been kind enough to allow him. His chief had looked furious that his best lieutenant was making a fool out of himself, but the mysterious scientist had only smiled at him and nodded along, apparently familiar with the follies of the youth that he had left behind so long ago. A wrinkled hand had settled on Rain’s shoulder for a moment, and then Dr. Love was being led away to his new hide-out on Earth. When Rain thought back to that meeting with the famed Dr. Love, his strongest memory was of a vague impression of gentleness and good-humour.
And now he was staring down at images of the mutilated bodies of that kind old man he’d so admired, and though he knew it wasn’t real, that they weren’t really of Dr. Love, he had to take a deep breath, letting the familiar feeling of the filtered station air calm him. As he sent off his Super Rookie with his most head-strong, arrogant lieutenant to rescue the old scientist, he reminded himself that they’d pull through, that Ninotschka knew how to talk Veronica around, and that Chips was a hardened professional despite his plushie appearance. They’d pull through. He didn’t notice himself rubbing his shoulder absently.
--
The brief report Chuuta was able to offer before transporting to the station should have prepared him, but somehow he couldn’t quite process the sight of those warm, amused eyes set against that soft, unlined face, covered in gore. Still, Rain was the chief of élDLIVE, now, so he couldn’t very well be seen to splutter and panic over such a mundane thing as a de-aged legend. He offered the most respectful greetings possible considering the emergency, and moved on with his job.
“And next, the situation with Dr. Love…” Commissioner Kieshi’s bland smile remained unchanged as his eyes finally focused on the boy standing beside Rain. “...It feels as though I’m dreaming…”
Dr. Love was slouched against Rain’s desk, body angled away from the view screen--perhaps, Rain thought sourly, to show it off to its fullest potential. The only thing about him that hinted at his profession was the white lab coat wrapped around his shoulders. At least he’d washed off the blood. “It’s been a long time. You’ve changed, haven’t you, Kieshi.”
Rain kept his shoulders relaxed and his hands unclenched by his sides, hoping he wasn’t giving away his distress at hearing the Commissioner spoken to so informally by a child, no matter his true age.
But if Commissioner Kieshi took offense, he didn’t show it. Though when did he ever? “Not as much as you,” the Commissioner replied easily.
“No, no,” insisted Dr. Love, his lips twisted into a smirk on his smooth face. “You’ve definitely changed more.”
This was the strangest conversation Rain had ever had with the Commissioner, and he wasn’t even a part of it. And it just went downhill from there, until--
“Well, in that case, I’ll just stay here.”
--
élDLIVE Solar District Station was a different place under Rain than it had been under his predecessor. Rain wondered what Dr. Love thought as he watched the officers joke and tease one another, heedless of rank. The relaxed, friendly atmosphere of élDLIVE was something Rain was exceedingly proud of, and he had taken great pains to cultivate it once he inherited the position of chief over the humourless, stiffly efficient ranks that had once populated the station. Did Dr. Love think less of him as an authority figure because he allowed such levity amongst his crew? Did he feel the station had been reduced to a mockery of what it once was, as Bela Lugo had?
Rain didn’t bother to pretend that Dr. Love hadn’t noticed, or had no opinion; he could see the judgement in those pale eyes as they followed him around thoughtfully, though he couldn’t tell if it was good or bad.
It was embarrassing that the censure of someone with a child’s face could cut so deeply, especially with Love sauntering around in his middle school uniform. Rain had to remind himself, again and again, that Love’s--Dr. Love’s--appearance was deceiving, that an old man with centuries of knowledge was hiding behind that young body. It was impossible to remember right up until it was impossible to forget.
--
Rain had been trapped on transports with superior officers and diplomats for longer than this, but Love’s apparent youth and relaxed manner must have been playing with his mind, because a few hours in, his tie was loosened, his collar unbuttoned, and he was laughing with Love as though the boy--old man--were one of his officers rather than a scientist famous across the worlds for his long, long lifetime of brilliant discoveries.
Love smiled at him, his eyes narrowing slyly as he leaned back in his chair, his arms stretched above his head and drawing his thin shirt taut against his chest. “Aren’t you going to share?” He tilted his head to indicate the stick of dango in Rain’s hands, highlighting the long line of his throat.
Rain handed the dango over, mouth dry. He turned back to the console and switched off the autopilot. He figured he could do with the distraction.
--
”His age is calculated to be 22 él years,” the scanner-bot announced as it confirmed the identity of one Taklamakan Strange Love.
Rain felt a moment of surprise and, he was ashamed to recognise, relief. Love looked younger than that, but--
And then he realised his mistake. He’d been on élDLIVE for too long, had spent too much time thinking about things in Earthling terms...
Twenty-two?! What was that in Earth years, fourteen? Mothers…
Rain kept his face stoic as he faced the council, trying to focus on the matter at hand.
Apparently, he was the only one even attempting to do so.
“This de-aging method--”
“If you can return youth through this theory--”
“Could this be applied to non-humanoids!? What about my species!?”
So this was what it all boiled down to. Not that Rain, young as he was by any standards--except, perhaps, when compared to fourteen-year olds--was in any position to judge the council members, most of whom had said farewell to their youth many, many years previously. Anyway, Love seemed comfortable with the situation.
At least, he did until his arm fell off.
--
“So… as a last resort, you retrieved the gimmick arm from where it was stored in headquarters, and then you exchanged it from under the SPH curtain?”
“You’re sharp, aren’t you?”
Was he a child pulling tricks or a selfish old man who didn’t want to share his life’s work? Or was he something in between--an old man using his return to youth as an excuse for his outrageous behaviour? Had Love always been like this, or was this some sort of regression to immaturity? Rain couldn’t even begin to hazard a guess. He just knew that he couldn’t seem to suppress his smile.
--
After being in constant company with Love for so long, it was a relief to speak privately with his crew, especially considering the subject matter.
And speaking of birthday parties…
“You know, in a way, Dr. Love was “born” this month…”
No, no, this is your time to escape from him, don’t bring him into this…
“That’s right, isn’t it!” Ninotchka, at least, seemed delighted with the idea.
“Huh,” Veronica smirked, “So how old is Dr. Love turning, then?”
Rain pretended to have to think about it. “Well, five-hundred and… one, I suppose.”
His audience was suitably impressed.
Isaac, bless him, rescued the conversation by inquiring into Dr. Love’s research, which of course led to--
“But today, he’s going on something like a date,” Rain concluded cheerfully. It was a relief to finally say it out loud. He hadn’t been brave enough to ask Love if that was what it was.
“D-DATE!?”
Trust a group of middle-schoolers to be more impressed by a romantic outing than by five centuries of life.
--
When Love returned to the transport, there was a tiny frown of concern in his eyes that wasn’t enough to mask the softness emanating from his smile.
Rain thought of the images he hadn’t been able to stop himself from looking up, pictures of a wizened old woman with a name followed by lines and lines of awards and honours and discoveries.
“We can stay longer, if you want,” Rain offered. It was a foolish thing to say; he was hardly the one in charge of the scheduling of their trip, after all. But perhaps Love needed the reminder.
Love turned his pale eyes to Rain. “No,” he said, and now the softness had left him, only to be replaced by a deep, aching sadness that Rain could feel more than see, somehow. “I don’t think I can.”
There was silence between them for a long time, Rain searching for comforting words that wouldn’t come.
“She was wearing a mask,” Love said quietly.
Rain let his eye turn to Love again, to trace the mourning in his too-young face. “A mask?” He prompted, when Love seemed unable to continue.
Love was staring down at his smooth, elegant hands. “Yes. She was ashamed.”
“This surprised you?”
“No,” Love sighed. “It disappointed me. I had grown accustomed to believing that she and I were beyond such things. I thought she knew that I--well.”
Rain smiled wryly. “Perhaps she did know. It’s still different to face you now.”
“Why? I’m still the same. She, of all people, must know that.”
Rain couldn’t help it--he laughed. Love’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Dr. Love,” Rain said, “what she knows is that you hold youth in such a high regard that you slaved away for who knows how long to accomplish this.” He waved his hand carelessly in the direction of Love’s young, young body. “What conclusions is she supposed to draw from that?”
Love’s lips were pressed into a hard line, his jaw clenched tight. But there was not even the barest flicker of surprise in his eyes. So he’d known all this. Why did he feel the need to discuss it, then? “That’s not why I did this,” Love answered finally.
Then why?
“Did you tell her that?”
Love’s eyes fell back to his hands. “In a way. I’m not sure she believed me.”
“We can stay longer,” Rain said again, feeling helpless.
“No…” Dr. Love smiled and settled into the co-pilot's seat, his own mask firmly back in place. “Shall we depart?”
Fandom: élDLIVE / エルドライブ
Characters: Rain Brick, Dr. Love
Word Count: 1.8K
@AO3
--
Rain had met Dr. Taklamakan Strange Love before, though briefly. He had perhaps become a little stuck on the knowledge that he was meeting a legendary genius, and he had stuttered his way through the introduction that his chief had been kind enough to allow him. His chief had looked furious that his best lieutenant was making a fool out of himself, but the mysterious scientist had only smiled at him and nodded along, apparently familiar with the follies of the youth that he had left behind so long ago. A wrinkled hand had settled on Rain’s shoulder for a moment, and then Dr. Love was being led away to his new hide-out on Earth. When Rain thought back to that meeting with the famed Dr. Love, his strongest memory was of a vague impression of gentleness and good-humour.
And now he was staring down at images of the mutilated bodies of that kind old man he’d so admired, and though he knew it wasn’t real, that they weren’t really of Dr. Love, he had to take a deep breath, letting the familiar feeling of the filtered station air calm him. As he sent off his Super Rookie with his most head-strong, arrogant lieutenant to rescue the old scientist, he reminded himself that they’d pull through, that Ninotschka knew how to talk Veronica around, and that Chips was a hardened professional despite his plushie appearance. They’d pull through. He didn’t notice himself rubbing his shoulder absently.
--
The brief report Chuuta was able to offer before transporting to the station should have prepared him, but somehow he couldn’t quite process the sight of those warm, amused eyes set against that soft, unlined face, covered in gore. Still, Rain was the chief of élDLIVE, now, so he couldn’t very well be seen to splutter and panic over such a mundane thing as a de-aged legend. He offered the most respectful greetings possible considering the emergency, and moved on with his job.
“And next, the situation with Dr. Love…” Commissioner Kieshi’s bland smile remained unchanged as his eyes finally focused on the boy standing beside Rain. “...It feels as though I’m dreaming…”
Dr. Love was slouched against Rain’s desk, body angled away from the view screen--perhaps, Rain thought sourly, to show it off to its fullest potential. The only thing about him that hinted at his profession was the white lab coat wrapped around his shoulders. At least he’d washed off the blood. “It’s been a long time. You’ve changed, haven’t you, Kieshi.”
Rain kept his shoulders relaxed and his hands unclenched by his sides, hoping he wasn’t giving away his distress at hearing the Commissioner spoken to so informally by a child, no matter his true age.
But if Commissioner Kieshi took offense, he didn’t show it. Though when did he ever? “Not as much as you,” the Commissioner replied easily.
“No, no,” insisted Dr. Love, his lips twisted into a smirk on his smooth face. “You’ve definitely changed more.”
This was the strangest conversation Rain had ever had with the Commissioner, and he wasn’t even a part of it. And it just went downhill from there, until--
“Well, in that case, I’ll just stay here.”
--
élDLIVE Solar District Station was a different place under Rain than it had been under his predecessor. Rain wondered what Dr. Love thought as he watched the officers joke and tease one another, heedless of rank. The relaxed, friendly atmosphere of élDLIVE was something Rain was exceedingly proud of, and he had taken great pains to cultivate it once he inherited the position of chief over the humourless, stiffly efficient ranks that had once populated the station. Did Dr. Love think less of him as an authority figure because he allowed such levity amongst his crew? Did he feel the station had been reduced to a mockery of what it once was, as Bela Lugo had?
Rain didn’t bother to pretend that Dr. Love hadn’t noticed, or had no opinion; he could see the judgement in those pale eyes as they followed him around thoughtfully, though he couldn’t tell if it was good or bad.
It was embarrassing that the censure of someone with a child’s face could cut so deeply, especially with Love sauntering around in his middle school uniform. Rain had to remind himself, again and again, that Love’s--Dr. Love’s--appearance was deceiving, that an old man with centuries of knowledge was hiding behind that young body. It was impossible to remember right up until it was impossible to forget.
--
Rain had been trapped on transports with superior officers and diplomats for longer than this, but Love’s apparent youth and relaxed manner must have been playing with his mind, because a few hours in, his tie was loosened, his collar unbuttoned, and he was laughing with Love as though the boy--old man--were one of his officers rather than a scientist famous across the worlds for his long, long lifetime of brilliant discoveries.
Love smiled at him, his eyes narrowing slyly as he leaned back in his chair, his arms stretched above his head and drawing his thin shirt taut against his chest. “Aren’t you going to share?” He tilted his head to indicate the stick of dango in Rain’s hands, highlighting the long line of his throat.
Rain handed the dango over, mouth dry. He turned back to the console and switched off the autopilot. He figured he could do with the distraction.
--
”His age is calculated to be 22 él years,” the scanner-bot announced as it confirmed the identity of one Taklamakan Strange Love.
Rain felt a moment of surprise and, he was ashamed to recognise, relief. Love looked younger than that, but--
And then he realised his mistake. He’d been on élDLIVE for too long, had spent too much time thinking about things in Earthling terms...
Twenty-two?! What was that in Earth years, fourteen? Mothers…
Rain kept his face stoic as he faced the council, trying to focus on the matter at hand.
Apparently, he was the only one even attempting to do so.
“This de-aging method--”
“If you can return youth through this theory--”
“Could this be applied to non-humanoids!? What about my species!?”
So this was what it all boiled down to. Not that Rain, young as he was by any standards--except, perhaps, when compared to fourteen-year olds--was in any position to judge the council members, most of whom had said farewell to their youth many, many years previously. Anyway, Love seemed comfortable with the situation.
At least, he did until his arm fell off.
--
“So… as a last resort, you retrieved the gimmick arm from where it was stored in headquarters, and then you exchanged it from under the SPH curtain?”
“You’re sharp, aren’t you?”
Was he a child pulling tricks or a selfish old man who didn’t want to share his life’s work? Or was he something in between--an old man using his return to youth as an excuse for his outrageous behaviour? Had Love always been like this, or was this some sort of regression to immaturity? Rain couldn’t even begin to hazard a guess. He just knew that he couldn’t seem to suppress his smile.
--
After being in constant company with Love for so long, it was a relief to speak privately with his crew, especially considering the subject matter.
And speaking of birthday parties…
“You know, in a way, Dr. Love was “born” this month…”
No, no, this is your time to escape from him, don’t bring him into this…
“That’s right, isn’t it!” Ninotchka, at least, seemed delighted with the idea.
“Huh,” Veronica smirked, “So how old is Dr. Love turning, then?”
Rain pretended to have to think about it. “Well, five-hundred and… one, I suppose.”
His audience was suitably impressed.
Isaac, bless him, rescued the conversation by inquiring into Dr. Love’s research, which of course led to--
“But today, he’s going on something like a date,” Rain concluded cheerfully. It was a relief to finally say it out loud. He hadn’t been brave enough to ask Love if that was what it was.
“D-DATE!?”
Trust a group of middle-schoolers to be more impressed by a romantic outing than by five centuries of life.
--
When Love returned to the transport, there was a tiny frown of concern in his eyes that wasn’t enough to mask the softness emanating from his smile.
Rain thought of the images he hadn’t been able to stop himself from looking up, pictures of a wizened old woman with a name followed by lines and lines of awards and honours and discoveries.
“We can stay longer, if you want,” Rain offered. It was a foolish thing to say; he was hardly the one in charge of the scheduling of their trip, after all. But perhaps Love needed the reminder.
Love turned his pale eyes to Rain. “No,” he said, and now the softness had left him, only to be replaced by a deep, aching sadness that Rain could feel more than see, somehow. “I don’t think I can.”
There was silence between them for a long time, Rain searching for comforting words that wouldn’t come.
“She was wearing a mask,” Love said quietly.
Rain let his eye turn to Love again, to trace the mourning in his too-young face. “A mask?” He prompted, when Love seemed unable to continue.
Love was staring down at his smooth, elegant hands. “Yes. She was ashamed.”
“This surprised you?”
“No,” Love sighed. “It disappointed me. I had grown accustomed to believing that she and I were beyond such things. I thought she knew that I--well.”
Rain smiled wryly. “Perhaps she did know. It’s still different to face you now.”
“Why? I’m still the same. She, of all people, must know that.”
Rain couldn’t help it--he laughed. Love’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Dr. Love,” Rain said, “what she knows is that you hold youth in such a high regard that you slaved away for who knows how long to accomplish this.” He waved his hand carelessly in the direction of Love’s young, young body. “What conclusions is she supposed to draw from that?”
Love’s lips were pressed into a hard line, his jaw clenched tight. But there was not even the barest flicker of surprise in his eyes. So he’d known all this. Why did he feel the need to discuss it, then? “That’s not why I did this,” Love answered finally.
Then why?
“Did you tell her that?”
Love’s eyes fell back to his hands. “In a way. I’m not sure she believed me.”
“We can stay longer,” Rain said again, feeling helpless.
“No…” Dr. Love smiled and settled into the co-pilot's seat, his own mask firmly back in place. “Shall we depart?”