Right Back After This

Episode 28

The day is structured from there, and so Riz has to play games that are fun enough, refuse drinks like he's meant to, and watch the rest of the group get tipsy- watch Atlantis get smashed. Every time he looks at Kiel, lolling around in a liquor haze that looks so good, the glare they're required to share is there, but it's a better game than whatever card game they were trying to play earlier. Riz finds it funny, how much they've undermined everything.

Amello is the one it's actually awkward with. Because they're sitting, and they're talking, but Riz has to make sure it's not too interesting. Riz has to make sure it looks like he likes him, maybe, so that in retrospect it's sensible, but it must be far more boring than everything they're engineering for Wrenley.

Riz can't see where that line sits, and he threatens to cross it every time he gets too close, or almost puts his hand in Amello's. When Amello is trying to talk to him for too long, Riz's only solution is to leave and find someone else. He feels bad about it, but Amello should know they're being closely watched- and it's an even closer watch when everyone is together and there's no distractions.

He does, however, notice one particular stare, as his eyes wander from his friends and their invigorating, slurred conversation. A stare he isn't meant to notice.

So when he gets through the party, and it's dark, and he's supposed to lay in bed next to Kiel with some kind of awkwardness between them, he says, fully aware of how it'll sound to Kiel, "... I'm going for a walk again."

Kiel inspects him, deciphering something Riz could never say out in the open about the walk he took yesterday. "Where the fuck could you possibly be going?"

Riz wonders how much of that annoyance is genuine. The idea of Kiel getting possessive is funny, but when he considers it, he's forced to think about the fact that Ares is getting possessive, and it's dangerous. "Just for a walk. The beach is nice at night. You should relax sometime, it's good for you."

"I'll relax here, thank you very much." Kiel chews on the inside of his cheek, and maybe it's just that Riz knows the truth, but it feels like a character break to him. He smiles regardless.

He's not going to see Ares, anyway- at least, he won't if he can avoid it. He can't explain that. So he just waves as he heads out the door. "Don't get into too much trouble when I'm gone."

It's impossible to know if Kiel's grumbling is entirely fake, or if jealousy gives some authenticity to his acting. Either way, Riz is off down the beach again; maybe if he does this every night, it'll cover his tracks for last night.

And, probably, tonight.

He walks out over the sand somewhat aimlessly. There is something in the beauty of it- Gahren, the planet this moon orbits, is only visible as a dark shape heavy in the night sky, but the other moons reflect white sunlight like mirrors, letting it be dark but still glittering silver off of the water. Riz walks through pink sand that has no shells, no rocks, no seaweed, no fossils. When Riz's feet hit the water, it's cold, it's salty, and tiny fish scatter off through the clear water. They couldn't eliminate every unpalatable sign of life, and Riz knows how free those fish must feel. How they mustn't know anything else.

He searches the darkness and comes up with nothing. He walks slowly and cautiously, getting around behind the buildings; giving cover, just in case.

There he is, already resting against the side of one of the buildings. With a somewhat painful dig and a wince, Riz turns his mic off. The beep confirms it.

So he walks right up. "It's off."

Colian's arms are crossed, and he speaks awfully quietly. "Ares is looking for you."