Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nia had spent the rest of the night angrier than she can recall ever being.
It was the fact that Lucy hadn’t seemed to miss her.

It was the fact that she had a fucking boyfriend AND wouldn’t tell her who it was?

What was she supposed to do with this? This wasn’t in her plan.

She had planned on graduating, moving to Sandrock and into Lucy’s place, and eventually moving back to Highwind if Lucy insisted on completing her contract.
Nia was of the mind that Lucy would give up once Nia convinced her it was obviously too dangerous to live in the desert. Though maybe Nia would stay long enough to write some really excellent papers that would get her some notoriety in the botany world.

It didn’t seem like any of that was going to happen. Except… 

Nia didn’t give up on things that easily. Lucy was hers . It was destiny! They were born on the same day, they had spent 23 years together. Nia didn’t deserve this horrific treatment .

Lucy said her relationship was serious? Ha! It didn’t matter who it was, there was something wrong with them. Nia didn’t put so much of her time and energy into Lucy to just have some Sandrock hick steal her away. She would just need to show Lucy the truth.

Nia loved Lucy. It didn’t matter if it was romantic or not, Lucy had survived without boys for this much of her life, what was the rest of it? Faced with the sudden reality that Lucy could be taken away from her meant that Nia wanted to secure her by any means necessary.

Nia tossed and turned all night, but eventually she managed to calm herself. This was just a little speed bump in her carefully laid plans, so long as Nia stayed calm and maintained herself… everything would be fine.

--------------------------------

Nia smiled brightly as she knocked on the door to Lucy’s workshop. It was still kinda crummy and completely different from Highwind architecture, but Nia was surprised that she had managed to build a two storey house in the two-and-a-half seasons Lucy had lived there.

It took a bit, and Nia could hear rustling from inside, but soon Lucy opened the door.
“Morning Lucy!” Nia kept up the chipperness. Lucy looked confused but from past experience Nia knew that pretending that nothing was wrong meant Lucy would either forget any hurt or not bother. “Yawn, I slept so well at the Blue Moon! I had a really great dream, too. Decided to come pick you up myself this morning!” Nia paused to giggle, “feels like when we were kids, and I'd come get you for school!” Nia also knew Lucy enjoyed talking about old times, especially the fun parts. If she was going to get Lucy back on her side Nia would have to pull out all the stops.

“Yeah,” Lucy said gently. Nia felt a pinch of annoyance that she couldn’t read the builder’s tone.
“Hey, let me see your workshop! What's it like?” There, that got Lucy’s interest.

Lucy showed Nia around the workshop space, and even though for Nia there wasn’t really much to see, just more and more machines, she let Lucy natter away until she got bored.

“Hey, I've got an idea! You've been away so long, everyone's forgotten what you look like already! Let's take a photo together to show the folks in Highwind!” Wouldn’t that be nice? Lucy agreed and Nia adjusted them so that the two girls were close and the workshop was properly in frame.

“Yeah! Alright don't pull any stupid faces though, okay? I want to keep it with me,” Nia explained and she saw a look of … concern? Worry? On Lucy’s face for just a moment before she nodded neutrally. What was that look for? What did Nia say? Regardless, they both smiled nicely and Nia felt the picture turned out quite well.

This was evidence about how good she and Lucy still were if she showed the picture to anyone back home. Still best friends forever and all that.

“Nice, nice, very cute!” Nia chirped. Selfies were always good mood makers. “So, Builder, show me this town, and later we can go to the moisture farm!”

This wasn’t going… so poorly? Lucy was enjoying showing off Sandrock and it was nice to dump the things she had learned on someone who hadn’t lived here longer than the builders.

“This is Pablo’s, he wasn’t here when I first showed up but I’m so happy he’s here. I was not doing a good job with cutting my bangs,” Lucy shuddered. She liked to keep them on the shorter side, but not that short. “And this is the town square! There’s usually at least some folk around here,” Lucy gestured to the whole area around her. There were in fact several people milling about. Unexpectedly, it was actually Pen who approached the Highwind pair.

“Skinny Arms! I didn’t think it was possible, but you have found someone smaller with even skinnier arms than you!” Oy! When she flexed she totally had muscles. Lucy could lift so much! So what if she wasn’t bulky?

“Hi, I’m Nia, Lucy’s best friend,” Nia offered her hand to Pen. Pen looked at her blankly and shook her hand.

“And I am Pen! Defender of Sandrock!” Pen boasted. If Lucy hadn’t sparred with him she would have assumed that Pen’s deal was all show but the punches… the punches were a LOT.

“Well aren’t you a tall drink of water,” Nia flirted and Lucy got nervous. What did Nia want from Pen ?

“Drink water? NAY! Minister Matilda says to “conserve water,” so the only liquid I drink are my protein shakes!” Wow. Lucy wondered how Pen’s skin seemed so good if he really didn’t drink water. Maybe Burgess snuck some to him… Somehow.

“So, Mr. Defender, have you heard about Lucy’s relationship?” Oh telesis no. That little deceiver! Nia was fishing for information!

“....Who?” Pen blinked, brain empty. Thank the Light for unobservant meat heads, though Lucy was a bit disturbed that maybe Pen really did think her name was Builder or Skinny Arms.
“Absolutely no one! Bye Pen,” Lucy grabbed Nia by the bicep and dragged her up the stairs that would bring them to the highest point in Sandrock. “I can’t believe you.”
Nia laughed, “c’mon, it’s just a joke .”
“Is it? Seems like you were trying to break a boundary I put in place on purpose,” Lucy snapped. Nia removed her arm from Lucy’s hand and crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

“ Jeeze , did Sandrock turn you into a buzzkill ? It was just a little teasing,” Nia rolled her eyes.

“Whatever, let’s keep going,” Lucy conceded. When they reached the temple she took a little pause and looked out over Sandrock, far into the desert. The small amounts of snow frosted the rock formations and the canyons. The view hadn’t gotten old to Lucy yet. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It’s very different from Highwind, that’s for sure,” Nia said softly. “Do you really like it better here?”
“Yeah… I’m happy here,” Lucy replied just as gently.
“And you weren’t back home? But we had so much fun!” Lucy wasn’t looking at Nia, but she could imagine her frustrated face.

“Maybe at one point I was happy there,” Lucy turned around and sure enough Nia’s face was pinched. “But that hasn’t been for a long, long time. C’mon, let's go to the farm.”

----------------------------------

Why the Peach were they quizzing her? Lucy thought to herself, annoyed. Zeke, she could understand because they didn’t know each other that well yet. But Nia? Was this some kind of power play? Lucy has been building green houses for Nia since they were kids and Lucy’s ma was the foremost expert and grower of poisonous plants (for medical purposes!) in all of the Alliance! Nia fucking knew that Lucy knew how to keep a garden. She just wasn’t as big into the research and development side of botany. 

It was annoying, but Lucy thought it was nice that Nia brought raspberries to plant. Having more food variety was always a good thing and Lucy bet Owen could make some amazing desserts with some new berries.

Zeke seemed impressed by Nia, and Nia was really flaunting her knowledge. Ultimately, Lucy knew she couldn’t actually stop Nia from moving to Sandrock if she really wanted to. It worried the builder, because for some reason she got the sense that the happiness she found here might be destroyed and.. she’d have to think about that later. While it hasn’t happened since she moved, she could be prone to destructive thoughts.

Eventually they say goodbye to Zeke and exit the moisture farm.

“That was really great, I learned a lot. I need to go and write a report for school. Gosh, I have so many ideas right now!” Nia gushed, Lucy smiled slightly at her. “When I was hanging out with you, it really felt like I'd been here for years. If I'm honest, I kind of want to stay a little longer…”

And Lucy… just didn’t say anything. She could tell by the look on Nia’s face she wanted Lucy to say something along the lines of, ‘I want you to stay too!’   The builder just… couldn’t. In the past she’d fawn and assure Nia of whatever she wanted. She thought that’s what friends did and Lucy assumed that if you were really good friends you swallowed down your own feelings to build someone else up.

But she knew differently now. She had a whole bunch of friends! She had met so many people with so many personalities in Sandrock and the main through line between all of them is they liked when she was honest with them. It had helped heal her soul. She felt like in Highwind she hid herself, but here? Freedom.

She realized what she needed to do, but Lucy didn’t know if she was brave enough to do it in person. 

Nia noticed that Lucy wasn’t going to respond to her and a flash of hurt crossed her face, “Well. Thanks for coming with me today. I'm not gonna hold you up any longer. I'll see myself around town. I kind of want to see the sights! I'm leaving early tomorrow morning afterall.”
“Um, I’ll see you at the train station then?” Lucy blinked. She didn’t know if Nia wanted to snoop around town more without her watching, but the builder did actually need to get some work done today. 

To avoid the ‘walking in the same direction after saying goodbye’ conundrum, Lucy ended up calling the Yakmel driver to take her home.

It was late at night and Owen and Lucy had spent the last few hours on a long walk through the Eufala. Lucy had explained what sort of day she had had and Owen left the saloon in Grace’s hands for the night. Nia had come back to the Blue Moon at dinner time where she took her meal up to her room and hadn’t left since. 

Owen had apologized to Grace for leaving the closing up work for her to do alone. Grace had simply pointed out that they had exactly one guest and Grace didn’t care whether she worked on her research at the saloon or at her apartment.

Fair enough, tourism hadn’t bounced back to pre-water tower levels quite yet.

Either way it allowed Lucy and Owen to talk through Lucy’s anxieties and stress. The bright moon made everything more than visible as they trekked through the desert holding hands.

“Have you ever had a friend break up? I just don’t know what to do,” Lucy stressed and Owen squeezed her hand in response.
“Yeah, at school Butch and I had another friend, Pete,” Owen hadn’t realized how long it had been since he had thought about Pete. “Pete was a real lifesaver my first year away from Sandrock. Seemed like a solid guy, would drop anything to help a fella out and I really thought we had a good, strong relationship.” Owen paused and slowed their walking pace until they were standing in front of the miner’s stand outside of the Gecko Ruins. Lucy looked up at him encouragingly. “The second year of school I noticed something about how he treated women. He wasn’t kind, to put it mildly. I don’t know how I didn’t notice before, or if it just developed over time… but I told him off one night and he got mad, real mad.” Owen had never had someone react so strongly to being pulled to the side and being told that he needed to be nicer to his girlfriend. “He tried to punch me and accused me of a whole lotta things. In the end I just told him we couldn’t be friends anymore. School was awkward, but we really never spoke again. Butch took my side and that’s why he’s still my friend and Pete isn’t.”

“I don’t know if I can be that direct,” Lucy admitted. “I’d like to, but I feel like I can’t articulate why I just.. don’t think it’s working.”
“I think you’ll get more closure if you do it in person,” Owen offered. “But I don’t think a letter is a bad idea. You can really put all of your ideas with a level head. You just might not get a reaction and wonder what it’ll be like the next time you see her.”
“Yeah,” Lucy sighed. “Can I.. can I have a kiss? It feels like kisses have been on a pause because of my panic and that feels like a crime .”
Owen chuckled and took her into his arms. Who was he to say no to a request like that? Note to Owen: give Lucy more kisses.

----------------------------------

It was past midnight by the time they made it back to the saloon and this time Lucy dropped Owen off at his door. Owen wanted to make sure everything was ready for tomorrow before he went home home.
“Come in for a sec,” Owen murmured and opened the door. “I wanna kiss you goodnight and there might be looky-loos out here.”

Lucy snorted, “ok, but just for a second. I have to get up early.”
The saloon was dimly lit as Owen closed the door behind them. The saloon was never completely dark since guests didn’t have a curfew or anything and could come and go as they pleased. Dimming the lights allowed for coziness after hours but also allowed the Blue Moon to save on electricity. It was completely silent and Owen figured Nia must have gone to bed hours ago, just like the night before.

“So where’s my good night kiss?” Lucy questioned prettily. She practically fluttered her eyelashes at him and Owen couldn’t help grin at her as they stood next to the door. When they had more time and less problems, he wanted to spend an entire day dedicated to kissing his builder. That was kind of a stupid idea, and wouldn’t be responsible of either of them… but screw it, he was in love.

“Maybe I’m just stalling because I don’t want to end the night yet,” Owen teased.
Lucy smiled brightly at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, “silly. C’mere”

Lucy had to stand on her tippy toes AND Owen had to stoop for their lips to fully seal together. Owen never minded, he liked the way he got to grip her in order for them to both keep their balance. The saloon owner took his time kissing his builder, nice and slow and deep so that---

“What the FUCK!?” Shouted Nia from the top of the stairs. She was wearing pajamas and looked incredibly angry as she stomped down to the main level. Lucy had jumped away from him and was now staring wide eyed at the other girl.

“THIS is who you’re in a relationship with?” Nia snapped as she reached Lucy. 

Lucy seemed to compose herself, “yes. What of it?”
“The fucking saloon owner?” Nia laughed, and it turned Owen’s stomach to hear it. “I get it now, you get cock-struck by the first hot guy who’s willing to fuck you and decide to change your whole personality .”

Owen was about to tell Nia off. He couldn’t imagine being so unbelievably crude . He got being upset when someone close to you was keeping secrets, but why did it have to be so vile ?

Lucy stepped in first, “oh that is rich coming from you. You actually change your interests every single time you get into a relationship. Remember when you were big into professional gliding? No? It was those 6 months you dated Renault.” Lucy threw her hands up into the air, “I, on the other hand, have been pretty dang consistent . . The only differences you are seeing in me is that I am actually happy. I’m acting differently around you because I’ve realized you don’t make me happy.”

Nia and Lucy glared at each other for a moment before Nia responded.

“ I don’t make you happy!?” She shrieked, “I have done everything for you. If it wasn’t for me you’d just be a sad little kid in the corner. I have given you everything and this is how you repay me? When have I ever done anything wrong to you?”
“We have barely spent time together over the last few years,” Lucy shot back. “But apparently it’s only a problem when I’m the one who is too busy. So you guilt me and act like I’m the one who pulled away first even though you weren’t there for me when I really needed you.”
“You get what being busy is. Of course I can’t be at your beck and call,” Nia sniped.
“You didn’t just neglect me, you actively hurt me!” Lucy accused.

“When?” Nia sneered in response.

“Not only did you not help me when Tommy cheated on me. You ignored me until a few weeks later when you tried to convince me to give him a second chance,” Owen put a hand gently on Lucy’s back in support. She didn’t flinch it off, but Nia directed her glare at him before looking back at Lucy.

“So fucking what? Is that really worth throwing away 23 years of friendship? I didn’t take you to such a flake ,” Nia growled out. Did she really not see the issue?
“Owen’s wrong, you’re not in love with me. You’re in love with the idea that you own me, am I not allowed to have independent thoughts and feelings? Or should I just sit in the toy bin until it’s time to play with me again?” Lucy raised her voice. What Owen didn’t expect is Nia to turn her attention to him and for her to take menacing steps towards him. 

“You said I was in love with her? Who the fuck are you to comment on me and Lucy? I am the one her parents love, I have always been with her. You are just a temporary blip in her life you absolute bastard ,” Owen doesn’t think he’s ever had such anger directed at him. When he sees the slap coming for him, he can only flinch in reaction. Except.. The slap doesn’t come. When Owen’s eyes reopen he sees Lucy’s hand gripping Nia’s pulled back hand tightly.
“You. do. not. get. to. hurt. him.” Lucy grits out in a low and controlled voice, the anger rolling off of her in waves.

“Well, this is the part where we put down some rules, Miss Nia,” Owen says tightly. He is also so fucking angry, but at this point Lucy is one wrong move from snapping at Nia and that was just going to hurt her later. “I can’t rightly turn you out on the streets,” Nia’s eyebrows shoot up like she had no idea what consequences could be. What did she think would happen to her, attempting to assault the owner of the place she had to stay? “But you are going to go to your room, stay there all night and take your luggage and leave first thing in the morning. Do we have an understanding?”

Nia’s glare switched from Owen to Lucy and back again.

“We’re done, Nia,” Lucy bit out.

“Fine,” Nia finally huffed and ripped her wrist out of Lucy’s hand. She stomped her way back up the stairs pausing right before she disappeared from view. “Have a happy life in this dead desert, hope you don’t regret it.”

As soon as they heard Nia’s door slam close, Lucy pushed out of the saloon into the crisp night air.

----------------------------------

“She tried to hit you,” Lucy wheezed out. Her voice was high and reedy and Owen followed behind the builder quickly. He closed the door to the Blue Moon behind him, taking the risk by not locking it. “Shetriedtohityou, shetriedtohityou, shetriedtohityou ,” Lucy repeated and Owen realized that she was actually heading to his house. Good, he didn’t want to leave her alone tonight.
Owen was surprised after he let them in that Lucy led him to his couch where she pushed him gently to sit down before she crawled into his lap. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and rocked them both gently in a way he hoped was soothing.
“She’s… insane,” Lucy finally said, not much more than a whisper. “Do you think that was really it?”
“I think if she can’t take that as a hint that the friendship is over, there’s something wrong with her.”
“I just don’t know how I didn’t see it before,” Lucy said to herself more than Owen. 

He responded anyways, “that kinda behaviour is hard to spot. It’s not that she treated you poorly all the time, she hid it behind things that seemed like true friendship.”
“Yeah…” Lucy worried at her lip with her teeth, Owen was worried about her lips cracking in pain. “I’m.. going to have to send a letter to my parents. Explaining… giving them some kind of explanation if Nia tries to.. Convince them I’m brainwashed? I dunno.”
“It might not get there before she does,” Owen cautioned. This was a mighty big predicament all told.

“Yeah, but I still want to. I won’t be too detailed… but they need to know,” Lucy paused and looked up at him as much as she could. Owen adjusted so he could look down and see her better. “I want to tell them about us, about you. I think if I write them everything… no matter what Nia tells them, they’ll believe me about why I love you.”
“You ready?” Owen smiled gently. If Lucy was telling her parents, he was going to write his as well. Mind you, Lucy wasn’t at risk of being slandered by a vengeful ex-friend. Still, he wanted his parents to know how happy he was.

“Yeah,” Lucy nodded. “Around the town too? We’ve had a whole… oh… 8? Days of privacy, we should get to the public part started while I still have my slap-defender reflexes honed. You know, in case anyone slaps me for stealing you away.”
“Not funny,” Owen chuckled and rubbed his cheek against hers. “It would be an honour to let everyone know just how much I love you.”
“Cheesy,” Lucy replied. “Don’t announce it on stage or anything. But if we start holding hands around town, people’ll figure it out pretty quickly.”

“Either way, you’re going to have to shut me up if you don’t want me blabbing all the livelong day,” Owen said. “You keep on talking about how much happier you are here, but I’m going to give you a run for your money when I start telling everyone how happy you make me .”
“Really?” Lucy said shyly. She was so cute when she blushed.
“Really,” he dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead. 

Things would be hard, Lucy had to deal with the fallout of ending a 23 year old friendship. Owen wouldn’t lie and say he wasn’t worried that Nia would trash talk him to Lucy’s parents. That’d be a hard hurdle to overcome, but he felt like if they handled it together nothing couldn’t be overcome. “Why don’t we get to bed? Tomorrow let’s stay in until the train’s gone, I can finally make you breakfast.”
“That sounds nice,” Lucy shifted. “Owen?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”