#there's the unrealism of everyone at the agency just being losers who hate fun

[lavenoon]

Guh Taking Flight was so good I can’t even. Seeing how different the dynamic was at verses where it ends was just- like dang. Robin seeing Dusk go through the same things they did as a rookie and having a choice to either let him suffer like they did or intervene. YES ROBIN BREAK THE CYCLE EVEN IF YOURE PISSED. The defending scene was definitely different than what I thought. Props to Robin for being a great shot I guess. Poor Dusk was just standing there like 😳. I doubt he was expecting that. Ugh and then their little chat. It hurt my heart. Seeing him so upset just- ah! Robin’s little inner dialogue of ‘plus nobody likes you’ it just makes me so sad! Like I know it’s supposed to but just seeing it come back again and again…man. There’s so much more that I want to say but my dinners sitting in the microwave and I’m starving. SO, long story short- awesome chapter, awesome writing, you’re amazing, have a good day and take care of yourself

Ahaha yes, it was a lot of fun depicting the start of their dynamic, since before I had mostly dabbled in the more established "rivalry" slash friendship later on in the timeline! (and then of course, everything post reveal!) Getting to really pry into Robin's mind and show why they are the way they are, why in any timeline the senior agents are just rougher around the edges and struggle to trust, that was a lot of fun!

The defending scene definitely changed from how I originally depicted it here - though I will simply say that that post can just be a different instance. With my non-chronological approach, a few concepts just end up different, and I knew it would mean a lot more if Robin already had to confront that fear of losing their rank, is confronting it, and still chooses to defend Dusk. Because it's the right thing to do.

Because no one did it for them.

They're not without their scars, and they isolated themself to avoid rejection and now, with Dusk and the honestly fun interactions, they suddenly have to face the fact that isolation may be better than rejection, but they're lonely and they very much enjoy being around people if those people don't treat them like a joke.

Dusk doesn't know everything going on in Robin's mind - or he wouldn't have asked. But he saw their reaction when he asked if they gave up on fun, he saw the sticker, and he realizes that they went through years of this treatment alone. He's not happy about it, and he's not about to make huge concessions - he's a sarcastic little fuck when he asks them to explain! But he does see their struggle for what it is, and appreciates their company, so he does indulge, he does go back to "bothering" them, riling them up and making them laugh.

And thus a rivalry is born, now that both are star ranked agents!