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purgatory-is-life · 1 month ago

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Mechtober Prompt 13/day 13-planetside

i just ended up using this as an excuse to explore some underrated ashes ships

@mechtober-2024 and as usual, also on my ao3

Three Dates For Ashes O'Reilly - Reality666Rift999 - The Mechanisms (Band) [Archive of Our Own]

tw, arson, implied violence, some poor self care habits, raph's Science, gun mention, i think that's everyrhing

Ashes O’Reilly was not, often, a person who enjoyed the soft things of life. Of course, they relished in the luxuries and the finer things, especially when they were playing a long game planetside. But the soft, typical ‘romantic’ things of the world? They didn’t really care for that. They showed the other Mechanisms that they cared in other, less traditional ways. In ways that worked for the crew.

Ashes did like to treat the others to nice things every once in a while, when they were planetside.

—--

They were stopping by a relatively small, unassuming planet for a bit. No longer than a month, just enough to refuel, have some fun, maybe have a few concerts. It was mostly just a restock trip, anyway. It didn’t need to be anything too long. A month was a perfect amount of time, for Ashes purposes.

Ashes strolled into the bridge, while Brian was mumbling arguments with Aurora while they landed. Again. Aurora had been picky about the spot they landed her in, trying to fly off the moment the majority of the Mechs were off of her, so Brian was trying to get her to stay in one spot for longer than a day. Ashes sat down in the chair next to Brian’s pilot’s chair. Brian glanced at them, but spent most of his focus on landing. Ashes let him, spending the time playing with one of their lighters. Eventually Brian and Aurora landed, and Brian turned towards Ashes.

“Yes, Ashes? Do you need something?”

“I was wondering,” Ashes said, flicking their lighter closed as they turned to the brass pilot, “if you’d like to go out on a walk with me ‘round this little planet, Dollface.”

Brian raised an eyebrow, but nodded slowly. “You’re not up to something, are you?”

“Not at all~” Ashes purred, grinning enough to show off their fangs ever so slightly.

Brian sighed and Ashes stood up, grabbing his hand and pulling him along. Brian let them, smiling as they dragged him off of Aurora. “May I ask at least what we’re up to? It won’t require me being EJM right now, will it?”

“‘Course not, Sweet thing. It’ll be fun, promise, but forgive me if I want to keep a few secrets.”

Brian rolled his eyes. “Of course, My Lord Hades.”

Ashes grinned, and the two continued. They exited the starship they called home, and out into a chaotic and alien wilderness of the planet they’d landed on.

Eventually Brian fell in step with Ashes as they walked down a winding path in between twisting trees with glowing leaves, plants growing free and animals scattering at the noises the pair were making. Brian hummed quietly, while Ashes led him further into the woods. Brian wasn’t sure how long they walked for, just enjoying the scenery and each other’s company. After an undefined amount of time, the pair arrived at a small clearing. In the center, a small fire was flickering and burning in the center, with a few blankets spread around it on the floor and Ashes’s bass setup next to the fire as well. There were a few bottles of wine propped against a large bouquet of roses and a picnic basket.

Brian stops before the clearing and pauses, eyes wide in shock but otherwise his expression remains frozen.

Ashes doesn’t stop until they are forced to, hand still holding Brian’s, realizing he’s no longer following them. They turn around and stare at the drumbot, while he tries to find the words.

“When did you have time to do this?” he eventually asked.

Ashes smirked. “I find time. I like to dote on you all, every once in a while.”

Brian didn’t respond, and Ashes gently tugged on his arm. Brian looked at them and raised an eyebrow.

“Coming? I set this up for us, y’know. So you could relax,” Ashes walked back over to him and took the drumbot’s other hand. “We can do something else if you want.”

“No, no it’s perfect,” Brian squeezed Ashes’s hands, and leaned down, pressing a kiss on their forehead. “Thank you for this. Shall we?”

Ashes smirked, and dragged him into the clearing.

—--

Raphaella hadn’t left her lab in a while, and that wouldn’t do. Especially since she hadn’t told Ashes about any supplies that she needed resupplied. And that just wouldn’t do-they were only on this planet for a few more weeks, after all.

So, naturally, Ashes did something about it.

Ashes knocked on the door frame of Raphaella’s lab. “Hey, Sweet Bird,” they called, getting the science officer’s attention. Raph popped up from her project, and turned to Ashes. She grinned at them.

“Hey, Smoky Eyes,” Raph turned back to her project, “if you need something, you’ll have to give me a sec, this is a very finicky compound I’m working with.”

“Sure,” Ashes said, leaning against the lab’s doorframe, fidgeting with a box of matches. Raphaella continued with her Science for a while more, and Ashes let her. Raphaella rolled her shoulders, wincing at the action as she flexed her wings. Ashes raised an eyebrow as Raph returned to her work. “Are your wings cramping up?”

“Yes, a bit, but I’ve got to finish this…” Raphaella furrowed her brows in concentration, which made Ashes snort fondly. She was adorable sometimes, Ashes thought briefly.

“I think being able to walk around without your back hurtin’ something fierce is a bit more important than science, Doll,” Ashes said, walking into the lab. Raphaella shot them a glare.

“Nothing is more important than Science,” Raph declared.

“Not even going for a fly?” Raphaella paused, and Ashes grinned. They sighed exaggeratedly, and turned to leave. “I guess I’ll just go wandering around the new planet myself… All on my lonesome, on the ground…” Raphaella made a small trill in the back of her throat, but hadn’t moved yet from her spot hovering above her experiment.

“Maybe I’ll find a cool mushroom, or a cool specimen… And I won’t have a sweet birdie to be all science-y about it…”

And that seemed to be all the convincing Raphaella needed. “Ugh, fine! I’ll go for a fly with you!” Ashes grinned as Raphaella walked over to them after covering whatever compound she was messing with. Raphaella pouted as she looped an arm around one of Ashes and wrapped her tail around theirs. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Doting on my crew? At this point, is that really such a surprise?”

Raphaella pouted, but she and Ashes left the lab and left the Aurora, taking a moment to enjoy the relatively serene nature around them. Raphaella stretched her wings out, spreading them as widely as she could. Ashes grinned wider, and Raph stuck her tongue out at them. Still, she scooped them up into her arms (it was always a surprise how strong Raphaella was, sometimes it even left them flustered, if Raph picked them up unexpectedly) and prepared to take flight. Ashes pulled out one of their guns, then.

“You in the mood for some violence, Sweet Bird?” they asked.

Raphaella’s eyes lit up, almost literally. “Oh, you motherfucker… Of course I’m in the mood for violence.”

Ashes grinned, and that was all the invitation Raph needed to take off in the direction of the nearest town.

Flying was a jostling experience, especially with Raphaella. She didn’t care much about easing turbulence when taking any of the crew on a fly. The only one she was even kind of careful with was Jonny, and that was just because he’d shot her out of the sky enough times for being ‘too rough’ on flights that she’d learned her lesson with him. But Ashes enjoyed it, the wind in their hair and the rushing air around them as they soared through the sky. It felt freeing.

The town was coming into view, and Ashes readied their gun, taking another one out to hand to Raph. It was time for the two of them to have some fun.

—--

The Toy Soldier was odd, but it was helpful. It loved to help, and Ashes appreciated it. “Artillery Stocks Are All Checked, Quartermaster O’Reilly!” The Toy said, saluting. “We Will Not Need To Restock Anything For At Least Another Ten Years, Which Will Allow Us To Reach Our Next Proper Destination With Ease. Though We Could Always Get More Tea, As One Can Never Have Too Little Tea.”

“Great, thanks, TS,” Ashes said, turning away from Aurora’s food stores. “Anything needing repairing immediately? I can take them out to get repaired tomorrow.”

“Nothing That I Could See!”

“Alright. Thanks again.”

“Of Course, Ashes!” The wooden soldier pretended to beam, and snapped its fingers. “Ashes, If You Are Finished With Your Duties For Now, I Have Something I Wish To Present You With, Old Bean! If You Will Follow Me,” The Toy Soldier offered them a hand, and Ashes raised an eyebrow, but took the wooden hand and followed the wooden thing off of the ship. The Toy paused not far away from Aurora, just a place with a nice, clear view of the sky.

It pulled something from its coat, as Ashes turned to look at it confused. It tutted at them, saying that they had to focus on the sky, not itself. Ashes decided to amuse it, and returned their focus to the skyline as The Soldier fidgeted with the device in its hand.

A few moments later, the sky lit up, bright and brilliant, many colorful sparks decorating the sky. Ashes grinned and turned to the wooden doll next to them.

“Fireworks tend to be more Gunpowder’s style, you know.”

“Shush, Old Bean! Just Watch The Show!”

Ashes complied, and watched the sky light up in all of the colors that The Toy Soldier could find. As the firework show continued, Ashes could see smoke wafting from some far off place, smoke in the same direction as the fireworks. And as the fireworks began calming down, the skyline erupted into a beautiful, gargantuan fire with one final bang from a large firework.

Ashes gasped, entranced by the beauty of the fire that was quickly spreading through the forest around them.

“Oh, It’s Absolutely Spiffing! So Much Prettier Than I Anticipated!” The Toy Soldier clapped excitedly, the wooden clacking noise snapping Ashes out of their haze of admiration.

“Oh, TS… You know you didn’t have to, Soldier, dear,” Ashes said.

“Of Course Not, Old Bean, But I Figured You Deserved Something Nice! And You Know, It’s Been A While Since We’ve Had A Really Good Fire. And So, Jonny And Tim Helped Me Set This All Up!”

Ashes slung an arm around the doll’s shoulders, grinning widely. “Well, how ‘bout that. Thanks, TS. I appreciate it.” Ashes dug out their box of cigarettes that they’d pawned off of Jonny at some point. “How ‘bout a smoke, to celebrate the occasion?”

“Oh, I’d Love To Pretend To Smoke With You, My Dear Quartermaster!” Ashes handed it a cigarette and took one for themself, lighting it up with a match that they tossed into the forest.

Ashes took a drag and smiled. “Here’s to violence, and a damn good fire,” they said, and turned, them and the pretend Soldier walking back onto the Aurora as the forest burned behind them.

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