Olivia wasn't sure why dread clutched her gut as they approached.

Ariel had changed out of her formal High Speaker robes into an elegantly casual dress shirt of white and pale blue--Pegasus's colours. Her blonde hair was neatly ponytailed, and as always, her height made her the tallest of the group. She stood out, even with Lucian standing so close beside her. He matched her near perfectly, though with his warmer, brown shirt and black pants, he was the ground to her sky.

And then--then there was Jason. He had a long, dark green shirt that covered his neck right down to his wrists under a grey-and-black striped vest. With blue dress pants and black gloves, it looked like he'd stepped straight out of temple work.

See? Olivia told herself as she closed her eyes. He's fine. Jason is fine.

Ericka lifted her hands to her mouth. "Come on, slowpokes!"

Beside her, Ella stuck her hands in her pockets and greeted Olivia with a half smile. "How you doing after earlier, Liv?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Better. Still can't believe they had all that magic crap going on without telling me."

"What magic crap?" asked Ericka, raising her eyebrow. "Is this more Lumi stuff you won't tell me about?"

Olivia raised her eyes to the sky. "Lumi's were worried that someone might try something because of the Songstress thing, so DragonFae put a bunch of wards and stuff around my house that'd trigger if someone attacked me or whatever."

Ericka's eyes bulged. "That's... that's so cool!"

Olivia wrinkled her nose. "No. No it's not."

"But, you have like, your own Lumi protection squad!" said Ericka, grabbing Olivia's hand. "And not to mention that it's--wait, where'd you get this?"

Olivia glanced down to find Ericka's attention on Cryo's snow-feather bracelet. As Ericka's finger reached in to poke it, Olivia pulled her wrist away, holding it close to her chest.

Ericka's lips pressed into a thin line. "Really, not gonna tell me where you get a feather like that?"

"It was a gift," said Olivia.

"And you wanna judge me for my obsession with Lumi's."

"Rikky--"

Ericka ignored her and bladed over to Ariel, wrapping her in a giant hug and leaving Olivia holding her wrist.

Ella nudged Olivia with an elbow. "Jealous, that one, isn't she?"

"Loyal to a fault," muttered Olivia. "Best friend or worst enemy. How'd your talk with Fae go?"

"Eh," said Ella with a shrug. "Not exactly looking forward to the whole government thing, but we'll see how it goes anyway. Ariel saw me wandering around afterwards and offered an invitation along to this."

"Was wondering how you got dragged into it," said Olivia.

The six of them began wandering towards Ericka's usual fabric store, mingling and splitting as conversations pulled or pushed them away. Olivia found herself talking with Ariel about how she'd found Offerings today, then dragged into a conversation between Lucian and Ella about the proper technique to tackle a Manifested with six legs, before finally sidling over to Ericka and asking what she needed this new fabric for.

The only one who never seemed to engage past a polite response was Jason.

Ericka's favourite fabric store was laid out in its usual set up, with rolls and rolls of various fabrics lined up against the wall outside the shop. Their glittery sheens were highlighted with some well-placed lighting, luring potential customers deeper into the shop, a cave with multiple pathways winding through the walls and walls of endless, beautiful fabrics.

As Ericka dragged Ariel into the fabric store, closely followed by an amused Lucian, Ella took one look at Olivia and Jason and found a sudden interest in joining them.

"So," said Olivia. "How have you been doing?"

"Well," Jason said quietly, though his gaze remained off on the opposite side of the street, where a small group of excited kids with icecream were being hustled home by their parents. "I apologise. I was informed you were looking for me earlier, but I misplaced my Liaiser."

"What'd you sign up for today?"

Jason cleared his throat. "Not as much as I had originally planned. I... well, it's safe to say that any plans I had have required some major adjustments in the past six weeks."

Olivia chewed on her bottom lip. "How bad?"

"I no longer have the temple sponsorship I was anticipating, my living arrangements have been vastly altered, and my mother has done her best to ensure I do not have easy access, if at all, to things I once may have considered negligent."

"Like?" Olivia stepped in front of Jason's view as he looked away again. "I'm gonna drag this out of you if its the last thing I do, dammit." She clapped her hands on his shoulders, causing him to blink in surprise as she slightly nudged him back and forward. "Let me help you if I can. It's kinda my fault you lost everything in a less than ideal way already."

"I wouldn't want you to worry--"

"Too late for that one, Frostsong."

Jason sighed. "My mother did not let me back in the house to collect my things, and I did not want to end up... trapped in there with her, so I didn't force the issue. I managed to secure a small wage at the temple after living off the temple's generosity for three weeks, but it is not enough to fully support myself in the future, though I have some savings I managed to reclaim."

Olivia drew in a long breath through her nose and put her hands on her hips. "Okay. We're gonna fix that, starting with step one tonight: getting you a few sets of clothes that you get to pick out yourself."

"You don't need to--"

Olivia tapped a finger on the tip of his nose. "Jason, the first thing to learn about actual friends is that we're gonna be there for you, especially when you need us. You aren't being needy or selfish or whatever else is currently going through your head telling you that you aren't worth the bother of annoying us or whatever. You are worth it, and I am dragging you into at least three clothing stores against your will if I have to. Kay?"

Jason didn't reply straight away, but he did turn bright red. "I--uh, well I supposed it seems pointless to um, argue against you?"

Olivia winked at him and dragged him into the fabric store behind her.

Inside, in one of the many rows of fabric-roll walls, an interesting dynamic had developed between Ericka and Ella. Usually, Ariel and Olivia were happy to let Ericka sweep them away in her enthusiasm and ideas, but with Ella, that was definitely not the case.

The other four just watched on, amused, as Ella questioned Ericka's choice of design, forcing Ericka to justify it. When she couldn't, she came up with a modified design, one that took her original idea to a whole new heights. At that, Ella's eyes lit up and she disappeared into the back of the store, returning a minute later with a different roll of fabric.

Ericka didn't exactly speak words so much as squeal out 'It's perfect!' as both she and Ella launched into a rush of sentences that lost Olivia in the first ten syllables.

Jason moved to Olivia, leaning down close to her ear. "She's so much... happier."

Following his eyes to Ella, Olivia bit down on her smile, blinking back the stinging in her eyes. "I know."

It took Ericka another fifteen minutes or so inside the shop to finish choosing her fabrics and another five to get them cut. By the time they walked out, Ericka's project--something to do with Ariel and Pegasus, though she wouldn't tell anyone exactly what--had expanded significantly.

"So!" said Ericka as the six of them stood on the sidewalk, relishing the fresh, open air in comparison to the rather squishy interior of the shop. "Where now?"

"Clothes shopping!" announced Olivia, pointing a finger high in the air. "Jason requires a new look!"

"Thank you!" said Lucian with a laugh. "I've been telling you that for weeks, Jason! Are you telling me all I had to do to convince you was drag Shadowheart into it?"

"Ariel," said Olivia with a raised eyebrow. "Tell your boyfriend to call me Olivia or I'm gonna smack him."

"He's not--" began Ariel, cutting herself off with a huff. "Lucian, I'm not protecting you from her if you do it again."

"She's tiny!" said Lucian. His eyes slid over to Jason. "What's she gonna do, spill my drink on me?"

"I'd be careful," said Jason, a small smile resting comfortably on the side of his mouth. "I'm not protecting you from her either."

"I'm a trained Pillarguard," said Lucian. His tone said serious, but the spark dancing in his eyes gave him away. "Advanced training, top of my class. What has Shadowheart done that would make her a challenge?"

"Ah, let me think..." said Jason, bringing a finger to curl over his chin as he pretended to consider it. "Manifested... faced down the crimson siblings... Ah, yes. She faced down my mother on multiple occasions and not only survived the experience but also scored a few points."

Lucian's hands flung palm-up in front of him. "Hey, hey, okay, woah, I'm sorry then. I didn't know we had a badass in our mix." He held out a hand to Olivia, who took it with a laugh as Lucian lowered into a mockingly formal bow. "It's my honour, Olivia."

Ericka burst into a fit of laughter. "Okay, Ariel. He gets my vote. Keep him."

Ariel's smile escaped her well-worn control as she gave Lucian a look from under her lashes. "I was planning on it."

The warm twilight air seemed to have drawn a lot of people out. They encountered quite a few other groups on their way to the few stores that had both Ericka and Ella's approvals. Olivia stayed in the middle of their own group, turning her head away when someone gave her a look that was just a little too interested. She didn't want to ruin this for the group with another commotion, didn't want to have people following them.

The first two clothing stores they went into saw Jason bombarded with a million and one suggestions from Ericka. Ella chimed in on occasion, giving Jason a little bit of breathing room, but it was rather clear that he was a little out of his depth. Ariel and Lucian seemed happily off in their own little world, browsing through a selection that was deliberately out of the way of Ericka's whirlwind. None of it was exactly productive like Olivia had hoped it might be. Jason bought a shirt with a Cryo-inspired design on it and a pair of pants, but only because Ericka wouldn't let him out of the store without them.

At the third clothing store, before they walked in, Olivia stood in the doorway and blocked them all from entering.

"Okay!" she said. "This time, Jason gets to pick something out himself before you two terrorise him."

"What!" said Ericka. "We're helping him pick stuff out, otherwise how is he supposed to know--"

Olivia walked over to Ericka and covered her mouth. "Nope, shh! He can make decisions, he's a big boy, give him a chance! He's too polite to tell you to bugger off yet."

Ericka stepped back and bunched her mouth to one side. "You've got a point. I don't think he'd argue with me even if I told him we had to cut off that ponytail." She pointed a finger at Jason. "And that would be a very bad thing. That ponytail is giving me life right now. Do not cut off that ponytail."

Jason gave Lucian a helpless look as his hand went to the back of his head.

Lucian just shrugged.

"That said, I don't think we should send him in alone," said Ericka. "Liv, you go in with him."

"What?" said Olivia. "Why me? Shouldn't it be like, Lucian or someone?"

"Nah, I agree," said Lucian. "You were the one who got him to do the clothes thing in the first place. Even though he listens to me, he doesn't actually listen to me."

"Right!" said Ericka. She pushed off backwards on her rollerblades, slowly drifting away from Liv. "We'll be over at the ice cream place a few blocks over. You guys join us when you're doooone!"

"Rikky--!"

But Ericka just touched two fingers to her forehead, spun around, and bladed off, and a few seconds of short 'seeya's' later, Olivia and Jason were left standing outside the store.

Jason's eyes followed Ericka. "Does she do that often? The... this thing?" He touched two fingers to his forehead.

"Yep," said Olivia. "Though I don't remember if I got it off her, or if she got it off me. C'mon, let's find you some clothes."

Without their large group, a shop assistant walked over to greet them and ask if they needed anything. Olivia declined the offer--for now--intent on letting Jason actually have a look for himself first.

Olivia watched him as he made his way around the shop, giving each rack of clothes and display a quiet, considering look before he moved onto the next. He seemed far more relaxed without Ericka and Ella overwhelming him with a million suggestions, but he also looked kind of... lost.

But still, Olivia held herself in check, following him around with a few observations of her own, waiting for him to ask.

Some few minutes later, she was rewarded for her patience by Jason turning back to her, his jaw tight and his eyes glancing in a million directions. "I'll admit, I'm not too sure where to start."

Olivia pursed her lips. "Mkay, well let's start with this: has anything caught your eye so far in here?"

"A few things," said Jason, glancing behind her to presumably something that fit the criteria. "But with Ericka and Ella's suggestions that things have to match and something about the colours--"

"Forget them for a minute," said Olivia. "What took your interest?"

Jason took her back to a sleeveless, mostly pale green coat with a collar that reached just above his knees. With that in hand, Olivia approached the assistant and asked him to help them pick out an outfit that'd go with it. They were helpful and quick, and soon enough, Olivia had Jason shoved in the dressing room while she waited outside.

"How you doing, Jase?" called Olivia after a few minutes.

Shuffling inside the dressing room. "I'm... not sure this was the best selection."

"Hey, no one has to see it but me," said Olivia. "Come out and show me?"

She wasn't sure he was going to, but after a few moments, the lock clicked open and Jason stepped out.

Olivia could hardly believe that this was the same person, because he looked... wow.

Older--stronger?--was maybe the right word for what the new outfit did for him. The pale green coat was open at the front, showing the white shirt the assistant had selected underneath. The pants were a similar light brown to the details on the coat, with dark green and brown stripes up the sides, collected at the bottom in even darker brown boots. His arms were left bare, the colours of the outfit perfectly complimenting the odd colours of his eyes.

"Wow, Jase!" said Olivia, pocketing her Liaiser and walking over to him, hovering her hands around him, still not quite able to believe that this was Jason. "You just look amazing! Like, I dunno, how you didn't think this was a good selection was--"

As Jason shifted, the light caught his arms, and Olivia stopped dead.

His arms were covered in thin, silvery lines.

Scars.

Her stomach plummeted. "Jase..."

He just continued to stand there in front of her, his arms by his side, his gaze on the floor.

"As... as I said. I'm not sure this is the best selection."

Olivia couldn't tear her eyes from his arms. Tiny, silver scars covered both of his arms, right from the shoulder all the way to the wrist. There was no pattern of reason to them, some lines, some single marks, like someone had dug their nails into his skin. And... and it wasn't just his arms. It was his throat too, his collarbone, where he'd always worn the turtleneck to cover them. Marks that could only have come from someone wrapping their hands around his--

Jason's quiet voice, somehow, broke through the rush of blood and thunder pounding in her ears. "Please say something, Liv."

Olivia dragged in a violent breath through her nose. "I'm going to kill your mother." Her eyes flashed, the shadows at the edges of the room growing deeper, stronger. Her hands rose in front of her, almost subconsciously as they began to cross, as words formed in her mind-- "I'm going to absolutely kill--"

Jason grabbed her fists, covering them in his own hands. His hands, that were cool and soft, that chilled the storm raging through her, screaming Aurelia's name.

"Most of these are years old," said Jason. "She... she stopped when I became strong enough to fend her off. But she always ensured my clothes would cover them. It's... part of the reason I wasn't allowed to select my own wardrobe, and given your reaction, I'm unsure that I should change it."

Olivia's eyes snapped up to Jason's.

"Do you like this outfit?" she asked.

"I do, but--"

"Then wear it." Olivia grabbed his fingers inside her own and gave them a firm squeeze. "Screw your mother. Don't let whatever she might've done in the past affect you now."

Jason paused. "I'm not sure."

Olivia chewed on her lip, her anger grounded. "Jase, I'm not gonna pretend to have all the right answers or whatever, and I'm not gonna say that you should definitely feel ready to come out of your shell all at once, because six weeks ago you had everything pulled out from under you and you were left sitting on your butt in the middle of the metaphorical street, but!"

She took a breath, wondering which screwed up part of her brain these words were coming out of. Probably the only part that wasn't being used to imagine Aurelia's slow, painful death under the edge of Grief.

"But," she said again, forcing herself to focus on him. "You're not alone anymore. You have me, and though I can't speak for them, I'm like ninety-nine percent sure that you also have Lucian, Ariel, Ella, and if Starsong aligns, Ericka too. We're adopting you. We're gonna support you, yell at you if you make bad decisions, but we're also gonna drag you back over to the right decisions."

Jason tilted his head ever so slightly. "And what is the right decision in this case?"

Olivia opened her mouth, then closed it. "I, uh, I'm not sure, that bit isn't really relevant. The relevant bit here is that we're gonna support you, whenever you're ready to come out and show the rest of the world how amazing you are."

"You... think I'm amazing?"

Starlight save her. He looked so perfectly innocent staring at her with those wide, odd eyes. He reminded her so much of Cryo, the Cryo that was under all those layers of frost, the Cryo that had held her and placed one of his own feathers on her wrist and...

Olivia smiled at Jason and dropped his hands. "I do."

"And you think I should wear this?"

"I think that if you like it, and if it makes you happy, then you definitely should. But no pressure if you aren't comfortable, we can pick out another one with sleeves or something until you're ready."

Jason stretched an arm out low in front of him. "I believe it might be time to try something different. And, well, I'll admit that I find sleeveless outfits far more comfortable. I don't feel like I'm overheating anymore."

Olivia lifted her hands to the air around them. "It's not that hot though?"

"It is to me," said Jason with a shrug. "I don't feel the cold at all, but the warmer weather used to be somewhat of a living nightmare for me in previous years. Perhaps a change in wardrobe will help that."

"A change in wardrobe is always a good place to start!"

"We shall see," said Jason. "And... Olivia?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you," he said with a small nod. "I suspect you might feel guilty about my recent change in plans, but I want you to know that I'm grateful. Because, even if I have to completely change them... at least now, they're mine."

Olivia play-punched him in the arm. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that, Jase."

They found the shop assistant, and with his help, managed to find another two outfits that Jason liked. Olivia saw Jason's tension when the assistant's eyes flicked to his scarred arms, but watched it melt away when the assistant's manner didn't change in the slightest. She knew it wouldn't always be like that, but for his first encounter... it was important.

With the assistant's help, Jason didn't put his old clothes back on. He changed back into the outfit with the pale green coat, and with the rest of his clothes, new and old, carried in bags, they strode out of the store together.

As Olivia pulled her Liaiser out of her bag and brought up Ericka's contact screen, she glanced at the sky.

She hadn't realised how long they'd been in there. The sky was dark now, the first ribbons of the auroras glimmering among the dark. Violets and teals, they whispered and caught in Olivia's thoughts, tangling their light among her being until she wasn't quite sure that she could tell the difference anymore.

"Where is the icecream parlour the others are at?" asked Jason.

Olivia heard him, but she couldn't quite tear her attention away from the auroras. The stars seemed to glimmer behind them, bright enough that their light seemed to reach down and coalesce in small clouds about the street. She strained her ears, knowing that something was there but not quite able to--

"Olivia?"

She blinked several times as the clouds of starlight slipped away, glancing to find Jason's fingers resting lightly on her shoulder, a concerned look on his face.

"Olivia?" he said again. "Olivia, can you hear me?"

Her hand went to her wrist, where Cryo's snow feather bracelet felt like it was burning against her skin.

"Sorry," she said with a shake of her head. "I just zoned out for a minute. Icecream place is... this... way?"

The last three words trailed out of her mouth slowly as she glanced around, realising that she was no longer outside the clothing store.

Instead, they were in an undercover archway some three blocks away. Her Liaiser was in Jason's hand. The sickening sense of dread that had plagued her all day was gone, and in the skies, the auroras were beginning to fade.

Olivia glanced around, running her finger over the tip of Cryo's feather. With her blackouts, she was used to lost time, but not like this. "Jase, how did we get here?"

"You started walking," he said. "So I followed you, but you wouldn't answer me. It was like you were in a trance. You don't remember?"

"No," said Olivia, squeezing her fingers over her elbows. "I don't."

She opened her mouth, but hesitated as the first slivers of fear coiled around her.

Jason's soft voice gave her something to hang onto. "What is it, Olivia?"

Olivia clutched her wrist tight. "I don't think this is the first time it's happened."

*+*+*+*

A/N - I don't think I've ever been quite as furious writing something as I was with Olivia seeing Jason's scars for the first time. 

Have some Kibart of book three Jason <3