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ograndebatata · 4 years

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EoA Ship Appreciation Week 2020 - Day One - New Beginnings Enemies/Rivals

Note: So...I get it I likely am stretching it more than a bit with this kind of story, as we have absolutely no idea of whether these characters are rivals, much less of whether they even know the other exists.

But this ship just came to me one day, and I sailed away on it before I knew what had happened. And given what we know of their characters, I think it would make sense for them to have started out like rivals, before turning into something better, so to speak.

I hope you like my take on this.

Note #2: The full name I gave Professor Mendoza is not canon in any way. It’s something I came up with. I felt and feel it makes sense, but it’s not in any way official. Just thought I’d say it.

Now, without further ado, check on below for the actual fic.

Sparks Under Stars

“And so, according to the legend, the Creators rewarded the jaquins for the role they played in that battle by giving them a picture in the sky, so their bravery and loyalty would be remembered for all eternity,” Professor Sabina Campana Mendoza finished, her brown eyes locked on the familiar constellation whose story was one of her favorites.

If she looked hard enough, it almost seemed she could see the creature taking form around the stars that were its central structure, turning to smile at her before flying away to halt the plots of evildoers, like she had often seen real jaquins doing over the course of her life.

Of course, it did not happen, but all the same, those stars seemed to carry a special glow about them, one no other constellation could match. Just looking at it, she could understand why the Maruvians had made this out to be a special constellation.

"Wow," a familiar raspy voice breathed from her side, a soft rush of hot air caressing her hair.

Drawn away from her musings, Sabina looked at the sound, right into the eyes of the man who had once been the greatest pain in her neck, but was now something much more wonderful.

"That was a beautiful story," Antonio Agama added as the stared into her eyes, his own green ones glowing softly in the light of the campfire they were lying by as they huddled half-dressed under a blanket. “Thank you for telling it to me.”

Taken aback by both his voice and gaze, Sabina could only blink. Both things told her that he meant what he said, and yet the feeling somehow seemed out of place on him. Yes, she had told this story many times before, and while she had yet to receive truly nasty feedback - discounting people who were plain rude or deliberately trying to start trouble - this kind of delighted reaction seemed out of place on an adult man.

Unsure of what else to do, Sabina reached up and bopped Antonio's nose.

"Don't you think we're past the stage where you need to butter me up?"

For some reason, his smile briefly dimmed at her words, as if he was actually hurt that she was genuinely accusing him of something.

"I meant it," he stated, sounding just as sincere as before. "It was a beautiful story, even if it had its sad parts. I'm glad to have learned it."

Despite herself, Sabina had to make a noticeable effort not to scrunch up her face in puzzlement. As honest as his words still sounded, what they were implying seemed just a bit too… unexpected, for lack of a better term.

“You mean… You'd never heard it before?” she managed to whisper.

Antonio nodded, again conveying full sincerity in his face. The slightest of gasps flew past her lips from the small gesture, though it conveyed only a tiny part of the amazement that she felt at this reveal. Him saying he’d never heard this story was almost as shocking as if he’d told her he had never learned to read. Which she knew some people didn’t in certain parts of the world, but not in Avalor. Despite all the damage Shuriki’s rule had done to them as a culture, everyone still learned to read as far as she knew.

But then again, she also thought everyone knew this story, and Antonio had just told her he didn’t.

“But it’s the kind of thing taught at school from an early age, even in remote villages that only have basic schooling.” Sabina at last managed to say. “I know children usually get told a tamer version first, but still...”

Antonio’s face darkened, the flames in the campfire suddenly shifting as a stick popped open on it, the snapping sound giving the illusion that something was breaking inside it by him admitting that.

“I didn’t really go to school,” he graveled out. “All the school-stuff I learned was from my mother, and she was too busy working to teach me a lot. Most of what I know, I taught myself.”

Sabina reached up and rested a hand on his upper arm, feeling her sympathy going out to him. Antonio had never told her much about his childhood, but she knew it hadn’t exactly been happier. Or at any rate, that it had been even less happy than the childhood of the average person unlucky enough to grow up during Shuriki’s rule.

After a few seconds of her resting her hand on his arm, he smiled and put a finger under her chin, the light back in his eyes.

"Which is why I'm glad to learn from you," he added.

Sabina returned the smile, feeling a weight she had only noticed now lifting from her chest. One thing she liked about him - at least ever since they had actually straightened things out between them - was that he admitted when he knew less than her, and that he was willing to learn. All too often, men she met assumed that she knew less just because she was a woman, and when she proved otherwise they only scowled and huffed off in annoyance. Antonio never had, even when the two of them were at odds. And now that they were on better terms, he was actually eager to learn from her, which suited her just fine, because she was always eager to share her knowledge.

“Well, they do say we’re always on time to learn,” Sabina teased as she reached up and curled a strand of Antonio’s hair around her finger.

For some reason, though, Antonio scowled again at her words, as if they reminded him of something unpleasant.

“Tell that to my brother," he grumbled.

Sabina pulled back her hand.

"I thought you and Pablo had mended your relationship by now?"

Antonio’s scowl faded a bit.

"For the most part, we did. But he still hasn't let into his thick head that he needs to make a different living."

“Well, some of us need more time to learn than others,” Sabina teased, a smirk on her lips. "I mean, how long did you take to care about more than the money you can get for ancient artifacts?"

Antonio’s scowl deepened again, a long breath rumbling from him.

"I thought we were past this," he ground out. "I only ever claimed finders' fees for the things I found, and only when they were affordable, and I always returned things to their rightful owners."

“I know,” Sabina said, her voice calmer and gentler now. “And I understand why you did it now,” she added, remembering when he told her how he had grown obsessed with the rewards of adventure, and how it tied to his childhood troubles, and how despite everything he had always strived to keep a certain code by not simply selling objects in the black market and making sure to find out who the rightful owners were. “But how long did it take you to learn to care about more than that when it comes to things you find? To realize how important they truly are to help the world learn about its past?"

He let out another long breath at her questions. His eyes clouded over as he pondered her question, the faint popping of the firewood and the chirps and calls of the night animals filling the silence as he thought.

"A lot," he eventually managed.

"And yet you got there," Sabina insisted.

Antonio’s thoughtful look remained the same.

"All I mean is, as long as there’s life there’s hope,” she added. Memories of a time when she had forced herself to believe the very same thing crashed over her, sending a shiver through her being and almost making her grimace from the memory. “Trust me, I’d know,” she added, her voice a hushed whisper.

Though the fire was in no danger of going out, chills kept rippling through her, fueled by the memories of those 41 years of terror. They might be behind her, and the memories might be kept away most of the time, but sometimes they still invaded her.

A warm calloused band set on her face, Antonio drawing her away from her thoughts again, this time by rubbing a thumb over her cheek bone.

“I suppose that’s true,” he conceded, now with a deliberately teasing voice of his own. “After all, we did learn to get along. And how unlikely does that sound in comparison?"

A barked laugh flew from her at the analogy, all the more genuine because of how true it was. A year ago, if she had been told that she and Antonio Agama would become as close as they were, she would have guessed that the person had either escaped from an asylum or drank too much pisco. Yes, there had been a certain chemistry between them for years, but both had refused to act out on it, held back by the rivalry that fueled them when it came to their discoveries. And if they had never needed each other to escape five target-seeking javelins, an anaconda, four crocodiles, seven caimans, and three jaguars, they probably still wouldn't have stopped being stubborn, nor would they have admitted that they worked better as a team than as rivals.

"It does sound much more unlikely," Sabina at last replied. "Especially after all the repeat attempts that were needed." She tapped her chin in mock-thought, deliberately rolling her eyes. “How many clashes over ancient artifacts did that take exactly?”

“Fourteen,” Antonio replied with a smirk. “I kept tabs.”

Sabina mock-rolled her eyes again. “And don’t I know it…”

"Don't talk like you weren't doing it," he mock-scolded as he took his hand from his face and playfully swiped at her nose with his finger.

Sabina snorted at the remark, rubbing her nose to clear the tickling. She could certainly say that, but that lie would be dirtier than she and Antonio had been after they got through all those spots of trouble. As much as she had fumed when Antonio held his victories over her, she had never hesitated in holding hers over him either.

“Look on the bright side,” he added as he drew her closer to him. “At least we know we won’t be fighting for this one.”

Despite her muttered laugh at his poor joke, Sabina snuggled into his chest, listening to his heart beating in her ear.

“Well, this is much better than fighting...” she murmured, resting her hand on his ribs.

She felt him shifting as he smiled at her words, and then felt his fingers running through her hair, more gently than she would have once thought him possible, his voice just as gentle as he replied.

“Yes. It is.”

#elena of avalor #eoa ship appreciation week 2020 #antonio agama #professor mendoza #antonio agama x professor mendoza #fanfiction

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