🃟 | The Disproven Lads

Depressed, Emotional and often tired, although Aether is very adoring of their flame, and often goes out of his way to speak self-depreciating affection towards his partners. He almost always apologises when speaking, even when it is completely unnecessary, and is generally fairly quiet.

Ae is most happy when he's with people who accept him, though sadly his depression leads this maximum level of happiness to vary even when cuddled by all of his lovers.

• Is the theory of light, yet is blind.
• Aether can see Phlo's flames, and went into depression once he was disproved.
• Phlogiston is the one who taught him how to read braille.
• Aether and Phlo are almost always cuddled together reading or softly kissing, and it's so cute the other two struggle to not jump them.
• When playing something story based, Crypto reads out all the text so Aether can play it with him too.
• Vital spends most of the time cuddling with Aether and cooking treats, when Phlogiston and Crypto do stupid stuff.
• Theorised in 1690, Aether is the baby of the group, and disproved in the 1920s by Michelson and Morley much to their dismay.

Almost theorised drectly into Phlogiston's care, Aether was the highlight of science for as long as he was around. Almost everyone experimented with him at some point or other, trying to make sense of him.

Aether remembers very clearly how he and Phlo met Vital and Crypto. It was raining, and Phlo was sulking about how he didn't want to get wet. Crypto handed him an umbrella and Vital offered to make breathable crystal gumboots. Then Vital next commented on the book in Ae's hands and Crypto was setting about handing him the rest of the series, all in braille of course. Aether is cuddled endlessly and talked through these flat games from the future, and given wonderful home-cooked meals and every sweet treat he could desire.

With their fire gone, Aether collapsed. Every day was black and he spent almost every hour crying; for the first 10 years. He felt bad for Vital and Crypto, he did. He loved them so so much, and thanks them endlessly for their help and apologised for his shitty mood and lack of being able to show affection as they deserve. He just hoped that they understood, it wasn't that Aether wasn't sastifyied with them, that could never be the case, it was simply that the only one of them he could see, the very first person to show him kindness was banished from their world.

When Aether faded into Limbo, unlike when Phlogiston was disproved, the entire quople was happy with the outcome. Aether would be in a better place and it wasn't like they would be too far behind him. Reuniting with Phlogiston was the best feeling, it wasn't the feeling of being whole, no. Just finally feeling warm. And no, the infinite fire Phlogiston had lit around the plac had nothing to do with it.

Aether feels like his sanity has returned when Vital joins them. (Also getting to eat deserts again is a nice bonus~) Vital and Aether cuddle together covered in small chicks and read to each other until Phlo comes in asking shouting to do something more active.

With Crypto returned, so is Aether's sense of purpose. It's time for him to comfort someone as opposed to always being the one comforted. And now Aether knows what video games are too, since more worlds than just the future hold them. (Although, game lounging may have to wait a few days, Vital learn some restraint...)

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Calm, almost motherly, and seemingly all-knowing, however he can be very loud and forceful to get a situation back under control. His speech is very composed and old-worldly, and he hasn't said any modern swears in a couple of decades now. (At least not when he hasn't been dared to or has a point to prove.)

Vital is happiest when he is surrounded by all kinds of life, rain-forests are possibly his favourite places. And it's honestly sometimes better if he goes there alone...

• Vital can control and conquer up IIa diamonds with no forethought. They have diamond everything.
• Often goes scouting for infant animals to raise, then releases them back into the wild.
• Speaks all old-worldly-like: “Might I interest you in a game?” “May I have your hand for this dance?” “How did I not see this coming...”
• Even Vital has no idea what species he is, but he can change if he wants, so what does it matter?
• Has a small terrarium he shares with Crypto, that's ever changing.
• The only two cooking shows he and Phlogiston can agree on are Bake Off, and Good Eats.
• Spends most of the time cuddling with Aether and cooking treats, when Phlogiston and Crypto do stupid stuff.
• One of the oldest scientific theories man has, Vitalism was disproved in the mid 1900s.

Having been around as long as the humans have been questioning their consciousness, Vital is old. He's wandered over the entire earth, seen every civilisation, and met Crypto at some point or other.

Unlike their younger partners, Vital and Crypto have never properly had to participate in experiments. Though that doesn't mean they can't sympathise, and watching Phlo look mournfully out the window with an equally down-trodden Aether at his side was more than enough for Vital to agree to give them company while working, and forever more. Because even as a couple, after thousands of years, things can become lonely, and Vital just felt so right, so complete standing by all three of them.

Vital and Crypto completely understood Aether's breakdown when Phlogiston was removed from their tiny home. Vital tried to keep him happy, or not crying at least, but it was difficult when the lover with the fun ideas was missing. Aether was not alone in missing their forth, and every moment without that body walking on fire was distinctly cold, and far too agreeable.

When it was just the two of them again, it was almost refreshing, though only for a short while. Vital only had one person to make sweets for, Crypto stopped playing his games and the house was too quiet. With both cuddlebugs gone, Vital was suddenly very aware of how large their bed was with only one other occupant.

Gaining back his love and affection seemed like only half a substitute when he was leaving behind the one person who has given his stable company for the past X thousand years. But at least he felt warm again after so long away from their fire and waking up in a tangle of limbs was too endearing.

As soon as Vital made contact with their forth again, Crypto was immediately dragged behind the closed doors of their second bedroom. They didn't leave for a week. Phlo and Aether joined in for a little bit.

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Explosive, somewhat random, but generally happy. Crypto is loud when he's proud, and absolutely silent when he's fuming (until he blows up of course). He speaks like a delinquent, very casually and full of every kind of cuss he can think of. (He finds great amusement in it all.)

Crypto is happiest when there is some kind of chaos going on surrounded by those he loves. After much trial and error, and multiple near fatalities, fireworks have been agreed as the safest of his "happy chaos events".

• If Crypto believes, or thinks, something will happen, that will generally be the case. There is always milk in Crypto's fridge, and his DS would never show a red light.
• Crypto is actually as all powerful as most gods. He just doesn't do anything useful with his powers.
• Crypto created the system for their storage shed. Fuckwad is newspaper, suck balls is baseball stuff, fucking nerd is the library, and arsewipe is toilet paper.
• Loves gaming (FPS especially) and beating up screaming 12 year olds in Halo.
• But when playing something story based, he reads out all the text so Aether can play it with him too.
• Has a small terrarium he shares with Vital, that's ever changing.
• They do not talk about the time he and Phlo decided to play baseball with a grenade.
• One of the oldest scientific theories man has, Cryptoexplosion was disproved in the late 1900s.

While Crypto is all powerful, and can teleport and timetravel his way around, after meeting Vital on his journey across the globe, he decides to stay with him and join him in travelling the non-magical way.

Crypto has always been glad that he's never had to do experimental work, and that he can just do whatever all day. Though watching Phlo in his experiments is probably what led Vital to dragging him over to Phlo and Ae on that particulat rainy day. He doesn't regret any of his near-stalking for a second, because now he has someone to pull dumbshit with, and someone understanding when he hits the bad ending of a visual novel. And of course, his sturdy Vital was right by his side too, just has he intended it to stay.

But they had barely spent 100 years together before the heat is sucked out of them. Crypto loses his interest in fire, bombs and fireworks while Phlo isn't there to scream in excitement with him. Besides, he has his hands sending letters from the three of them to Phlo in Limbo. If only he could receive replies in return. Oh well, more gaming time for him now.

With his gaming support gone, Crypto actually gives up his halo addiction for a while, as not even blowing up screaming 12 years-olds online can heal the half of him that's missing. With just him and Vital the house is much too big, and far too cold. No matter how many letters he sends into Limbo on behalf of him and Vital both, it doesn't change that they'll never hear anything in return.

When Vital leaves, Crypto's heart breaks. He knows it won't be for too long, but with his reasoning, affection and fun all being in that damnable prison dimension, it takes all of Crypto's willpower to not remove his collar and fade out of existence entirely. He does his best to get himself disproved and keeps himself occupied by spending his every hour building a scale model of the earth in minecraft. (Yes, he suceeds.)

With nothing but his hand and writing letters for company, Crypto was more than glad to be finally disproved, and shuffled through to Limbo with the rest of his partners. The fact that Vital immediately dragged him off was only a bonus. And hey, at least he got to throw a grenade at Phlo in greeting and hug Ae before Vital got too worked up.

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