( based on the jonty fic " the goggles need an origin story " which I love )

The Ark’s corridors were a blur of metal and noise, and Jasper never quite moved through them properly. He’d bump into walls, catch corners, and mutter a quiet “sorry” each time. His vision had always been poor, and most days, you walked slightly ahead, your fingers hooked around his wrist to keep him steady.

But that day, something felt off.

The jeers came first, the usual voices echoing down the hall, sharp and cruel. You didn’t hesitate. You grabbed Jasper’s wrist and ran, your boots clanging on the metal floor. He stumbled behind you, breathing quickly and almost tripping as you pulled him into a narrow corridor.

Then he stopped.

“Why’d they turn off the lights?” His voice was small, uncertain.

You froze. The lights were still on, buzzing above. “What?”

He blinked rapidly, turning in circles, panic rising. “I can’t see—” His words cut off, and his hands reached blindly through the air, searching for you.

You caught him before he fell, your heart racing. His pupils were wide, and his breaths were quick and shallow. Probably from a lack of oxygen. You didn’t think—you just pulled him close and dragged him down the hall, ignoring the looks, until you reached your quarters.

Inside, he sat on the bunk, hands shaking. The room was silent except for the hum of the air system. You brushed your hand through his hair, unsure what else to do. He leaned into your touch, quiet and scared.

The next few days were heavy. Jasper stayed close, moving slowly and memorizing the layout of your room by touch. The spark in his grin faded, replaced by quiet frustration. You couldn’t bear to watch it.

So you traded. Engine parts. some rations, anything of value. An old engineer finally handed you a pair of thick, scratched lenses. They weren’t perfect, but they were something. You spent the night fitting them into a pair of battered welding goggles, your fingers raw from bending metal.

When you found Jasper the next day, he was sitting by the vents, his head tilted toward the sound. You crouched down and slipped the goggles over his head.

He blinked. Once. Then again.

“…I can see you.”

You smiled.

He let out a breathless laugh, the kind that almost turned into a sob. The lenses made his eyes look far too big, but his grin was real again.

He bumped your shoulder gently. “Guess I owe the walls an apology for nothing.”

For the first time in days, the Ark didn’t feel so dim.