[Her mouth twists, and she certainly catches the past tense, but she doesn't argue it, even though she's starting to think maybe his pining for her is more out of guilt than anything else.]
You're not a failure, Alex. Maybe you weren't cut out to be a perfect husband planetside, but you impress the hell out of me.
[ He could feel the heat behind his eyes, a feeling that he couldn't quite pin point filling him up from the chest outward. Touched, maybe. Just incredibly touched, that she would say that, and believe it.
He had to swallow, so that it didn't break in his voice when he spoke. ]
Thanks, Gunny.
[ He swallowed again, blinking a little too much. Come on, Kamal. Keep it together. He pulled in a long breath, went to take another drink, but paused - watching the curve of the planet disappear around the other side of the station, and the sky fill with nothing but velvet black pinpointed with stars. ]
... I know I shouldn't wish this place on anyone, [ He started carefully, his voice quiet, ] But I'm damn glad you're here, Gunny. I don't think I'd be able to handle this place without you.
[ It's strange, how some touches mean more than others. And it wasn't like he and Bobbie didn't have a lot of physical contact - she'd hugged him several times, now. And yet there was a weird shiver of electricity in his fingers as they brushed hers, though he didn't comment on it. He just let her take the bottle, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
He couldn't very well lie to himself and pretend he didn't have a weakspot for her, at this point.
All the more reason to keep his damn mouth shut.
But he glanced over, and she was smiling at him, and something stupid and warm curled in his chest anyway.
God damn it.
He offered a smile back, honest, even if it didn't quite reach his eyes. He was glad that she felt like he supported her, too. Though he didn't know what to say about it. So he focused on the rest.]
Nah. Amos, Naomi - they're a hell of a lot tougher than me. Same with you. I just don't totally understand how we keep endin' up right in the middle of the shit storm.
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You're not a failure, Alex. Maybe you weren't cut out to be a perfect husband planetside, but you impress the hell out of me.
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He had to swallow, so that it didn't break in his voice when he spoke. ]
Thanks, Gunny.
[ He swallowed again, blinking a little too much. Come on, Kamal. Keep it together. He pulled in a long breath, went to take another drink, but paused - watching the curve of the planet disappear around the other side of the station, and the sky fill with nothing but velvet black pinpointed with stars. ]
... I know I shouldn't wish this place on anyone, [ He started carefully, his voice quiet, ] But I'm damn glad you're here, Gunny. I don't think I'd be able to handle this place without you.
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I think you're tougher than you give yourself credit for, but I'm glad I make it a little easier. You make it easier on me, too.
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He couldn't very well lie to himself and pretend he didn't have a weakspot for her, at this point.
All the more reason to keep his damn mouth shut.
But he glanced over, and she was smiling at him, and something stupid and warm curled in his chest anyway.
God damn it.
He offered a smile back, honest, even if it didn't quite reach his eyes. He was glad that she felt like he supported her, too. Though he didn't know what to say about it. So he focused on the rest.]
Nah. Amos, Naomi - they're a hell of a lot tougher than me. Same with you. I just don't totally understand how we keep endin' up right in the middle of the shit storm.
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Lucky us, huh? Maybe it's because we're all so damn stubborn.
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Though sometimes I get this weird feelin' that--
[ He let out a breath. ]
It can't just be random, right? Maybe all this - maybe this all ties into the protocrap, in the end, and stuff finally makes some god damn sense.
Maybe we're supposed to be here.
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... Would be a pretty god damn terrible sort of fate, I guess, wouldn't it.
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Yeah, maybe, but I'd rather go down fighting than wasting away of old age in a hospital bed.
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[ He nods slowly. ]
Yeah. Can't pretend it doesn't scare the ever livin' shit out of me, but - me too.
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And I can't help shake the feelin' that - I don't know. [ His fingers curled, tapping against the glass of the bottle. ]
That we ain't seen the worst of it, yet.
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Yeah. [ He glanced back out to the endless field of stars, where for the first time in his life, Mars was no where to be seen. ]
Yeah. We will.