tolaywaste | 32. » spam & voice, backdated to yesterday

[. . . before the ominous Admiral message.]

So I'm leaving.

[He's leaving for good, and this is voice, not video, for a reason. It's not that he doesn't want to look people in the eye, it's just that he doesn't want them to see how guilty he feels, even now, to be leaving this place behind.]

[Not as bad as he expected, though. Not as bad as it would have been a few months ago. Charles was right: there is a time and a place to take your life back for your own.]

I don't really have anything much to say besides - goodbye, and thanks. To everyone, even the people I never really knew, for making this place livable. Making it home for a while. It'd be hell here without you.

Don't screw each other up too bad.

spam } ben

[But before any of that, he goes to see Ben.]

[This will be the worst of it. This will be the hardest. This is the one he has no choice but to do in person, because if he's going to turn back, this is where he's going to do it.]

[He knocks on Ben's door with his heart in his throat, beating like a jackhammer, and wonders if Ben can hear it. If he'll be concerned before Alex says what he has to say - if he'll think there's something wrong.]

[Alex can't control that one way or another. He can't make this nice. He can pretty much just be honest.]

( ooc; if anyone would like to spam off this post, alex will be in his cabin [6-02] and/or pretty much wherever you want for goodbyes ♥ )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Like I could ever have on that wasn't. [But she's definitely grinning, now.]

As long as nobody has to fight anybody.

They wouldn't dare.

Stay safe here, too. Okay? You gotta promise.

[Her smile turns wry.] Define "stay safe".

I mean don't lose yourself here. Don't forget who you are and what's important to you.

[She's quiet, for a moment. Can she promise that? Does she want to?]

I'll try.

[It's not good enough. But it's all he can ask.]

Love you, you know.

[It makes her smile, despite everything else, warm and deep. She knows it's not something he said much, before the Barge.]

I love you too. ...We'll always be family, okay?

I know. Always.

That's what this place gave us. It's one of the reasons I'm glad I came.

Yeah, me too. [She's quiet, for a moment, and then - ] I'm coming over, all right? Just - give me a minute. I want to give you something.

[He seems surprised, for a second, then nods.]

I'm not going anywhere until you get here.

Good, because I might find a way to follow. [She's teasing - mostly - as she signs off.

It's about ten minutes before she knocks at his door. Her arms are pressed close to her chest, clutching something.]

[He opens it instantly - he's been waiting for her. He looks, more than anything, exhausted, like he's been awake for days, but happy, too, or at least close to content.]

Hey, you.

Hey yourself. [The words are barely out of her mouth before she pulls him into a fierce hug, his gift sandwiched between them. And she holds on for a good while before stepping back. The gift unravels itself in the air between them.

It's a belt - the very one that went with her third costume.]

I made this - god, years ago. When I made us new costumes. I thought - if you wanted, it could be part of yours.

[He lets her hold him for as long as she wants, as long as she needs, hugs her back tightly. He's more comfortable with it, now; it used to be more difficult, but now it's one of those things you do for people when they need you to.]

[When she pulls back, he catches the end of the belt and pulls it taut between his hands. His grin is crooked, nostalgic.]

Hank won't like it. He wants us all to match. [He makes a face and grins.] I bet I could make his head explode.

[SO STERNLY.] No exploding.

[No, she's grinning too.] But he's wrong. And you can tell him my Charles agreed with me.

We don't want to look like an army. We need to look like heroes.

Like heroes.

[Shit. Okay. He's not gonna cry. He scrubs at his face furiously.]

Yeah. You're right. I'll tell him my sister-in-law said he's full of it.

32. » spam & voice, backdated to yesterday

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