(no subject)
"...So," says Alyx after Gordon and Magnusson leave the room. "What were you two talking about?"
Eli takes a long drink, then stares down at the mug of tea in his hands, saying nothing.
Alyx quirks an eyebrow. "Well?"
He hesitates another long moment before responding. "Alyx? What exactly is your relationship with Gordon?"
Alyx blinks. "I--why, was that what you were...?"
Eli shrugs, casually, but there's a sly twinkle in his eye. "I just noticed you two seem to have gotten awfully close over the past couple of weeks."
Now it's Alyx's turn to look away and collect her thoughts. "It's... been longer for us, actually," she says when she looks back at her father.
Eli doesn't reply. He just lifts his eyebrows as if to say 'go on.'
Alyx takes a deep breath. "When the teleporter in Nova Prospekt malfunctioned, we both got sent to Milliways. And again after the Citadel blew. We were stuck there for about three months, all together."
"Mmm." Eli rubs his chin thoughtfully. "That explains a few things..."
Alyx chews her lip as she tries to work out what to say next. "The thing is... there's no Suppression Field there. There never was."
One of Eli's eyebrows quirks a little higher. "Oh really."
"And... well..." Alyx looks down at her shoes, blushing a vivid red. "Gordon and I havebeensleepingtogether."
Dead silence from Eli.
"He didn't pressure me into it or anything," she blurts out. "He waited until I was ready and we used protection and--please don't be mad?" The last bit comes out as a pathetic, plaintive squeak.
"Mad?" echoes Eli with a huff of incredulous laughter. "Why would I be mad?"
"Because I didn't tell you right away. Because I wasn't honest about it."
"Alyx--" Eli sets the mug down so he can wrap his arms around her daughter. "Alyx, sweetheart, it's all right. This kind of thing can be hard to talk about, especially to family. I'm just glad you told me at all."
"Really?" Alyx looks genuinely surprised.
"Really. Now, I'll ask you again: What is your relationship with Gordon?"
Her smile is small and soft, but genuine. "I love him, Dad. More than anything."
Eli smiles back. "That's all I needed to know."
The PA system speakers crackle to life. "Attention," Jake Amundsen's voice blares. "North perimeter breach. We have a Strider approaching from the cranes!"
"Oh, hell," mutters Eli. He breaks off the hug and pushes himself up off the couch. "I'd better go up to the control room, make sure everything stays stable..."
"I'll catch up with you later," promises Alyx. She stands up and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Don't work too hard, okay?"
"Okay, baby," says Eli with another soft smile. "See you soon."
Eli takes a long drink, then stares down at the mug of tea in his hands, saying nothing.
Alyx quirks an eyebrow. "Well?"
He hesitates another long moment before responding. "Alyx? What exactly is your relationship with Gordon?"
Alyx blinks. "I--why, was that what you were...?"
Eli shrugs, casually, but there's a sly twinkle in his eye. "I just noticed you two seem to have gotten awfully close over the past couple of weeks."
Now it's Alyx's turn to look away and collect her thoughts. "It's... been longer for us, actually," she says when she looks back at her father.
Eli doesn't reply. He just lifts his eyebrows as if to say 'go on.'
Alyx takes a deep breath. "When the teleporter in Nova Prospekt malfunctioned, we both got sent to Milliways. And again after the Citadel blew. We were stuck there for about three months, all together."
"Mmm." Eli rubs his chin thoughtfully. "That explains a few things..."
Alyx chews her lip as she tries to work out what to say next. "The thing is... there's no Suppression Field there. There never was."
One of Eli's eyebrows quirks a little higher. "Oh really."
"And... well..." Alyx looks down at her shoes, blushing a vivid red. "Gordon and I havebeensleepingtogether."
Dead silence from Eli.
"He didn't pressure me into it or anything," she blurts out. "He waited until I was ready and we used protection and--please don't be mad?" The last bit comes out as a pathetic, plaintive squeak.
"Mad?" echoes Eli with a huff of incredulous laughter. "Why would I be mad?"
"Because I didn't tell you right away. Because I wasn't honest about it."
"Alyx--" Eli sets the mug down so he can wrap his arms around her daughter. "Alyx, sweetheart, it's all right. This kind of thing can be hard to talk about, especially to family. I'm just glad you told me at all."
"Really?" Alyx looks genuinely surprised.
"Really. Now, I'll ask you again: What is your relationship with Gordon?"
Her smile is small and soft, but genuine. "I love him, Dad. More than anything."
Eli smiles back. "That's all I needed to know."
The PA system speakers crackle to life. "Attention," Jake Amundsen's voice blares. "North perimeter breach. We have a Strider approaching from the cranes!"
"Oh, hell," mutters Eli. He breaks off the hug and pushes himself up off the couch. "I'd better go up to the control room, make sure everything stays stable..."
"I'll catch up with you later," promises Alyx. She stands up and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Don't work too hard, okay?"
"Okay, baby," says Eli with another soft smile. "See you soon."