(Untitled)

[mr_gaeta]

Do your frakking job, was all Gaeta could think through the events rocking the Fleet: their jump to the Ionian Nebula, the fleet-wide power outage, the Raiders zeroing in like a swarm of insects, their inexplicable departure ten minutes later

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[faithful_lt]

Word had come over the wireless almost immediately, the shockwave of news reaching CIC at the same time that it broke over the rest of the fleet.

There's been a cold knot lying in the pit of his stomach since he heard.

Not guilty. Gods.

Of all the possibilities, he'd never anticipated that one...

... and he knows Felix won't have, either.

Hoshi has a pretty good idea where Felix might go in light of this, but it still takes him a while to search first around Galactica and then through the bar before moving outside.

He stops in his tracks when he sees him.

[mr_gaeta]

One more lap.

He completes the latest circuit, passing by the side of the lake closest to Milliways' back door, and keeps pushing. His breath comes in short, sharp gasps that make him think, for a brief and dizzy moment, Maybe I should quit smoking after all.

Gaeta thinks he catches sight of someone familiar from the corner of his eye. Half a second later, he's dismissed it, tuning back in to the thump of his feet.

[faithful_lt]

"Felix! Felix, wait--"

He's never been a very good runner, even when not in duty blues, but Hoshi doesn't let that stop him now. He breaks into a jog of his own, trying to catch up.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta almost stumbles, concentration wrenched sideways like a twisted ankle. He glances over his shoulder; oh, frak, he thinks, embarrassment flushing his face even more when he gets a good look at Louis -- the sort of good look he should have gotten the first time around.

Immediately, he slows, giving the other man time to catch up.

[faithful_lt]

"I'm not dressed for this," he says, ruefully, as he draws near. "Not that I could keep up with you for long even if I were, I'm afraid."

[mr_gaeta]

"S'okay," he manages to gasp, slowing the rest of the way into a walk. "Should probably try to..."

In lieu of finishing that sentence, he circles his hand a few times.

"Hi."

[faithful_lt]

"Hi," he replies. Concern spikes as he takes in Felix's condition, although he tries not to let it show.

"Looks like you've been at it a while."

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta nods, sucking in another breath. After a couple more steps, he gives up and stops entirely, bracing his hands on his knees.

[faithful_lt]

He drifts a step or two closer, and hesitates for only an instant before reaching out to rest his hand flat on Felix's back, between his shoulders. Hoshi rubs small, gentle circles, and murmurs,

"... that long, huh?"

[mr_gaeta]

"Yeah," he wheezes.

Gods, everything hurts. He should have been doing this more regularly.

He closes his eyes, trying to shift the bulk of his attention to the feel of Louis' hand on his back. After a few more beats: "Can we sit?"

[faithful_lt]

"Of course we can."

He glances around, and spies a nearby log.

"How about there?"

[mr_gaeta]

He pushes himself a little higher: hands on his thighs now, neck craned to see. "Okay," he says at last. "Yeah."

Gingerly, he straightens up the rest of the way, wincing a little as he does, and half walks, half limps to the log. Midway there, he catches Louis' hand with his own to give it a brief squeeze.

[faithful_lt]

He squeezes back, and laces his fingers through the other man's.

"I remember now why I never took up running," he says, dryly.

[mr_gaeta]

"S'overrated," he agrees, and collapses onto the log with a groan. The instant Louis is seated as well, Gaeta leans against him, listing his head onto his shoulder.

"Frak, I'm sweaty," he mumbles after a beat of realization. "Sorry."

[faithful_lt]

"Don't be," he promises. "It's okay."

He suits actions to words by putting his arm around him and drawing him closer.

"I know how to do laundry."

[mr_gaeta]

He huffs out a breathless laugh. "Yeah. And anyway," he adds, as innocently as he can when he's still not doing the best job of breathing, "you've seen me worse."