The Trip
The Trip
Simon hears it sometimes. He likes to be up late, to have the quiet of the ship around him. It reminds him of more civilized places and he can almost forget among the stars that he is traveling farther and farther away from the life he had once wanted.
He hears the choked noises as Mal walks past, thinking everyone is in their bunk at that hour. He never disturbs him, never thinks to intrude on his grief. Only at some point Mal realizes Simon is there.
He never says anything about it directly, never admits to it when it happens. But some nights, he hears Mal outside the infirmary door, drunk and stumbling slightly as he slides down the wall outside.
Simon goes to the same spot and slides down it with him. Mal whispers words through the wall like he might be able to hear them. He can’t, but sometimes the hint of one will come through and he knows that Mal is reliving battles he doesn’t want to repeat. He knows that Mal is thinking of the one battle that he never really escaped from.
He knows that as far as Mal is taking him from the life he wanted, he’s not alone on that trip
Simon hears it sometimes. He likes to be up late, to have the quiet of the ship around him. It reminds him of more civilized places and he can almost forget among the stars that he is traveling farther and farther away from the life he had once wanted.
He hears the choked noises as Mal walks past, thinking everyone is in their bunk at that hour. He never disturbs him, never thinks to intrude on his grief. Only at some point Mal realizes Simon is there.
He never says anything about it directly, never admits to it when it happens. But some nights, he hears Mal outside the infirmary door, drunk and stumbling slightly as he slides down the wall outside.
Simon goes to the same spot and slides down it with him. Mal whispers words through the wall like he might be able to hear them. He can’t, but sometimes the hint of one will come through and he knows that Mal is reliving battles he doesn’t want to repeat. He knows that Mal is thinking of the one battle that he never really escaped from.
He knows that as far as Mal is taking him from the life he wanted, he’s not alone on that trip