This ship is taking me far away...

[manusgemini]

It shouldn't be blacker out here, but somehow it is. There's no meaningful difference in terms of how far away all the stars are, but it's like there's less of them and they're colder. The sun is further away, shrunk to a small, lonely ball of light, giving only a little light and no warmth to speak of to the few planetoids that whirl through the

Comments

[blackhole_heart]

"Your idea, comin' out here," I mutter, sounding annoyed but there's a spark of playfulness in it. Always teasing. It makes things easier, so much easier. These close quarters, days of sneaking around at home and livin' in this kind of haze of denial, all three of us feigning ignorance, watching each other skeptically. It's a relief to get on the shuttle, enough that I felt guilty, seeing Mom's disappointed face and thinking Thank God.

"Never been out this far," I admit, 'cause those few days, over a year ago now, we didn't make it to the edge like we'd said.

[manusgemini]

"It's been a while," he says, shifting uncomfortably in the seat. Feels like he's been here for hours. Probably it's been close to that, but time always feels more fluid out here without the turning of a planet to keep it in step. "Been a while since I needed it."

He looks out the window again, out at the debris field that they can't yet see. "So we fall in with the rest of the junk, cut the engines, put a signal out on all frequencies. Someone'll come." Someone will need what they have.

[blackhole_heart]

"Sounds excitin'," I say with mock cheerfulness, leaning forward to watch a blown apart shuttle drift by, knowing we're in for a whole lot of sittin' around and waitin'. Hours of fucking bullshit, back to bein' all business, when part of me doesn't want any of this fixed, 'cause then... Then what? No plans, no problem ahead of us, what's the excuse to stick with each other anymore?

The engine's cut and I let him deal with the signal. More experience under his belt, and it's an excuse for me to get out my seat and move toward the back of the shuttle, alone, if only for a few moments.

[manusgemini]

He sighs as Neil leaves, leaning over the console and punching up the comm, setting it to send out something nice and friendly that'll get all the right attention. Looking for parts. Got things to trade. With a subtle 'don't fuck with us' hint at the end. Because as tedious as this is likely to be, tedious is just fine when a lot of shooting is the alternative

[blackhole_heart]

I cut the stitches out of my own head two days ago, and now, standing in front of the mirror, I peel the bandage off my cheek, only a faint line left behind from the bullet scratch. It's a surprise, almost. It feels like nothin' oughta be healing at all, when everything's standing still.

Wandering into the kitchen, I lean in the frame, watching him move around, feeling that same familiar tug in my gut, pulling me toward him. Always. Even now. "There's a bottle in the top shelf," I murmur, guessing what it is he's looking for.