[ It hurts, the way he cares about her. A dull and persistent ache in her chest that cannot be ignored because neither can she ignore all the things in the way of her ability to accept it. There are faint pink bands still ringing her wrists, light scars that remind her just as the cut down his face reminds him of what they are to one another outside of this space.
But the air in his apartment feels just as thick and ionized as the tunneled space of their bond, right now. Like it's somewhere else. She wets her lips, refuses to meet his gaze while he works. Grimaces through his labor.
When he pulls back, she looks down at the fragments of steel. So small. Nothing as remarkable as a blaster, but ...
She yelps when the swab touches her skin. It stings. It stings. She grits her teeth in a half-snarl through it and grips his upper arm to keep herself still. It flexes her shoulder, slightly, but it lets him get at it. ]
I don't have to shower. [ She tries to offer this, tries to lessen her burden on him. ] You're already cleaning it, and they're rationing water. [ It makes her feel better to try and barter his kindness down, even if she suspects he won't relent on that. She stinks. Genuinely stinks of garbage. Stars, she realizes too late that she has invited comment on it. ]
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But the air in his apartment feels just as thick and ionized as the tunneled space of their bond, right now. Like it's somewhere else. She wets her lips, refuses to meet his gaze while he works. Grimaces through his labor.
When he pulls back, she looks down at the fragments of steel. So small. Nothing as remarkable as a blaster, but ...
She yelps when the swab touches her skin. It stings. It stings. She grits her teeth in a half-snarl through it and grips his upper arm to keep herself still. It flexes her shoulder, slightly, but it lets him get at it. ]
I don't have to shower. [ She tries to offer this, tries to lessen her burden on him. ] You're already cleaning it, and they're rationing water. [ It makes her feel better to try and barter his kindness down, even if she suspects he won't relent on that. She stinks. Genuinely stinks of garbage. Stars, she realizes too late that she has invited comment on it. ]