trans_9 | And We're Gonna Pull Through [Bendytimed to After System Shock]

It's probably a solid two weeks before Christmas is due, assuming that their Thanksgiving dinner was on schedule which, given the nature of the ship, it presumably wasn't. But the robot attack was terrifying and disheartening and exhausting, and Howard wants a holiday, so according to him, it's Christmas. A nice, relaxing break from things trying to kill them.

Aside from this strand of Christmas lights doing its damnedest to strangle him, that is. Howard's managed to get it around his neck, and if it weren't for the fact that finding light strands is hard enough on Stacy, would be cutting it off with scissors.

He's still a bit beat-up, bandages around his head and his knees and one looping around his torso, under his shirt, but thanks to the healers and medical technology on Stacy he's not in much pain. His foot being in a brace is the worst of it.

He's managed to salvage an old plastic tree from a run-down building. A few packets of hot cocoa from the Warehouse sit on the table. Flossy Raptor is downstairs and dressed in a Santa hat and bizarrely, a feather boa in a shade of green too lime-ish to be Christmassy. A clunky-looking dog-sized gift for Zouichi is by the couch, wrapped in tin foil and newsprint, and another is on the table for Karis, although it's unwrapped. No one else quite makes Howard's list this year.

He pulls his way out of the tangle of lights. Christmas numero dos sans his family. Christmas numero uno on Stacy. He finds he's less okay with the former than he was last year, but more okay with the latter than he'd presumed.

Anyone who walks into the kitchen of the Susono Inn will be greeted by the rare and unusual sound of Howard humming. Go Tell It On the Mountain, actually. He even sings the section of the first verse that he vaguely remembers under his breath.

"Go tell it on the mountain, up over the hills and everywhere, go tell it on the mountain, tell them something, I don't care."

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Ildraniath knew that love or attraction was rarely very rational and there was a reason Eldar strove to control themselves. But she also knew that emotions could only be controlled partially. Whether rational or not, the heart might still ache. Whether you tried to wall the pain off or tried to embrace it, it remained until you managed to make it a part of you again. Until you owned it and used it, weaved it into the tapestry that made up your mind and person. Emotion had to be channeled, controlled, put carefully into place or else it might overwhelm you.

For a few moments, she was acutely aware of her own breath - of Zouichi's. She kept forgetting that he was so young (relatively). Had he never loved before? She let her fingers trace over his lips and then took one more step forward. "We can embrace it. It... one way or the other, it's going to become a part of us. Whether we live or die."

She leaned in and let her lips brush his. The future was uncertain. She could indulge - if only slightly.

Zouichi drew back after her lips brushed his, but only just slightly. Enough to smile back at her -- in fact, at the moment, he seemed to be having some trouble not smiling. Uncharacteristic, certainly.

Perhaps something of Ildraniath's expression betrayed her, or perhaps Zouichi was merely thinking along the same lines. "I'm not that young, you know," he said, teasing just a little. "...depending on how you count."

To be fair, Ildraniath also seemed to be smiling a bit. Perhaps it's contagious.

"Compared to me, you are," she said, "But most people aboard are, so I don't think it's much of a problem. At least in my opinion."

She was teasing back. How rare.

He actually laughed a little. Clearly, whatever this was must be terminal.

"I'm moved by your graciousness," he murmured softly. "I suppose I'll have to repay you, somehow."

"I suppose I'll have to think of something. But be careful - being in debt to an Eldar is a hard burden to bear for some."

Again, she was teasing. But so deadpan it was hard to really tell.

She was so close now, so very close that he could hear the soft sound of her breath even as she spoke.

On impulse (or so he told himself later), he drew his arms gently around her. "I'll try to manage," he said, matching the deadpan tone of her voice.

This was different. A bit alien. It had been a long time since she'd embraced anyone as a lover and then it had been an Eldar. She was more used to small gestures, subtle little touches. But she didn't pull away from him; instead, she let her hand rest on his shoulder and let her head rest against his shoulder.

There was nothing wrong with that, she told herself, she was reciprocating. And there was no one there to see.

"Good," her voice lost some of the flint that it usually carried, "I'd hate to think I was imposing on you."

Zouichi was... glad, that she didn't pull away. He suspected that he couldn't truly understand what it was like for her, expressing her feelings to someone not Eldar. Could only guess at what the reaction of her peers might be, or her enemies. But whatever the consequences, as long as the result of that internal conflict allowed, he wished to be at her side.

For a long moment, the only sound was that of the leaves rustling outside. "I'll be sure to alert you," he promised. "If that ever happens."

And We're Gonna Pull Through [Bendytimed to After System Shock]

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