Sometimes you lose too much [Open]

[morganknight]

Something about the river kept drawing Morgan back.

Which was odd, since he'd never considered himself to have any particular affinity to water before coming to the ship. Sure, he'd trained in it, and enjoyed swimming, but he hadn't considered his pool or a beach to be any sort of 'quiet spot' or meditative spot for himself. Then again, lacking access to his mentor's dojo, or his own personal retreats of choice, maybe he shouldn't be so surprised that he'd found a new one.

Work kept him busy, with Medical low on staff and so much to do from the rebellion. Fake as it might be, he still found himself putting in long hours and lots of effort to keep things going.

Still, sometimes... especially when you got the worst of news, you had to take a break. And you couldn't be strong forever.

Morgan sat at the edge of the river, staring into the currents, and let himself quietly cry.

Comments

[quixotically]

Elle remembers seeing the two of them together, bickering and smirking. She imagines what it'd be like, losing someone so close, someone who practically shares your blood. She thinks of Veronica, and of... of someone she can't remember. Who has she lost? She doesn't know. But she knows this feeling, gut-wrenching and heart rending, and for a moment, her face closes, brow drawing together.

"I'm so sorry," she murmurs, her voice thick with emotions more real and stronger than her memories. She knows that those words probably isn't much consolation. But... She doesn't know what else to say.

[morganknight]

"I shouldn't be making such a big damn deal of it," he said self-consciously, sniffing hard to clear his nose as he wiped his cheeks again. "Seriously... he's safe, he's alive, and I'll see him again someday. It's just a parting. A 'see you later', not a goodbye."

Which wasn't disparaging his feelings, mind, so much as the fact that according to the life philosophy he attempted to live by, acceptance of loss was important.

... ^those words probably AREN'T, not isn't. wow. oops

[quixotically]

"It's okay, though," she says quietly. "'See you later' still hurts sometimes, too. And..." We don't know how long it'll be before you see him again, she's thinking, and until then, you'll be without him, but she decides against saying it. "If you ever want to talk to someone, you can always call me. Omnicomms, y'know? And that telepathy stuff."

... how eloquent of her.

[morganknight]

Despite his emotions, he couldn't help but quirk a smile. "Or I could just talk to you. Being right here, and all. You know." He shifts his shoulder just enough to nudge her, playful-affectionate-friendly all at once. "Though maybe you ought to run, considering my record..."

[quixotically]

"There's that, too," she agrees with a small laugh. She didn't think he'd want to talk now, not so soon after the fact (it must have been recently, she thinks), which is why she made the offer in the first place.

Record? He must mean the "playboy" thing. She doesn't know what else he'd be talking about. She grins back at him, nudging back. "Please, you're too nice to try and take advantage of poor ol' me." As if she can't take care of herself.

At least he's smiling now and being playful. But how much of that is a coping mechanism, the same kind of cover Veronica uses?

[morganknight]

"I wouldn't know how to 'take advantage'. And I mean that literally," he said. "It baffles me how people can even consider it, let alone go about it." Well, he was certainly using tangents and diversions in the conversation as something of a defense mechanism, that much is for sure. His smiles grew lopsided as he continued. "I was referring more to the fact that associating with me tends to be dangerous at best, especially for cute girls I intend to flirt with."