slipped along the way

[unmarred]

(from here)

So... up the stairs they go, mostly side by side. Mark lags by a step or two.

There is a persistent silence.



"I... didn't think you'd react the way you did," he says finally. "I mean, I thought you might—that there might be something there, but not that you'd actually."

Comments

[unmarred]

"Mm. Yeah... I see what you mean," he says.

A pause, and then: "You left somebody behind, didn't you?"

[thisvorlunatic]

"...Eh?"

[unmarred]

"Someone... in your world. That you wanted but couldn't have. And you don't think you'll ever see again."

[thisvorlunatic]

"How do you do that? Yes," says Stalas. "My second. My best friend. I loved him, and I... I know he cared for me, but I can't believe he might have cared for me that way. I never - told him anything about it." He sighs. "And now we're both exiled, but at least he was meant to survive his."

[unmarred]

"I just know how you work," Mark explains in a murmur. "You're harder to figure out than Miles, most of my life has been spent in an intensive study of Miles, but I'm learning. And everything you do tells me things."

[thisvorlunatic]

"I think I'm getting used to it," says Stalas. He discovers that he wants to rub the back of Mark's neck, considers this urge for a moment, and then goes for it.

[unmarred]

Mark giggles softly.

[thisvorlunatic]

"Well, that's an improvement on the crying."

[unmarred]

"'S nice," he mumbles.

[thisvorlunatic]

"That was kind of the idea."

[unmarred]

"I like you. It's actually terrifying how much I like you," he says dreamily. "At least you're a Miles. I have some hope of figuring you out well enough to avoid absolutely fucking everything up."

[thisvorlunatic]

"You're such a cheerful, carefree soul," Stalas says dryly. "I like you too."

[unmarred]

Giggle-sniffle.

[thisvorlunatic]

Continued neckrubs.

[unmarred]

"Mmmmm."

[thisvorlunatic]

[unmarred]

Mark beams. "You like making me happy," he announces, like this is just about the best fact he has ever learned.

[thisvorlunatic]

"I. Yeah," says Stalas. "Yeah, I really do."

[unmarred]

Mark hums contentedly.

[thisvorlunatic]

Stalas smiles.

[unmarred]

"Mmmmyou're so nice. Teach me to breathe..." he mumbles.

[thisvorlunatic]

"Eh?"

[unmarred]

"Conversation I had with Miles once. I told him trust was like air to him, and I'd lived my life in a vacuum by comparison."

[thisvorlunatic]

...

"Wow. I can see why you depress him so much. I want to - I don't know what I want to do. Teach you to breathe, maybe."

[unmarred]

"You can. You will. You are," says Mark.