[faithful_lt]

The events of the day have hit him -- hit all of them -- with the force of a hammer. Ellen Tigh's return from the dead had been shock enough; the confirmation that the damage to Galactica is too extensive to repair had been worse. Far, far worse.

Hoshi hasn't the first clue how to begin dealing with it, much less how to break the news to Felix. For the first time, he considers breaking the now-regularly-established habit he's formed of going from Galactica to Milliways an hour into the half-shift down that's all he claims to need any more, spending the night there, and slipping back into his rack before shift's end.

But they're all living on borrowed time now, and not much of it at that. He can't just disappear, not when--

-- he cuts that thought off right where it is before it can go any further, and heads for Milliways as usual.




Still, just being there doesn't mean he has any frakking idea of what to do, much less what to say. Felix asks him what's wrong, of course; Hoshi evades answering, pleading exhaustion. From the looks that he keeps getting, he imagines he must look pretty bad, but thankfully Felix doesn't press, or at least not much. He does try to draw Hoshi out in conversation, but it doesn't go well. Hoshi can't keep his mind on what they're talking about, and ends up calling it a night early.



Unfortunately for him, sleep might bring rest, but it also brings dreams.






He walks Galactica's strangely empty corridors, watching in horror as cracks spread along the walls beside him. He walks faster, then faster, as the cracks continue to grow, moving more quickly than he can keep up with, until he's somehow no longer walking but running, running as fast as he can --


-- and then with the strange suddenness of dreams, he's no longer on Galactica, but instead back on Raptor 718, staring in horror at Ellen Tigh, who's sitting in the jump seat and looking right back at him.

Between them on the floor is Felix's fallen body, marked with the bullet wounds of his execution.

Comments

[mr_gaeta]

"Okay."

He hesitates -- partly from uncertainty, partly from not wanting to let go -- before kissing Louis on the forehead and pulling away.

[faithful_lt]

He rolls to the side and to his feet, gives Felix a distracted, reassuring smile, and heads for the small bathroom.





Once the door's half-shut, enough to shield him, he turns on the water and grips both sides of the sink, head down and breathing fast.

"Pull yourself together, godsdammit. Pull yourself together now."

[mr_gaeta]

The water turns on; Felix sags, dragging a hand over his hair as he squeezes his eyes shut. He doesn't open them until Gogo worms underneath one arm, determined to get as close to him as possible.

"Good bird," he breathes, and leans against him.



Maybe he could make it to the fridge and back before Louis returns. Probably not.

[faithful_lt]

Maybe not ... but then again, maybe so, given how long it seems to be taking Hoshi.


The sound of running water continues, with the occasional splash.

[mr_gaeta]

By the time another minute passes, Gaeta's turned toward the half-open bathroom door, frowning.

It was a bad dream. Of course it's going to take him time to recover; Gaeta himself knows that well. But a deeper worry won't stop gnawing at him, fixated on the way Louis clung to him after he woke up.

Giving Gogo one last pat, he scoots toward the edge of the bed to retrieve his crutches.

[faithful_lt]

He has to go back out there. He has to face Felix, has to convince him everything's okay, somehow.

Somehow.

But gods, gods, how can he, without lying?



He won't do that.

He won't.

[mr_gaeta]

"Louis?"

Even something as easy as knocking on a door becomes an ordeal when you're using crutches; Gaeta has to settle for shifting his weight, gently tapping one crutch against the doorframe. Tap, tap.

[faithful_lt]

"I'm okay," he answers, and shuts off the faucet. Hoshi takes a second to stare at himself in the mirror, followed by a deep breath, and opens the door.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta's studying his face with evident worry the instant it comes into view.

Soft: "You sure?"

It sounds more like you don't have to lie to me.

[faithful_lt]

The unspoken question comes through clearly, and Hoshi winces.

"Okay enough. It was just ... things were rough, today."

[mr_gaeta]

He presses his lips together; nods, after a beat.

"...Can I come in? Or, um, if you want to go back to bed -- "

[faithful_lt]

"I'm finished in here," he temporizes. "But I'm not sleepy again yet --"

Only then does it strike him that he could have pleaded exhaustion again and bought time, perhaps.

Too late.

[mr_gaeta]

"Okay," he says, uncertain. "Um. Couch? Kitchen?"

None of the above?

[faithful_lt]

"... kitchen sounds good."

He tries a smile, and manages a small one.

"Maybe a glass of water, too."

[mr_gaeta]

"We can do that." His smile's not much larger, but carries a hint of relief.

This is a clear directive he can follow.

Gaeta eases back to clear the doorway, the better for Louis to exit.

[faithful_lt]

He hesitates for a second to see if Felix will go further, but then leads the way to the kitchen.

Gogo watches all of this with avian curiosity.

[mr_gaeta]

As they pass by the bed, Gaeta clucks his tongue at Gogo. "Come on, bird," he says. "Stay with us?"

Gods know it'll make him feel better; maybe it'll help Louis, too. Gogo waddles over to the chipped and scratched bedpost he's claimed as his 'ladder,' clambering down it with ease to fall in step behind the two men.

Once they're at the kitchen, Gaeta moves on to the cabinets to fetch a glass. After a beat -- a little slower -- he takes down a second glass as well.

[faithful_lt]

He drags out chairs for both of them, and hesitates again before letting out a long sigh and sitting down in one.

Unable to meet Felix's eyes, Hoshi bends forward instead and holds out a hand to Gogo in a silent offer to pet him.

[mr_gaeta]

"Would it be okay if I got myself some ambrosia?"

Gaeta, meanwhile, isn't looking up from the glasses.

[faithful_lt]

He feels himself go pale as he freezes, his fingers stilling where he'd been gently ruffling the feathers at Gogo's neck.

Oh gods, I can't - I can't be responsible for telling him 'yes' or 'no' - how can I, what do I -- oh gods, I can't, I can't--




"It's up to you, baby," Hoshi makes himself say, finally.

"Although I have to admit, it doesn't sound half bad to me either, tonight."

[mr_gaeta]

He chuckles, hoarse and not really laughter at all. "In that case..."

Still partially braced on the counter, Gaeta leans over to set both glasses on the table. (Bar, ever thoughtful, arranged a lot of the furniture to be within easy bracing distance of one another.) He hobbles onward to the fridge; while it takes a bit more effort to snag a bottle out of there, he's back within short order, sliding into the chair across from Louis with a grunt.

One small consolation, perhaps: the bottle's three-quarters full, as opposed to the nearly empty bottles that used to collect around the sink like flotsam.

[faithful_lt]

Something deep within him unknots at the sight, and after all, now that the time's aligned again between here and Galactica, it's not like he wouldn't have noticed if Felix had been slipping deeper into addiction, right?

He hopes so, anyway, even as he sits back in his chair. Meanwhile, a disgruntled Gogo lets out an exasperated 'plock' and trudges back to Felix's side. Maybe at least Nestmate won't start to pet him and get distracted?

Hoshi reaches out and runs a finger up and down the side of his glass, absently studying the way the light reflects from it.

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta uncaps the bottle, splashes a measure of alcohol into both glasses, then recaps it to set aside. He smiles down at Gogo, offering a hand for him to investigate.



The silence stretches.

[faithful_lt]

"I don't know where to begin. Or how."

He picks up his glass and tilts it back and forth, watching the ambrosia slosh.

[mr_gaeta]

Still petting Gogo, Gaeta raises his head, studying Louis.

Soft: "Wherever it's easiest?"

If such a place even exists; he knows well how difficult this can be.