shipmaster | MOM Inbox

Don't even pretend. You're going to love every second of fighting with him.

I'm not saying a damn thing on searchable record.

Uh huh. I know the truth.

[Bel had laughed, swiped their comm off and gone on about their day, the small crisis of the last evening over. It's actually later that evening that they end up rereading it. And rereading it.

And at some ungodly hour, when all ideas look like good ones, that another text comes through.]

hey, you still up?

[ He'd fallen asleep in front of the television, in fact, after telling Gregor he really wanted to stay up and finish this episode. (He'd watched all of ten minutes of it. Oof.)

It takes him a moment to blink blearily at his comm. ]

lo bel. woke me up. sokay i needed to get up

that's a turnabout.

[There's notably no apology. Or another message for almost a minute.]

Got a bad idea. Feel free to shoot it down.

[ Eh. That's okay. Miles has dozed off again in that minute's span anyway, jolting back awake when then next text comes in. ]

how bad?

either the worst or the best

lets make that date a real one. just one, no continuing, no intentions, as long as all three of you are okay with it

sort of a last hurrah before moving on. no regrets, see?

[ There's a very long pause on Miles' end. He keeps reading over that text, making sure that yes, he's seeing what it actually said. And then ... how to answer? If Gregor and Kitty are all right with it, then what's the harm? Unless he's accidentally sparking something he can't control, in either or both of them.

At least Bel has anticipated Miles' objections already. That's the only thing keeping him from bolting. ]

are you sure you wouldn't rather go take on systemic oppression somewhere? as a last hurrah

[ Not a real answer. Miles is stalling, the wheels still turning in his head. But it's not a no either. ]

[Bel just smiles, stretches where they were lounging. They knew this game, they'd been doing it for around decade, after all.

Yeah, definitely time to let this go. Well past.]

Ha. Go back to bed, ignore me.

[ More radio silence for a time. Miles should let it go too. Don't set that spark, don't even give it a chance ... That's better for both of them, right?

But all he can think about is how Bel was just a few months too late. That seems a cruel reason to not even permit something minor and temporary like this.

He sits up for this next text, fully awake now. ]

No. Let's do it.

[There is enough time between Miles' text and the reply that it might honestly seem that Bel had gone to bed. Of all the answers. Of all the answers.

In a way, Bel HAD gotten what they wanted in the first answer. But the second...

If it wasn't for the absolutely Milesian nature of the impulsive yes, they'd be sure they were dreaming.]

Talk first. Get back to me.

[ It is two in the morning. And Miles does plod up to bed during that time, though he hasn't fallen asleep yet. Waiting for the reply, wondering if he's made the right decision ...

Hopefully so. ]

Right. If Gregor and Kitty don't like it then no. I can't do that to them.

Even if it's a no,

Thank you.

[ Another long pause as Miles considers what to say. ]

You've liked me since we first met, right?

[Miles had barely hit send when the reply dings.]

Yes.

[ Gosh. Miles ducks his head over his comm a bit. ]

And here you missed me by a matter of months. That seems ... unfair. To leave it at that.

I'm a little shy about chasing 'fair' right now.

[Which is only partially a lie, really. That mission.. which may not even happen if Miles changes history... weighs heavily.]

How about want? I know I do.

[ He won't pretend he's anything but deliriously, ridiculously happy with Gregor and Kitty. Curls up a bit closer to his boyfriend even now ... ]

I think ... I wish I had had you here, those few months ago. When I was trying to figure things out.

I wish I was too.

Years and years of stodgy cultural repression. It must have been impressive.

[ Hm. Miles makes an amused noise. ]

Utterly, ridiculously panicked. I didn't know what to do with myself.

And the only Betan around to ask was your mother. I'm now also sad I missed it for the entertainment value.

You wouldn't have been able to ravish me for laughing, I'm sure. I was utterly pathetic.

If you look carefully, the network surely still has some evidence on it.

Well, there's something to pass a weekend.

I wonder how much Quinn would pay if she turned up.

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