[Room 372]

[mr_gaeta]

[After this.]

"Okay," says Gaeta -- out of breath, as always, from the climb up the stairs -- as he shoulders open the door. The bird immediately weaves around him and darts in, plocking happily at its return to its new nest.

Once it became obvious that Gaeta would be a permanent resident, Bar kindly supplied a few additions and expansions to his room: a kitchenette, a couch and TV, a small bookshelf, a wooden partition to separate his bed from everything else. It looks more like a studio apartment now than the hotel atmosphere of most Milliways rooms.

Stepping aside as best he's able, he holds the door so Louis can come in.

Comments

[mr_gaeta]

Oh! Sorry. The bird pulls back with another plock that actually sounds kind of apologetic.

"It's okay," says Gaeta, who's been watching the tableau from the kitchen; he sounds on the verge of laughter again. "He's just trying to help you comb your hair."

[faithful_lt]

"He does that?"

Hoshi stares at Felix, then at the bird, before cautiously leaning closer again.

[mr_gaeta]

"Yeah." Wryly amused. "He's done the same thing to me a couple times. Just sort of..." Gaeta waves a hand near his own hair. "Preening it."

As the coffeemaker sputters to a halt and he busies himself with filling each mug, the bird blinks, leans in to meet Louis, and makes another tentative go at grasping his hair.

[faithful_lt]

This time he stays still, no matter how odd it feels.

"Good bird," Hoshi tries. "Nice bird."

[mr_gaeta]

Success! Your friend is very cooperative, nestmate.

Gaeta starts laughing outright as the bird gets to work in earnest, scooting from side to side in an effort to reach all of Louis' hair.

[faithful_lt]

It's been a while since he's felt like laughing, but the ridiculousness of the situation overcomes him.

Hoshi chuckles, and reaches out to gently ease the bird back.

"That's enough, but thanks."

[mr_gaeta]

Small as it may be, the sound of Louis' answering laughter warms his heart.

The bird lets itself be pushed back without resistance, though it does offer a tiny plock-plock of mild protest. After nudging Louis one last time, it trots back to the foot of the bed -- where the frame is already acquiring some impressive scratches and beak marks -- to climb down to the floor.

"Do you, ah," says Gaeta, nodding to the bed. "Want to have the coffee over there? It's ready."

[faithful_lt]

"Sure, I g-- "

It takes one glance to realize the logistical problem. Hoshi automatically gets to his feet and crosses over to join Felix, silently extending his hands to take one of the mugs -- or both, if Felix will let him.

[mr_gaeta]

...Oh.

He wasn't going to say anything, he was going to try and figure out the logistics on his own, but -- there's a tiny part of him that's grateful Louis noticed, and just as grateful he's still willing to help.

"Thanks," he whispers, and, one at a time, shuttles the mugs into Louis' hands.

[faithful_lt]

"Sure," he repeats, and steps to the side to let Felix lead the way back across the room.

[mr_gaeta]

By then, the bird's hit the floor and is scampering over to take up its post next to Gaeta. Fluffing up its tailfeathers, it spins back around once it pulls even with him, keeping pace for the whole walk (well, hobble) back to the bed.

As soon as he lowers himself to the mattress with a groan, the bird takes a seat by his foot, right underneath the stump of his right leg.

[faithful_lt]

He hesitates, but not for long before he sits beside Felix on the edge of the bed.

(Besides, there's nowhere else to sit, and there's no point in trying to distance himself physically.)

Silently, he offers one of the coffee mugs.

[mr_gaeta]

Too late, he realizes that this might be a fraught place to sit; maybe they should move to one of the couches, or back to the kitchen table, or --

-- but then Louis is offering him one of the mugs, and it becomes most definitely too late.

"Thank you," he murmurs again, wrapping both hands around the mug as he takes it from him. He doesn't drink just yet.

[faithful_lt]

"You were the one who made it," he points out, with the ghost of a smile. "Thank you."

[mr_gaeta]

"I was glad to," he says, and glances up from the steam curling out of his mug. "Anytime."

It could be an invitation, of sorts.

[faithful_lt]

He nods, and looks down at his own mug.

Despite the bird's helpful attempts, his hair's still mussed; tiredness is still visible in the lines of his body, even if less than it was.





"I don't know what to say."

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta presses his lips together. He lifts the mug; takes a sip, ignoring how it's still a little too hot to drink.

"I'm not sure I do, either," he admits at last, very quiet. "I don't want to make it worse."

[faithful_lt]

A rough gasp of laughter escapes him; harsh, somehow scraped raw, and yet undeniably real.

"I don't think we have to worry about that, at least."

[mr_gaeta]

Gaeta doesn't laugh, doesn't even smile; all he does it shrug, turning his attention back to the coffee.

"You never know."

He didn't think it could get worse after they found Earth.

[faithful_lt]

And just like that, the laughter's gone.

"No."

This time, the single word comes out flat; devoid of any resonance at all.

"I guess I don't, do I."

[mr_gaeta]

Just like that.

Gaeta's silent -- like he should have stayed when this whole frakking conversation started -- and doesn't look up.

[faithful_lt]

"Felix."

Still low, still level, but with hints of some tension he can't entirely hide.

"Don't do this. Don't... don't hide from this."

[mr_gaeta]

"I don't know what else to do."

He curls a hand in front of his mouth, as if, too late, he's trying to stop the words from coming out.

[faithful_lt]

His unsteady breathing is the only sound between them for several long seconds.






"Why?"

[mr_gaeta]

"Because it's just -- "

Gaeta moves again, this time to wrap both hands around the mug, reminding himself of the warmth there. He's shaking his head, slow and steady.

"I don't know. I just can't..."