driftfleet | blameless mingle

Oh. Sor--

[...alright then. He can respect that, he's a very "I'm fine, stop asking" kind of guy too. So he tries to say something comforting but moving the conversation back on topic, hopefully it works.]

Let's find you a dress that lets you have enough fun to cover two Hawkeyes then.

[ her smile is genuine, if a bit pinched. ]

Business as usual, then. [ she pulls a long lavender evening gown off the rack and holds it up to her body. yes, yes, they'd agreed on a shorter hem. but! look, it's so elegant. ] It's always me picking up the slack on Team Hawkeye. Whether it's in the work-place or on the dance floor.

[A chuckle.] I'm the team leader so I know what you mean. I don't think the dance floor is included in my duties, though, unless the princess isn't telling me something.

[Doesn't Allura always have something to add after all? He gives the dress a look over.] That looks nice.

[ forget the dress. this is awfully curious. ]

Princess, huh?

[He nods, looking around the shop but not actually seeing, his tone soft, fond and kinda nostalgic when he speaks of these people.]

It's seven of us in the castleship. Me, the other four pilots -all teenagers from Earth- and two aliens: the princess of Altea and her advisor. Their planet was destroyed by the evil empire we're fighting, and they were the ones that gave us the lions to pilot and fight against the Galra.

[He pauses, then adds as an after thought.]

...ah, there's the mice, too.

Mice?

[ really? all of that, and there's mice?

kate doesn't hide her disbelief. ]

[He chuckles, finding her reaction both funny and cute.]

Yes, four mice. [Shrug!] Princess Allura can communicate with them.

So. [ bear with her, please. ] She's space-Cinderella.

[She can have all the moments she needs. It's her shopping trip after all, even if they aren't exactly shopping right now.]

If Cinderella has elf ears, can fight, can pilot a castleship and is connected to five giant robot lions, then sure.

-- That's amazing.

[ which says a lot, coming from her. ]

[He nods in agreement.] Here entire race was. It's really sad that her and Coran are the only ones left.

[He pauses when he steps out of the way to let two shopping aliens pass, remembering where they are.]

...sorry, after your loss today I should probably be staying on happier topics.

N-no. It's fine. [ ... ] I'm not gonna deny I'm bummed about Clint leaving. But I didn't lose him. He'll be waiting, back home, when all of this is over.

[ or so she hopes. it's entirely possible he won't want to speak to her then either. ]

Or when they randomly decide to send us back, right? [Will she just disappear one day just like Clint did? Not a happy thought, he realizes, so better stay away from it.] I don't think I've asked - how long have you been here?

One year and four months. [ ish. ] I actually showed up on the Valentine's day before this last one.

I try not to count, but -- well, it's kinda hard not to.

That's fine, I do the same. [He actually can count here, so yeah, hard not to. His look softens.] You said this to me once, and I need to return the sentiment - that's a long time to be away from home. Sorry Kate.

[And then he adds, trying to lighten the mood.]

I hope at least you got chocolates for Valentine's.

-- Does the chocolate protein pudding count? [ probably not. ] It wasn't so bad. It was more exciting than Valentine's back home, to be honest.

If you want to. [That... gets a raised eyebrow.] Exciting - as in, the sponsors' ideas of exciting?

Exciting as in -- hey, I've never been whisked away to an alternate dimension for V-day before. How utterly unromantic.

[He snorts.] I'm surprised they celebrate Valentine's at all. Earth's holidays in space? [He rethinks that for a second.] Or maybe I shouldn't - holiday specials, huh.

[So this show has those too, go figure. The next question comes and ok, he's just curious and it's on topic, nothing wrong with asking, right? Right.]

But Valentine's seems to be important to you. Were you expecting to spend it with someone at home?

[ truthfully, the 'celebration' had just been the same old confetti and pudding that every new arrival gets. but she doesn't care to explain that detail just now. not when he's asking... ]

Not that important, no. But it was a memorable date on the calendar and everyone else was talking about it when I got here. [ a beat. ] There hasn't been a 'someone' for a while.

[A nod in understanding. It's always like that with holidays, and Valentine's isn't different, be Japan, the USA or outer space too. He should be thankful they have a calendar at all, he realizes, to mark the New Year when it comes. He can't do that at home.]

Something in common, then. [He isn't sure what makes him say that, but he does.] Is it like they show in the movies? It gets complicated for superheros?

Edited (typo) 2017-06-06 15:47 (UTC)

[ something in common, he says. and kate can't help a slight smile. somehow, somehow, she could have guessed it. he seems a bit buttoned-up; he seems particular. ]

Very. It gets very complicated. [ ... ] You gotta keep your priorities in mind, you know?

As a pilot who spent most of his time away in space and now a paladin in an alien war? Trust me, I know.

[He returns the smile. What a life they have - it feels nice, at least, to have someone that can understand that.]

As much as I hate the cameras and being away from my team, I can't deny the break has been kind of nice.

[ she nods. they both got stuff. reasons to look elsewhere, outside the heart. and although kate isn't above a bit of fun from time to time, that's never been an option in the fleet. she doesn't like the thought of being watched. that, sorry to say, just isn't what floats her boat. ]

It has its ups and downs. Sometimes? God, yeah, it's a relief to go to bed without feeling like one giant bruise. [ story of her life. ] But there's lots that I miss, too.

[It must feel good not waking up like a giant bruise, too, he thinks, but his night terrors isn't something he's gonna talk about soon. This talk at least? It's distracting. Comforting.]

Missing home must be the one thing we everyone can agree on. Keith has helped me a bit with that - I hope you get to see family again soon, too.

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