[[ crater-bound, night one ]]

[almosthonorable]

whitetextiswhite

[ ride a horse, save a cowboy ]


Just outside Curtiss, it's cold.

(Hell, it's cold in Curtiss.)

Which is why Ben's got a good-looking fire and a good-looking woman to keep him warm.

This beats the hell out of that ride to Contention; the only time he got near anybody in that camp was when he forked Tucker to death.

Comments

[almosthonorable]

"Practical dreamer? Man after my own heart, then."

[aimedforthemoon]

Softly, with a trace of sadness,

"I can see that."

[almosthonorable]

"That ain't a bad thing, is it?"

[aimedforthemoon]

"No. No, it's not. I just..."

She looks up at the stars and blinks rapidly for a moment.

"Miss him. Miss...being there."

[almosthonorable]

His hand stills; he shifts and wraps an arm around her torso, pulling her closer.

"I think that's understandable."

[aimedforthemoon]

Esfir takes a deep breath, shuts her eyes and fists his shirt. He's warm, and solid, and here, and it's hard to fly off when he's here.

"Do you know...The stars are different, in Solo's world? I look out the window and I don't them. We sail through space, in all the black, and there's nothing to hold us."

She's speaking quietly, but not fast, not hysterical. Just quiet, and a little lost.

[almosthonorable]

"You got plenty to hold you, Lieutenant."

He dips his head, lips against her hair.

"And you got these Arizona stars right here."

[aimedforthemoon]

And you
"Here, yes. It's not..." Esfir trails off, trying to think even as she shifts closer to him. "All my life, I've flown between sky and earth. When I went to the Moon, I was always been Moon and Earth. I could hold up my thumb and block Earth out, just for a moment, but there is not Earth to do that. I can't read the stars or know their names.

I'm used to knowing."

[almosthonorable]

"I reckon it's a helluva adjustment."

His hand strokes her upper arm, a slow back-and-forth.

"They got charts in Solo's world? I know it ain't the same, but ... "

[aimedforthemoon]

It's soothing, is what it is.

"They do. It's, just...I can't even describe how large the distances we travel."

She lets out another breath, and opens her eyes. There is him and beyond him, stars. Stars she knows.

"But it's good seeing my stars again."

[almosthonorable]

"Oh, I got an inklin'."

He smiles, just a little, and drops a kiss into her hair.

"Tell you what, you can visit these anytime you want."

[aimedforthemoon]

"Thank you."

[almosthonorable]

"Thought we agreed you don't have to say that."

A beat.

"But you're welcome."