[[ milliways, upstairs ]]

[almosthonorable]

whitetextiswhite

Ben's settled in the armchair in his room, head bent over his sketchbook.

This is a little harder without a certain Russian pilot in the room for comparison, but so far, he's making do.

Comments

[almosthonorable]

His expression flattens.

"She have an excuse for crawlin' into the bottom of a bottle?"

[aimedforthemoon]

"She was angry." Beat. "Planning to talk to her once the hangover's died and I'm not so much like a zombie."

[almosthonorable]

He's pulling back the quilt and sheets when he looks up.

" -- zombie?"

[aimedforthemoon]

"...undead person. More undead than me.There is a song about it."

[almosthonorable]

"Oh."

(Dan Evans will be hearing about this piece of new vocabulary the next time Ben sees him.)

He gestures toward the bed.

"C'mon, Lieutenant, you're beat."

[aimedforthemoon]

"Only a little bit." She stands up on her tiptoes, tugs him down slightly and kisses the corner of his mouth. "I'll be better company in a couple hours."

But now, sleep.

[almosthonorable]

"You're always fine company."

[aimedforthemoon]

"Ah-huh." And with that, she crawls into bed. Like any good soldier, she's asleep within moments.

And, like any good soldier, she wakes up in exactly two hours.

[almosthonorable]

Ben's propped against the headboard, working on a fresh sketch of Fira in repose.

(She's beautiful all the damn time, but there's just something about the way she looks when she's sleeping.)

"Good nap?"

[aimedforthemoon]

"Mrrmm." It's more of a groan than an endearing moan or whimper. For a moment, Esfir just lays there with her face in the pillow. Then she nods, rolls over and rubs at the back of her head.

"I feel more alive."

[almosthonorable]

He taps his eraser against the top of her head.

"You could sleep some more, y'know. No law against it."

[aimedforthemoon]

She thinks about that.

"No, I want to go and catch Katya while she's too hungover to run away."

Beat. An amused glance.

"Then...I could come back."

[almosthonorable]

"You could."

A beat and a half-smile.

"You should."

[aimedforthemoon]

"Then I will."