By the Traveler, it truly hurt to look up like that, to have his hair and face grazed in such a way. It hadn't hurt before, so why did it feel like his heart was being gripped by some unseen hand now that he had to accept these casual touches as nothing but comfortable, companionable kindnesses? He felt sick and selfish, finding himself troubled, and made himself smile as he gazed up a moment before looking away again.
"Let's go see it, then," the Titan rumbled warmly, tapping a destination on the starchart display, then dragging his finger across the screen. A few adjustments and the ship continued zooming through space.
"Let's heat up some of the food from earlier and watch something to pass the time? Hm?" Declan suggested, pushing himself out of his seat and pointing towards the induction cooktop.
"You get food ready, Ghost can go through archived films with you, and I'll go pull the bed apart and get it set up."
A flurry of activity later and Declan was leaning back in one of the two chairs, rocking back and forth, pushing off from a boot propped on a table leg while he talked about a time he and a squad of Guardians descended deep into the tunnels under the surface of the moon hunting a Hive witch. He gestured, acted out firing guns, talked about a massive sword he found, had Ghost play a recording of the banshee shrieks the Hive witches did. It was an animated conversation, free of awkwardness despite the misunderstandings they insisted upon.
Later, Declan and Aoba kicked back in the cockpit and watched a film of Aoba's choosing displayed on the windows after the solar shutters were closed, Declan mesmerized. He didn't watch things so much as read them, so it was a treat to share in the experience. Afterwards, they slept, Declan having made a point to separate the two mattresses by about six inches or so, just so Aoba wouldn't feel uncomfortable being so close. It wasn't half as warm as it could have been, but Declan wanted to behave sensitively to the other man's preferences.
It went only like that for a few days, the two talking and entertaining themselves, often joined by the Allmate and Ghost, sometimes stopping to gaze into space as they passed something of interest. Finally, they made it to Venus, and Declan took his time treating Aoba to a fly-over of the common territories taht were "safe"; at least compared to the rest. Beautiful white temples and ruins, massive architecture, giant statues of long-forgotten goddesses, magnificent jungles, colorful pools and sand flats. Truly an alien landscape, and unforgettable. For the sake of ease, Declan landed the ship on the Shattered Coast, the ship windows turned towards the trio of colossal blue-fire volcanoes off in the roiling sea, the Ishtar academy a short Sparrow ride away.
"Welcome to Venus," Declan murmured with a smile as he adjusted his helmet and checked his oxygen levels. "You're welcome to explore around this area as much as you like while I'm gone on patrol. It's twelve hours rotating through three sectors. Once I get the all clear, you and I can go to the academy. We'll go look around some highlight places I've picked periodically so we don't go stir crazy looking through the archives. You be sure you have your helmet on any time you leave the ship, alright? Any sign of trouble, you get on the ship and call me right away."
no subject
"Let's go see it, then," the Titan rumbled warmly, tapping a destination on the starchart display, then dragging his finger across the screen. A few adjustments and the ship continued zooming through space.
"Let's heat up some of the food from earlier and watch something to pass the time? Hm?" Declan suggested, pushing himself out of his seat and pointing towards the induction cooktop.
"You get food ready, Ghost can go through archived films with you, and I'll go pull the bed apart and get it set up."
A flurry of activity later and Declan was leaning back in one of the two chairs, rocking back and forth, pushing off from a boot propped on a table leg while he talked about a time he and a squad of Guardians descended deep into the tunnels under the surface of the moon hunting a Hive witch. He gestured, acted out firing guns, talked about a massive sword he found, had Ghost play a recording of the banshee shrieks the Hive witches did. It was an animated conversation, free of awkwardness despite the misunderstandings they insisted upon.
Later, Declan and Aoba kicked back in the cockpit and watched a film of Aoba's choosing displayed on the windows after the solar shutters were closed, Declan mesmerized. He didn't watch things so much as read them, so it was a treat to share in the experience. Afterwards, they slept, Declan having made a point to separate the two mattresses by about six inches or so, just so Aoba wouldn't feel uncomfortable being so close. It wasn't half as warm as it could have been, but Declan wanted to behave sensitively to the other man's preferences.
It went only like that for a few days, the two talking and entertaining themselves, often joined by the Allmate and Ghost, sometimes stopping to gaze into space as they passed something of interest. Finally, they made it to Venus, and Declan took his time treating Aoba to a fly-over of the common territories taht were "safe"; at least compared to the rest. Beautiful white temples and ruins, massive architecture, giant statues of long-forgotten goddesses, magnificent jungles, colorful pools and sand flats. Truly an alien landscape, and unforgettable. For the sake of ease, Declan landed the ship on the Shattered Coast, the ship windows turned towards the trio of colossal blue-fire volcanoes off in the roiling sea, the Ishtar academy a short Sparrow ride away.
"Welcome to Venus," Declan murmured with a smile as he adjusted his helmet and checked his oxygen levels. "You're welcome to explore around this area as much as you like while I'm gone on patrol. It's twelve hours rotating through three sectors. Once I get the all clear, you and I can go to the academy. We'll go look around some highlight places I've picked periodically so we don't go stir crazy looking through the archives. You be sure you have your helmet on any time you leave the ship, alright? Any sign of trouble, you get on the ship and call me right away."