| [Sep. 2nd, 2009|09:58 pm] |
The quiet way Raidou voiced his thought, as if the new born idea were as fragile as a premature infant, caught at Genma. Genma's eyes opened, his broad grin melted into something more contemplative. "Did you think we wouldn't?"
Raidou's answering grimace was as telling as his words. "I'm not sure I was thinking at all."
Genma nodded. "I know you're never supposed to go there. I know that. I mean, the whole time we were in that cell, all I was thinking about was getting us out of there. And the whole time we were running, all I was thinking of was how the hell to get us home. How to fight them if they caught up with us." He went silent a moment, studying Raidou's bandaged face. Studying warm brown eyes flecked with little specks of gold. It was a miracle. Everything about Raidou was a miracle. Everything about being here, in the spring sun, in the light. In safety...
"I know you're not supposed to think about it. I mean, we did it right. We stayed focused on the mission and on each other and on getting home. That's what you're supposed to do. That's how..." Genma swallowed and shut his eyes. Blocking out now and replacing it with darkness, terror, pain. Then he opened them again and there was Raidou, healing if not whole. There was enough light to keep the darkness at bay, at least for now.
"That's how I did it before." He licked dry lips and didn't think about his hand, aching in its sling. "I didn't... I tried not to think about before. Because this time was different, and I had you there and..." He should shut up now, he thought. Shut up because he could see wheels turning in Raidou's head.
"I never thought we wouldn't make it, not until we got to that outpost at last. And then that's the only thing I thought. That we'd got there too late." His hand on Raidou's elbow tightened.
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