[IC INBOX | lastvoyages ]

[mothmansplaining]

.







credit

"Stanford Pines. Leave a message."

Comments

[tetractys]

THERE'S AN EASY SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, IF WE'D JUST PARK IN A PORT...

[No floods. No breaches. No nothing.]

[mothmansplaining]

[Ford looks over at him in deep surprise and no small amount of horror.

Yes. Yes, that would prevent all the damage that happens when a Barge full of complicated, difficult, and often murderous people crashes into another dimension.

He takes a deep breath, hoping for a wild moment that maybe this will be it, maybe this will be what does it --

-- and then he lets it out, shaking his head.]

Ah, you're right. That would prevent the Barge from affecting other worlds. But I don't think it's going to work. If the people on this ship can look at the compulsory kissing that happens every year and really think this isn't a show someone is putting on, then I'm not sure anything will change their minds.

[tetractys]

[Bill watches it hit him and then watches him go right back to resigned.]

DOESN'T IT TICK YOU OFF? TICKS ME OFF.

[Giving up on this would feel much worse than trying in total futility forever, to him. Because then it's letting the people that are wrong be comfortable about it.]

[mothmansplaining]

Oh, I find it absolutely infuriating! But nobody listens to me. In the best case scenario, they nod and then go back to going about their business. Worst case, they think I haven't changed at all, and I'm just going to trap the entire Barge in their own nightmares again.

[It's one of the things he's missed, not having Bill around: not being the only one who feels like this.]

I'm not good at talking to people.

[tetractys]

YOU'RE GOOD AT OTHER THINGS.

[Bill actually gives a shit if Ford is feeling sad now? amazing, what a bar to clear]

I'M GOOD AT TALKING TO PEOPLE, BUT I'M NO GOOD AT TREATING THEM WELL. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A POLITICIAN!

[mothmansplaining]

[He blinks. Supportive Boyfriend Bill is a new look, and one Ford historically hasn't expected. It cheers him up enough to make him give a chuckle at the politician joke.

He reaches forward and shuts the laptop off, closing the screen with a click. Ford may have his frustrations, but he doesn't have to live with them alone anymore.]

Still, I'm glad you're back.

[tetractys]

ME TOO.

WE WEREN'T OFFICIALLY TOGETHER THAT LONG.. BUT UNOFFICIALLY IT'S BEEN A PRETTY LONG TIME!

[Look, even if Ford wasn't aware that Bill's been trying to date him for like 15 years, BILL is very aware of it and it colored those years for him a lot.]

[mothmansplaining]

[Pfffhahaha, oh, Bill.]

I still think those years don't count, because I had no idea you were flirting with me!

[He sobers.]

...but you've been very important to me for a very long time. It felt like just when I'd started to really want you in my life, I lost you.

[tetractys]

THEY WEREN'T THIS. BUT THEY WERE SOMETHING. FOR ME THEY WERE SOMETHING. NOT DATING! JUST SOMETHING.

[mothmansplaining]

[He grins, tilts his head.]

I can live with "something."

[tetractys]

IT WAS IMPORTANT! AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW IMPORTANT UNTIL IT STOPPED, I GUESS.

[mothmansplaining]

[he's touched. Ford's expression goes soft, and he leans in for a short but quietly affectionate kiss.]

[tetractys]

[Bill kisses him back, hums happily.]

...I'M NOT GOING TO STOP TRYING TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS.

[mothmansplaining]

[He looks at Bill with happiness and gratitude, and also respect.]

Good! I'm glad to hear it. You're better at getting people to listen than me, although at least Rose seemed willing to accept the idea.

[He gets hold of one of Bill's hands and winds their fingers together.]

[tetractys]

[Ford gets a kiss on one of his fingertips.]

YOU DROPPED THAT ONE ON HER, HUH?

[mothmansplaining]

[The kiss makes Ford's shoulders relax, his body losing some of its tension.]

Uh-huh.

[A quick brush of his fingertip over Bill's eyelid.]

I like her! I really think she means well. Even though she's hurt thousands and thousands of sentient lifeforms.

[tetractys]

HEY, APPARENTLY SO HAS THE ADMIRAL.

[Dry.]

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH HER AND JASPER, ANYWAY?

[He sees nothing wrong with pushing - if it's not for Bill to know Ford will just shut him down.]

[mothmansplaining]

Oof. They're a complicated pair. Rose was keeping a secret that undermines the entire Gem War! It was a bad situation all around, and Jasper got a particularly bad deal out of it. Poor gem -- she was distraught when Rose told her the truth.

[tetractys]

UH HUH.

THIS JUST GETS MORE COMPLICATED WHEN YOU DIG INTO IT, THEN?

[Sympathetic. It's kind of Ford's permanent problem now.]

[mothmansplaining]

I'm afraid so. But I've read her inmate file -- we went through it together, to make sure everything in it was accurate. So, unless there's something that's been left out for dramatic effect, there shouldn't be any more surprises.

[tetractys]

YEAH, BIG 'UNLESS.'

[mothmansplaining]

Have you heard of one being incomplete before?

[Good data to have.]

[tetractys]

NO. BUT, Y'KNOW, IT COVERS HER LIFETIME, RIGHT? WHAT ABOUT HER GOVERNMENT? OR HER KID?

[mothmansplaining]

We've gone over the Diamond regime, but it's true I don't know much about Steven.

[tetractys]

[Bill lapses into silence for a moment.]

SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT YOU? HOW CLOSE IS SHE TO WHAT JASPER SAYS SHE IS?