Slow and Steady Wins the Race!

[Anonymous]

"Gabriel!" Alaric stared at his friend, his face going pale. He couldn't believe the stuff coming out of Gabe's mouth, right at Remi. He reached up, clamping a hand over the blonds mouth, "It's really okay. He was just-"

Then Remi was getting into his mind, which Alaric shut down quickly, throwing up his shields. He clutched the container tighter to his chest, "Yes. She is mine. I love her and I just signed her life away. I made sure she ended up in hell."

His eyes burned, but he wasn't going to cry, "She isn't going to get to be a Princess anymore. She gets to be a Pilot."

[Anonymous]

Remi sighed and let his head fall forward. "Ally." He smiled slightly at Gabriel, "Thank you. For telling me that. And talking to me like that. I'm glad you're not afraid i'll pull rank on you for something personal. I appreciate it, Gabriel." He turned to Alaric again and kept his hands at his sides, now quite sure how personal the alien wanted to get in front of his best friend. Might seem a little creepy or something.

"Izzy would want to be a princess for only a while longer." Remi stood awkwardly, looking away. His fingers itched to have a smoke between them, but instead he rose his hands to Alarics face to make him look him in the eyes. Or attempt to. Couldn't really force Alarics eyeballs into one spot, even if Remi had been the aliens mentor, he was far stronger than Remi. In both ways.

" You didn't sign her life away. You need to come to terms that this was the most likely thing to happen. Izya was a powerful psychic, I'm a psychic. She was already on the watched list when she was born." Remi kept his hands on Alarics cheeks. "None of this is your fault. Mother and Father thank you for doing it and I do too because you took this huge burden of putting someone you love so much into this situation."

He wanted to pull Alaric into a hug but instead he moved his hands to his shoulders and squeezed gently. It still surprised him sometimes, when he realized how much Alaric had grown since he'd met the dorky teenagers in the cafeteria. Dorky teenagers. Gabriel grew, too.

And his daughter would grow. "Please stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault. Izzy loves you! She loves you so, so much." Something proper would be to add 'I do too,' but Remi wasn't sure if it was the right kind of love. Not yet. Close. Remi wanted to make Alaric happy. It was a strange feeling, Remi was hardly used to it. "What can I do to make this easier on you?"

[Rhi-Rhi]

It was only when Remi mentioned rank that Gabriel remembered Remi ranked higher. Honestly, while he knew it in that same unthinking way that you just knew your heart was pumping, it just hadn't mattered right then. Gabriel had gotten in trouble with his superiors before for speaking like this, for being too 'emotional', but rank just had nothing to do with this. Alaric was his friend; he'd gladly take a Network lock-out for him, and a whole lot more.

But Alaric had shut him up before he could say more, which was probably for the better. Reaching up, he pulled Alaric's hand off his mouth, but took the cue to keep his trap shut.

Besides, it looked like it was finally clicking in Remi's head--and he couldn't help but feel more than a little awkward as things started to get more intimate. Not physically intimate--wasn't like they were smooching, face holding aside. But conversationally, emotionally. Now it felt less like defending a friend and more like intruding on something private. It was an uncomfortable subject, anyway; Remi's daughter, the brief mention of his wife, the memory of being Remi's friend until he'd pushed him away and kept on pushing...

He cleared his throat awkwardly and took a step back, nodding at Remi to show he'd heard and understood. He gave Alaric one last reassuring squeeze, then turned away.

"Rank has nothing to do with this. He's my best friend, and I'd do anything for him," he said as he retreated back to the couch to give the two space, speaking directly into Remi's head rather than interrupt their spoken conversation again.

"Don't hurt him."

[Anonymous]

Alaric waited until Gabe had gone back inside before he responded to Remi. He avoided eye contact with him, watching the floor just over Remi's shoulder. It hurt to look at the blond right now, seeing too much of Izzy in him.

In a very physical way, what he had done hurt. He loved Izzy, wanted nothing but wonderful things for her. She was as close to a real child as he ever hoped to have, his little Princess. And he had to turn her in. Only a few hours ago.

"I'm sorry. Thank you. Really. Thank you for coming. I'm sorry I ran out.But...Remi...I can't....right now, I can't really...look at you." Alaric closed his eyes. He knew he had done the right thing, he had done it so that no one else had too. This was his burden to bare and he didn't regret that. But right now the wound was too fresh.

"I need a little time. Seeing you is to much of a reminder right now Remi." He hesitantly reached up and took on of Remi's hands in his own, "I just need a little space right now. Can we...um...if you still want to talk to me, maybe tomorrow? Or somethin'...."

[Anonymous]

Of course rank had nothing to do with it! Remi spent a moment watching Gabriels retreating back. "I hadn't planned on it." Remi snapped, there had only been one time Remi ever intentionally said anything to hurt Alarics feelings, and he spent nights torturing his fingers to make a stuffed sheep. Gave Alaric his ring.

What Alaric said confused him. Made his heart thump. He stared at Alaric for a moment and then looked past him at the door towards Gabriel, confused. He felt like an ass for wanting to give Alaric some space only so Alaric could tell him he wanted his space? Remi stared for a moment and took his hands off of Alarics shoulder after Alaric took one of his hands. "Of course, I should have known you wanted space." Remi frowned slightly and then took a deep breath and gave Alarics hand a squeeze.

First he was made to feel like an asshole for wanting to give Alaric his space, and now he felt like an asshole for overstaying his welcome. Remi nodded and tried to smile, "Don't squeeze that container anymore. It's going to open and ruin your clothing." He gave a nod, "We'll talk on the phone so you don't have to look at me." He didn't mean it to be mean, but it seemed like a good solution.

Surely his voice didn't make Alaric think of a six year old girl. Remi took Alarics chin, turned it to the side and Remi gave the alien a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry about today, I'm... Not good with people. Good evening, Alaric. Good evening, Gabriel." Remi called politely into the room before he turned away.

[Anonymous]

Alaric reached out, grabbing onto Remi's shirt, an almost childlike gesture, "No, I'm...I'm really glad you came to see me. I am. It makes me happy you cared." And it really did. He had needed Remi to come, to show he gave a shit about Alaric's feelings.

But that didn't change the fact he felt a painful stab of guilt every time he looked at Remi. He gave a small, awkward smile, unclutching the box from his chest, "And, um, if it's okay, I'll stop by your place. I just....I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, I just need a little time."

His hand dropped from Remi's shirt, "I-it really means a lot that you stopped by Remi. Thank you."

[Anonymous]

Remi paused when something tugged at his shirt. Turning around slightly he looked at Alarics hand and tried to smile at him. “It’s fine. I look forward to it.” He wiggled his fingers at Alaric before the hand dropped from his shirt and Alaric spoke again.

“Of course. I...” Remi paused before he simply turned and tried to smile at Alaric, “Anytime. And you’re welcome.”

[Remi exit! Late, I know. XD Sorry. Now I can start the other thread >_</)]