first sortie.

[unbr8kable]

[Six hours previous, everything had been so much simpler. The Eta cohort had made it to live combat training, out in one of the few areas the Tenno had claimed back from the invaders. Xia had been vibrating the whole day, grinning wide as she suited up in the boring steel training mech (hers would be blue, she decided, or maybe black, with bold red stripes on the limbs) and deployed to the field, not even cracking on Wimperson, the Support (not his real name, but it may as well have been).

The Heralds didn't come up on radar until they were practically on top of the trainees. Maybe if there'd been more lead time, it would've been less of a shitshow, but who the hell knows.

The grimy details aren't important, but they aren't great. Damage to all suits, with two damaged beyond repair; the Leader froze under pressure, the Shadow couldn't keep up with the speedy Heralds. Wimperson actually came through. Johnson the Medic went down right there, in front of them.

Xia and Jacob have only just gotten out of their debriefing, another unexpected first for the day.

She and Jacob did good, Xia knows. They kept their heads, were barely hurt, they moved together well. "You'll make a good team," Corporal Kuwahara tells them before turning towards the medical ward to check on Johnson's surgery. "Go get some rest."

But no, rest is pretty much the opposite of what they need right now, Xia thinks. She turns to Jacob, giving her best attempt at a normal expression.]

Wanna get out of here?

Comments

[unbr8kable]

[leaving this to the pros--he is the only one who looks foreigner/charming enough to pull it off, it is a skill she respects--though she does her best to look like a confused nisei and back him up]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[The ticket window guy tells them they need to be more careful next time, and Jacob looks appropriately contrite and says he's sorry. And then - victory! - the guy waves them through the ticket aisle and they're free and clear.]

[unbr8kable]

[she gives the ticket guy a butchered "arigato" before tripping through, patting Jacob on the back.]

Easy peasy! You're a real grifting pro!

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Making sure they're out of range. Then:]

What were we gonna say?

Hey, we came in on the track without the train? [Handwaves.] We just made that guy's night way easier, that's all.

[unbr8kable]

Ours, too. They'd probably call the cops and the immigration guys AND HQ, what a drag.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Exactly. This way's better all around.

[unbr8kable]

So, like I said, well done. C'mon, lets go get a drink or something.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Sounds like a plan.

[Falling into step beside her.]

[unbr8kable]

[exiting the station, they end up on the shopping street stretching between the monorail station and the train station not too far away. at this time of night, save for a handful of tiny bars and food stalls, most of the stores are closed, storm shutters painted with the names of the shops, graffitied over with a mix of slogans and tagger's names. Xia's pace is unhurried, vaguely in the direction of the parts of Shinjuku still active at night, but not decisively so.]

...What're you thinking?

[crossmyheartandhope]

Depends what you feel like. Most of the cafes are closed, so coffee and tea're out. Lawson's stays open pretty late if you just wanna get soda or juice or something. I think Lotteria's 24/7, so we could eat in and get milkshakes. Or there's an all-night ramen place. Pretty standard in terms of drinks, but they do parfaits.

[Which maybe wasn't what she was asking, but.]

[Also, they still have gin left. It didn't make the list, but it's still tied to his belt loop in the bag, if she wants it.]

[unbr8kable]

[it is indeed not what she was asking, though it is what she asked. she chews on her lower lip, eventually giving a shrug]

Whatever you want.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Watches her chew her lip. :|a]

That sounds an awful lot like you've got an opinion.

[Nudges her.]

Spit it out.

[unbr8kable]

You're the one who's been holding back. If you wanna yell at me, go on and do it, I can't take being patronized.

[which isn't exactly what she'd meant to say, but she's never been great at apologies]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Takes a long breath in and lets it out slow. Guess it's time to answer the actual question.]

...

...I'm thinking I don't want to think about it, cause honestly, it scared the hell out of me.

[unbr8kable]

Look...

[hesitates, then barrels on anyway, frowning hard at the ground]

...Look, you don't have to worry about me. I've made it this far, I'm not going to hold you back.

[crossmyheartandhope]

You're not gonna hold anyone back.

[Hesitates a beat too long. Then, quieter:]

Today would've been a full team wipe if you hadn't been out there.

[unbr8kable]

You would've been fine. ...The others, it gets dicey, I definitely pulled their fat out the fire a few times, but-- But this isn't about buttpats for me, I know what I can do. Just--

[she struggles with how to put her feelings into words, much less words she can bring herself to say aloud. ugh, why do feelings even exist, what asshole thought that was a good idea]

I'll--take care of myself, no matter what. So--so don't make that face again.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Just looks at her for a minute. Then he nods.]

Okay. I -

Okay. Keep your half of the deal, and I'll keep mine.

[unbr8kable]

Good. Good. You'd better.

[she shuts up before babbling any other nonsense, arms still crossed tight. then, abruptly, she holds out her hand, pinky outstretched]

Let's make it official.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Pinky swear.

[This is a crooked sort of smile, but he links his pinky with hers.]

[unbr8kable]

[she gives them a shake, pulling up a fierce smile]

No matter what.

[crossmyheartandhope]

No matter what.

[The smile broadens, gets a little warmer around the edges.]

Or else, what is it? You've got to swallow a million needles? That's a lot of needles. Better make sure you follow through on this one.

[unbr8kable]

[the tight clench in her chest loosens a bit, expression fading less determined and more playful]

Or what, you're gonna stick a million needles down my throat? Where would you even find a million needles? That's so many, like all the clothes designers in Japan would come after you, I think.

[crossmyheartandhope]

We could figure something out. Scrap a couple run-down cars or something, melt the metal and put it through a needle press.

...we'd probly have to make a needle press first.

[unbr8kable]

This sounds like a lot of effort, now. There's got to be a more efficient way.