goneawaycomms | Agent South Dakota

[ He smiles at her assessment of that. He knows he's being incredibly sappy; he's only just admitted his love to himself. It was bound to happen.

He'd had a feeling he was talking about Connie. ]

She was. She was like the cog at the center of a big clockwork.

All that time she was being so... cagey. Fuckin' pulling away from us all. I guess it's obvious, looking back, but...

[ She shakes her head. ]

Whatever. Like I said, no one else deserves to end up here. Even half saying it feels wrong. It's just everyone who is here...

Everyone who is here seems to be getting a second chance?

[ She snorts a laugh, despite herself, because of course he fills that with a much more selfless and optimistic sentiment than she was on the edge of. ]

I mean... yeah, you're kinda right, but also everyone here from home fuckin' hate my guts.

Except you. [ She smiles a little, teases: ] Way to show your bias again, by the way. Real favourable guess there.

[ He shakes his head, chuckling. ]

Sorry. I like to think it's true, at least.

No, you... you are right. At least in some cases. I mean, we have. Back home, I don't think we'd ever have talked about... any of this.

[ And she's glad they have. The emotional drain is starting to set in, but she still feels... lighter, than she did before. ]

But I am also a selfish little shit who just... [ huff ] maybe I'm a little jealous, okay? You have York. I don't have that. I'm starting everything from scratch.

You're jealous of me?

[ If she's worried he's dissembling, she shouldn't—the look on his face is genuine. ]

You have your best friend here! Even before you were dating him that's a step up on what I've got!

[ Not counting North himself, but she figures that's a given after everything they've said. ]

Is that really so fuckin' unbelievable?

No, it's just...

[ He shakes his head. ]

I just thought, with the comparison talk...

[ She raises a brow at him, not quite sure she's following. ]

What? That I don't ever... do it myself, or? Because I'm only human, Drew. Don't think the comparisons would bother me nearly as much if I couldn't... see where they came from.

Oh.

[ He thinks about that for a moment. ]

You have the chance to make things better, too.

[ She quirks that brow again. ]

Are we talking like, in general, there, or about the whole... starting from scratch shit?

Well...both? I mean, you're here, might as well make the most of it.

...yeah, guess so.

[ And there's the exhaustion. She sinks back in the seat and rubs her face, drags her hand back through her hair. She looks less of a mess than she did right after the tears had stopped, more composed, but the emotional drain is settling in. ]

I'm trying. I really am, Drew.

I'm glad.

[ He releases her hand in case she wants to continue to fuss over herself with both hands. ]

I think I want to go find York now. Is that okay?

Yeah, yeah, go on; I was close to joking he'd think you got lost anyway. I'm gonna... sit here for a bit, I feel like fuckin' lead.

[ She playfully waves her hand as if batting him towards the door. ]

Love you, Drew. Go find your fuckin' boyfriend.

Thanks, Nat.

[ He stands, walks around the chair, and bends down to give her a light peck on the cheek before leaving. ]

[ If she lights up at that, the fact never gets to leave this room.

South sits there for a long time, after that, exhausted and letting everything she said settle in her, somewhere. It's light a physical weight has been lifted off her chest that she didn't even realise existed because it had been there for so long she couldn't remember a time before it.

He understood. It really mattered this time and he actually understood.

She'll keep her promise. She'll... think about Delta, at some point, when her mind has settled. But there's other thoughts starting to take root, too; thoughts about what she can do, ways to be better, here.

She thinks she has a few ideas. ]

Agent South Dakota

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