[ the balance he strikes between making the two of them into targets for the good of their people and keeping markus alive at any cost is a fragile one. easily broken, should markus simply decide to turn on his heel and march to detroit, however many miles that simon's train has placed between that city and the one within walking distance. they're dying, though. for a little while longer, they'll operate at gradually reducing capacity - unnecessary functions such as speech and their sense of touch ( pressure, heat ) turned off to preserve core processes: then movement, then memory.
for a moment, he fears markus has already reached that point. he goes so still, so silent. the fear of losing him drives through his alloy ribs, an electrical impulse lances through his heart. but markus is only in motion, chasing him down those last, precious few inches before simon has run out of ground, and he is pinned between the containers behind him and markus before him. he opens his mouth: markus, we can't stay here settled on his tongue, ready to be said. ready to be used as a barricade between them. he can't be so selfish, after all. one can only love a people's savior in silence, or run the risk of reducing him to mortal.
he swallows it, as markus guides his hand to where he can just barely feel the flutter of his regulator, his heart. instead, he says: ] Okay.
[ one finger is trapped in the hole in his shirt, as they curl through the material. he doesn't try to get away, not now.
he'll follow markus's lead, without question. this is how he will keep him safe. again, he breathes: ] Okay.
[ quietly, his free hand finds markus's, fingers wrapping around his, squeezing briefly. ]
We'll talk after. I promise. But, we have to go. [ soft, insistent as his forehead drops to the line of markus's shoulder, curling into his space with a heavy heart. they'll die, if they do not go. he doesn't want to die, he doesn't want markus to die. they do this together, or not at all. ] We have to ---
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for a moment, he fears markus has already reached that point. he goes so still, so silent. the fear of losing him drives through his alloy ribs, an electrical impulse lances through his heart. but markus is only in motion, chasing him down those last, precious few inches before simon has run out of ground, and he is pinned between the containers behind him and markus before him. he opens his mouth: markus, we can't stay here settled on his tongue, ready to be said. ready to be used as a barricade between them. he can't be so selfish, after all. one can only love a people's savior in silence, or run the risk of reducing him to mortal.
he swallows it, as markus guides his hand to where he can just barely feel the flutter of his regulator, his heart. instead, he says: ] Okay.
[ one finger is trapped in the hole in his shirt, as they curl through the material. he doesn't try to get away, not now.
he'll follow markus's lead, without question. this is how he will keep him safe. again, he breathes: ] Okay.
[ quietly, his free hand finds markus's, fingers wrapping around his, squeezing briefly. ]
We'll talk after. I promise. But, we have to go. [ soft, insistent as his forehead drops to the line of markus's shoulder, curling into his space with a heavy heart. they'll die, if they do not go. he doesn't want to die, he doesn't want markus to die. they do this together, or not at all. ] We have to ---