the story in which Alex Seattle Geer is right for hating enclosed spaces,

[doubletap]

and Neil Park is blamed for his knowledge of vaults.

---

Terminal Entries:

1st Floor, Vault Entry-Room Computer:
- Data Entry 1: Year 20XX, Month XX; There's no escape.
- Holotape Entry 1: Y#4@ SDhig^8705 H98 [data corrupted]; This is hell and I want out of it.

1st Floor, Cafeteria Luncheon:
- Holotape Entry 2: Private Recording; I've had better?

1st Floor, Cafeteria Supply Room:
- Inventory List: Inventory List; A list of food....
- Data Entry 2: Shift Notes; Maybe I should tear the walls down.

1st Floor, Broken Cave:
- Data Entry 3: Preparations; Everything's fine.
- Data Entry 4: Near the End; I'll tell you the truth, but I won't give up my soul.
- Data Entry 5: Finally, the End is at Hand.; This is far enough.

1st Floor, Office:
- Data Entry 6: Vault-Wide Public Service Announcement; Get back to work everyone.
- Data Entry 7: Locked Administrative Reply; You're reaching for straws.

1st Floor, Administrative Secretary's Office:
- Data Entry 8: Drama Hoes; It is sort of funny that people aren't able to lie, though.
- Holotape Entry 3: Bill Self-Log; Byron's access still works everywhere.

Comments

[goodfight]

[Hm. The gestures are again quite nice, enough for the younger to breathe out shakily.]

Says the "unconfirmed" bachelor with commitment issues.

[doubletap]

[ The hand on Neil's back moves to his hip, pressing Neil into him and holding him there. It's enough to make one wearing only underwear feel the throbbing of one's partner. ]

Unconfirmed. When did that happen?

[ He murmurs. ]

And I'm committed. It's only been you for as long as I've known you.

[goodfight]

[Oh, that person feels a nice jumble of sensations, from himself and the other. Neil smirks.]

I dunno. Someone else's words.

[The man speaks a detail Neil has not known.]

Huh. I figured differently.

[doubletap]

[ The first remark doesn't deserve a reply--instead he shifts upward, only slightly.

When he speaks, though, there's none of the usual teasing or lightness that are known from Alex in these situations. ]

Nope. Only ever you. You're all I wanted.

[goodfight]

[Neil tightens his hold--whether for the motion or the words remains undefined.]

You... [He laughs, breathless.] You make it difficult to believe we're still trapped in this vault.

[doubletap]

[ The words make him slightly sullen (Vaults...); the laughter makes him forget. The hand at Neil's neck slips to his chin and he tilts his head up, kissing him. ]

You laugh.

[ Alex says with a small smile. ]

Laughter when it's not just destruction or watching idiocy. You almost sound happy, Wanderer.

[goodfight]

[The kiss warms him, and Neil cannot help the quiet smile.]

Right now. This moment.

[He nudges his head against the other man.]

I am happy.

[doubletap]

[ It's beautiful--the smile, the affection, the admission. Neil is beautiful, and Alex tries to wonder how this happened.

Even if he can't understand, this is what is, and this moment, this person, makes Alex want to be better than the moment before. To become something for this person, more than he was.

He doesn't say this outright, not yet, but he expresses it in other ways than words. Despite the slow atmosphere and the gentle motions, different from their usual forays, it is not breaking. It does not shatter one's mind, but works to strengthen it. There's a thousand questions. A thousand, thousand pieces yet to understand. But it doesn't matter. Not right now.

Not with that smile, that affection, that admission. Not with this person. ]